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Vancouver 2010 Olympics glass company vows to fix smashed cauldron

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The thick, tempered glass covering the base of one of the pillars of the Vancouver Olympic cauldron was smashed early Saturday morning.

Police were called to Jack Poole Plaza at 9:30 a.m., about five hours after the intentional vandalism.

“We are super disappointed that this happened. Why anybody would do that, we don’t know,” said Const. Jason Doucette, who added there is surveillance video of the incident.

“People obviously went there prepared to damage this item, there were two men as far as we know, and it appears they were using a blunt instrument,” he said.

There are hundreds of glass panels covering the cauldron, all individually made by Studio 3 Glass in Port Coquitlam.

Owner Nasar Niki said he thought he was dreaming when Vancouver’s Olympic organizers asked him to help make the iconic cauldron for the 2010 Winter Games.

“They picked me and the company because of our past reputation, and we are really known in this industry. So I was extremely happy, honoured and excited. For the whole seven or eight, or nine months, I couldn’t even sleep well,” said Niki.

In the 12 years since his glass work was featured so prominently in the 2010 Olympics, he has visited the cauldron dozens of times.

“Anytime I travel downtown, that is a spot I never ever miss to look at it or drive by,” said Niki, who was upset to learn six of his glass panels were smashed by vandals.

“To be honest with you, it’s breaking my heart big time. Sometimes I talk with my friends and say the cauldron is like my baby,” Niki said.

His company has been asked to replace the shattered panels, which will take time.

“For those six pieces, we need to provide the templates and start from scratch and try to create the exact texture,” he said, adding he’s determined to make the repair look seamless.

While the cauldron is a high-profile target, glass-smashing vandals are nothing new in Vancouver. Window breaks are up dramatically throughout the city, especially downtown. And it’s often done for no apparent reason.

“Why people are doing this, I have no idea. It’s not like they’re breaking this to get to an item that will allow them to make money to support habits. There is nothing like that in this case for sure,” said Doucette.

The Vancouver Police Department is planning to release surveillance video of the suspects. “I’d like to see them caught,” Doucette added. “It’s a careless act of vandalism, and they should be held accountable.”

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