Sea to Sky Gondola reopens as RCMP investigation into vandalism continues
For the first time in 10 months, the Sea to Sky Gondola is welcoming visitors.
“It was really fun. I loved the hikes and stuff,” said Faeryn Sherry, who came with her school. "It’s amazing.”
Staff have worked tirelessly since the cable was cut in September 2020 to get it up and running once again. This was the second time the cable was vandalized, the first cut happening a year earlier, in August 2019.
“It was really scary because I don’t know who did it,” said Sherry. "And it’s just kind of like, why do it again?”
That’s the question on the minds of many: Could the vandal or vandals hit again?
As of the reopening, no suspect has ever been identified, and police have not released any photos or images depicting who it might be.
The RCMP told CTV News in an email that there are no new updates on the case, but it remains a priority for the Sea to Sky detachment.
Kirby Brown, general manager of the Sea to Sky Gondola, said security has become a "preoccupation" for the operators.
“I used to say I run a tourism business and now I run a security operation, and that’s both sad and true," Brown said.
After the first incident, the team increased security and they’ve done the same again this time.
“While I can’t mention specifics, I think the comprehensive nature of it is what makes it unique,” said Brown. "There’s additional measures that make it harder to access the towers, and also parking the cabins every single night, removing them from the line.”
Those cabins will be parked behind the guest services office each night and added back to the cable every morning. Brown said it takes about 30 minutes to do, and will keep the cabins safe from the elements such as storms. It will also ensure if someone successfully cuts the cable for a third time, no car will come crashing to the ground.
“We’d all feel better when they catch these individuals or the individual. But we’ve accepted from the outset that this is our security posture forever,” said Brown.
Some surveillance camera towers are visible from the cabins as passengers ride to the top, but Brown explained there are some other measures taken that are not visible.
“We really have spent the last eight months digging deep into who we are, what we represent and how we want to be in this country, and that work has been hard and fascinating and very vulnerable,” said Brown.
There was a steady stream of hikers and sight seers arriving on opening day, eager to take in the view they’d missed for nearly a year.
“The people who’ve done this are reckless and they have directly endangered people’s lives,” said Brown. “Squamish is a town that deserves better.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.