Deflated but not deterred.
Vernon Winter Carnival Society members and volunteers are literally picking up the pieces after an apparent act of vandalism damaged two of the ice structures at the 61st annual Carnival’s main attraction, the Drive-Thru Ice Park in Polson Park.
One structure was completely lost and another was being repaired by volunteers Sunday morning. The seven other structures are intact.
It’s believed the vandalism happened Saturday at around 11:30 p.m.
“It’s a crappy thing to happen two days into the event,” said Carnival executive director Vicki Proulx, among the society members and volunteers at the park Sunday. “It takes a lot to push those things over. Each block is about 300 pounds.”
It was the first night that the structures were not under cover of tarps to protect from melting due to unseasonably warm temperatures which cancelled one of the first four Drive-Thru events on opening day Friday.
A cold front is moving into the Interior Sunday night resulting in colder temperatures for the rest of the week, perfect conditions for the ice park.
RCMP were alerted of the vandalism.
The Drive-Thru Ice Park will go as scheduled with four shows daily at 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at www.vernonwintercarnival.com.
“We hope the public will still come and support this event, and we are so grateful for all the support already shown,” said Proulx.
The park is closed to the public during the Winter Carnival, which ends Sunday, Feb. 14.
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