City crews are cleaning up the mess at City Square Plaza  after vandals ripped cement posts out of the ground this weekend in Regina.

Chris Holden Director of Community Services City of Regina says they first heard about the damage Sunday afternoon.

Someone knocked over and dug up concrete blocks in the new square. They also dug up paving bricks and broke a grate around one of the trees.

"Initial reports thought that maybe it was struck by a vehicle, however it doesn't look like it was. There are no parts of any vehicle at the scene, there are no tire tracks on the plaza," Holden explained.

As for what could have caused the damage - they have no idea.

"It looks like it's an act of vandalism and it will remain a mystery as to how it could actually have happened," Holden said. "These are ballards that are secured into concrete with rebar and it takes a bit of movement to dislodge them."

Currently there are no security cameras at city plaza but Holden admits this crime may make the city consider adding them.

He noted that there is always a balance of maintaining privacy for people in public places like the plaza. Other cities have added security cameras to similar public spaces and they only examine video after something happens.

Holden said people at the city were very disappointed to see the damage to the space used for community events and housing the Regina Farmers Market.
 
"I don't think people realize when they undertake to vandalize something just the extent of the damage they do and the cost of the repairs that a simple act of vandalism results in," Holden said.

The total cost of repairs is unkown at this point but Holden says they are estimating the repairs to be between $5,000 and $10,000.

Regina police are asking anyone who has any information to contact them or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Edited by News Talk Radio's Adriana Christianson