‘Really frustrating’: Regina Rowing, Canoe Club cleaning repeated vandalism

The Regina Rowing Club and the Wascana Racing Canoe Club are picking up the pieces after a string of vandalism damaged key infrastructure and disrupted operations this spring.

Regina Rowing Club director Chad Jedlic said it began with smaller acts of mischief, like docks unhooked and left floating and start towers pushed into the water, but the situation quickly escalated.

“That stuff’s annoying. But then we started seeing acts of vandalism, windows smashed out of the finish line tower, and similar damage to other nearby buildings,” he said.

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The finish tower is jointly owned by the Regina Rowing Club and the Wascana Racing Canoe Club, and the damage came just as both clubs were preparing to host events. Volunteers rushed to replace the broken glass.

“It forced a lot of volunteers out to try and quickly get the glass replaced so that we could host our event,” Jedlic said.

(Chad Jedlic/submitted)

At its peak, the vandalism was affecting the club on a near-weekly basis. Jedlic says that they usually see one or two isolated incidents a year, but this spring, they dealt with at least five or six.

While access to the lake hasn’t been directly impacted, the club has spent countless hours dealing with the aftermath, logging police reports, installing security equipment and coordinating with the Wascana Centre and law enforcement.

“It’s probably close to $10,000 in actual expenses,” Jedlic said. “And then probably hundreds of hours of volunteer work between the two clubs. That time could obviously be put to better use.”

Jedlic said the incident has left the community frustrated. But there’s also relief; the situation seems to be improving. Several individuals were recently apprehended in connection with the damage, and since then, things have quieted down.

“We haven’t had any new issues, which is good,” he said. “The work with (the) Wascana Centre and the police has been positive.”

Security upgrades are also helping deter future incidents. Surveillance cameras have now been installed in key areas, replacing previous decoys or low-grade systems that were more symbolic than functional.

“Maybe getting that message out is helpful,” Jedlic said. “The increased police presence, and there are real cameras now. Hopefully, that helps dissuade anyone thinking about doing this again.”

Despite setbacks, Jedlic said the club remains focused on offering rowing programs and welcoming the public to the lake. But he hopes the spring’s string of damage is the last for a long while.

“It’s really frustrating,” He said. “But our volunteers have stepped up, and hopefully we’ve turned a corner.”