YORKTON, Sask. — The City of Yorkton is replacing 21 newly planted trees after an apparent act of vandalism damaged 26 trees along Mayhew Drive over the weekend.
City crews were alerted to the damage Sept. 27.
"We had about 26 trees that were knocked over, and we're not talking knocked over in the wind," said Taylor Morrison, the city's director of recreation and community services. "They were knocked over by someone."
Some trees were snapped in half, while others were pushed over. Parks staff spent Monday clearing broken branches and removing damaged trees before beginning plans for replacement.
The incident is expected to come at a significant cost to the city.
"The trees that we're planting, they're not saplings. They are more established, high-caliper trees," Morrison said. "They can range anywhere from $150 to $250 a tree."
The expense extends beyond the replacement trees themselves.
"When you factor in the staffing costs and equipment costs, not only to plant and water them initially but now to go back and do that again, that has a cost to it as well," he said.
Although the motive remains unknown, Morrison said the scale of the damage suggests it was intentional.
"It was definitely deliberate," he said. "As to motive behind it, I couldn't tell you if some people were bored or what have you. It's just really unfortunate that it happened in our community and within our parks and green spaces."
The city has no information on who may be responsible and is encouraging anyone with information to contact Yorkton RCMP.
Despite the setback, Morrison said the damaged trees will be replaced this fall using stock already allocated for the city's seasonal planting program.
"We're going to make it right," he said. "We're going to plant trees there again and hopefully don't have the same type of outcome."
Morrison noted that incidents of this magnitude are uncommon in Yorkton and said the city hopes residents will help protect public green spaces so they can be enjoyed by future generations.
