Vandals have wreaked havoc in the ruins of a Simcoe business.
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Ryerse’s Garden Gallery was heavily damaged by a fire that broke out at about 4:30 am on June 20.
The storefront of the long-standing business on Norfolk Street North was destroyed, while some greenhouses on the property remained standing.
On Tuesday, July 2, a video reel posted on the company’s Facebook page showed that items had been smashed and thrown around, containers had been emptied, and graffiti was painted on the floor and furnishings.
“It’s heartbreaking and infuriating to share that amidst the devastation from last month’s fire, we’ve also had to deal with vandalism. Some individuals accessed the remains of our building, destroyed stock, smashed items, and left a huge mess,” according to the social media post. “To make matters worse, they even added graffiti to our store. It’s truly disgusting and outrageous what some people find amusing in such a tragic situation.”
On Wednesday the garden centre gave away plants that were remaining as a thank you to community members for their support.
All remaining plants and nursery stock were then shipped that evening to the Bradford Greenhouses Garden Gallery in Barrie.
“We want to thank all our loyal supporters. We are so honoured to have so many amazing offers of help, outpouring of support and incredible well wishes.“
Norfolk OPP Const. Andrew Gamble said Thursday that it did not appear as though police had been contacted about the vandalism incident.
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