REGINA — The Government House is assessing and evaluating damage caused by a hailstorm in Regina on Tuesday.
The storm shattered the glass surrounding the conservatory, forcing its closure. An exact reopening date has not yet been determined.
“We don't have any timelines at this time. We're working through the assessment. Once we understand the extent of damage, we determine a plan to undertake necessary repairs,” said Allison Cheston, director of property management health with the Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement, at a media event on Friday.
As a precaution, caution and barrier tape have been put up around the conservatory.
“Internal staff as well as the public are not permitted in those spaces until cleanup and remediation are completed,” said Cheston.
Because the full extent of the damage has not yet been determined, the ministry could not provide a precise estimate for repair costs.
Regarding the repairs, Cheston noted that fixing the conservatory’s roof will require specialized equipment.
Beyond the conservatory, the Government House also sustained damage to windows on the building’s west side and to recently planted Edwardian Gardens.
Chad Debert, manager at the Government House, said he doesn’t believe anything like this has happened in the past few decades.
“We've talked to the staff here; there are people who have been here 30 years, and there's been nothing like this in the past 30 years.”
Even with the conservatory closed, Debert said other activities are on schedule.
“For Canada Day, the Lieutenant Governor's Canada Day celebration is proceeding as normal on July 1st in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. All of their events are going ahead as scheduled, so everything that they have planned is on their website, and everybody will be able to enjoy it.”
– With files from Denis Conroy
