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Vandalism severely damages golf course

The owner of Alder Hills golf course is asking for the public's help in tracking down those behind a vandalism spree that wreaked thousands of dollars in damage to the course's greens.

The owner of Alder Hills golf course is asking for the public's help in tracking down those behind a vandalism spree that wreaked thousands of dollars in damage to the course's greens.

"The vandal is spraying some sort of grass killer on our greens," Lee Sexsmith said. "it is happening in the middle of the day and the suspect is knowledgeable about golf to blend in and knows how to conceal the volume of liquid needed to carry out the attack."

The latest attack occurred on Monday, Aug. 10 and was the fourth time the course was hit in such a manner in the last two years. And only four of the course's 18 greens remain unaffected this time.

Sexsmith said he simply does not have the money or manpower to re-sod the damaged areas. Instead, the plan is to wait for the dead grass to rot completely and let the chemical dissipate. "Then we put down new seed and sand and keep the area well watered (without causing the rest of the green to go into water stress)," Sexsmith said.

"The first grass, in about a month, to re-emerge will be a rough grass called Poa Reptan, and in about six weeks after that we will see the T-1 bent grass start to force the Poa out. So we will now go into the winter, and come out in the spring with visible damaged areas."

Anyone who has information on the incident is asked to call Prince George RCMP at 250-561-3300 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.pgcrimestoppers.bc.ca, or Text-A-Tip to CRIMES using keyword "pgtips."

The RCMP file number is 2015-25616.