In an email, a city official said it’s possible the bark was stripped with an ax or hatchet, and the damage varies from tree to tree. A post from the garden’s Twitter account said it appears someone broke in overnight and did the damage. The Public Gardens are closed today due to an ongoing police investigation. It appears that a person or persons broke into the gardens last night and destroyed several trees with an axe. We are deeply disappointed by this senseless act. #halifaxnoise —@HfxPublicGarden Many of the trees affected, including some historic trees, were around Griffins Lake. Staff are working to save as many trees as possible, but some trees may need to be removed. The municipality will monitor the health of the affected trees in the coming months. The total cost of the damage is not yet known. The park is expected to reopen Wednesday.
