A Sydney dance studio may be beyond repair after someone broke in, cut the oil line and left the water running for days.
Co-owner Susan Gallop arrived to the studio last week to find it flooded with oily water. She says someone plugged the sinks with toilet paper, causing major damage to the flooring and sound systems.
“We have many children from the ages of two up to 18 that can't wait to get back,” says Gallop. “I was excited. I had all my work prepared for the year, my schedule.”
Gallop, who has been a dance instructor for 48 years, says the last few days have been emotional as she watches workers rip apart her livelihood.
Her husband, Brian Gallop, says he has “no words to express the amount of frustration” the vandalism has caused.
“Crazy, stupid, mindless vandalism,” Brian Gallop says. ‘That's it in a nutshell.”
Police say so far no arrests have been made, but the local councillor says the community now needs to come together to put a stop to senseless destruction and track down those responsible.
Susan Gallop says students and their parents have been stopping by to offer support, many who are equally as upset.
“They just hugged me,” she says. “I'm looking at Facebook and seeing so many people sad and kids crying.”
With registration slated to get underway this week, Gallop says for now everything is on hold for more than 100 students while she desperately searches for a new place to dance.
Gallop says insurance is covering the damage, but nothing can take away the pain she and the dance community feels.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.
