Man admits to damaging 70 Peace Bridge glass panels, Crown seeks 1-year sentence

Damage to the glass panelling on Calgary's iconic Peace Bridge on Sunday, July 24, 2022.

A 59-year-old man has pleaded guilty to one count of mischief after damaging 70 glass panels of Calgary's Peace Bridge in the summer of 2022.

The Crown confirms it is seeking a one-year sentence for Brian Douglas Jensen. The case is scheduled to resume Friday.

Dozens of panels on the pedestrian bridge atop the Bow River were damaged in the early morning hours of July 24, 2022. Witnesses indicated the vandal had used a hammer, rebar and bricks to smash the glass.

The estimated cost of the damage neared $1 million.

Jensen was originally charged with:

• Two counts of mischief to property over $5,000;
• Disturbing the peace;
• Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose;
• Breaches of a conditional sentence order; and
• A bylaw infraction for unlawful disposal of waste in a city park.

The City of Calgary announced in the fall of 2022 its plans to replace the side glass panels with a railing made of steel tension cables in an attempt to reduce maintenance and repair costs.

The Peace Bridge first opened to the public in the spring of 2012.