Those working at Crestview Chrysler in Regina described the aftermath of a hailstorm on Tuesday as a war zone. The damage was so extensive that the dealership had to bring in a special team to repair its vehicles. “We have about 120 used vehicles on the lot and approximately 230 new vehicles on the lot. 100 per cent of the vehicles are damaged,” said Matt Fischer, the general manager of Crestview Chrysler. “It looked like a war zone to be honest and so I met with the hail team at that time and our body shop manager. We walked the lot and they assured me they had the team on the way.” Over the course of the week, SGI has received an abundance of calls. “As of Friday afternoon we are sitting at about 8,000 claims and that list keep growing every day,” SGI spokesperson Nikki Kluk told CTV News. It’s not just vehicles that were damaged by hail. Glass is strewn about the conservatory at Government House, where dozens of panes were smashed. The full extent of the damage is unknown. However, those at the property are continuing to assess. Regardless, Government House programing will continue as scheduled. “We are open for business. School groups are still coming in. We’re just not obviously letting anyone in the conservatory and there will be a small section of the grounds cordoned off so that people can’t go there because it’s not safe,” Government House spokesperson Chad Debert said. As for Crestview Chrysler, they’re making the best of a bad situation. “We have lots of vehicles in the showroom that are untouched but for the vehicles that are on the lot, there’s going to be a massive discount coming,” Fischer noted. Body shops will be working extra hours - but with thousands of vehicles in the queue, it could be weeks before all the hail damage is repaired.
