Vandalism to the Takhini Hot Springs pool kept the business closed for Easter Monday, which is generally a popular day for visitors.

Hot springs spokeswoman Katie Hayhurst said today she arrived Monday morning to find the pool empty.

The two baffles separating the two sides of the pool had been ripped out of the concrete and a dozen or more beer bottles strewn about the pool bottom.

"Luckily, the bottles weren't broken," Hayhurst said.

She hinted they were probably floating until the pool finished draining sometime after 3 a.m. or 4 a.m., when cleaning staff left, and before 10:30 Monday morning, when Hayhurst arrived to prepare for the holiday traffic.

"It was Easter Monday … it was a beautiful day, so there was a lot of disappointed people."

Hayhurst said staff initially told would-be patrons to check back later in the afternoon, as they believed they could at least have half or more of the pool filled for business later in the day - but to no avail.

"We still have not been able to get it to fill up again because there is damage to the drain valve."

Hayhurst said an assessment of the valve was being completed today to determine the extent of the damage.

The hot springs normally closes down for a couple of weeks after the annual spring break to do regular maintenance and repairs, so it comes at a time when staff were already gearing up for the shutdown, she pointed out.

On the other hand, said Hayhurst, the vandalism did spoil the Easter Monday dip for many.

Whitehorse RCMP Cpl. Glenn Ramsay said this afternoon the matter is under investigation but no arrests have been made.

Meanwhile, the business is expected to change ownership before the end of next week.

The majority of shareholders in control of the business are expected to sell all assets to a group of minority shareholders involved in the original purchase from Erwin Kreft several years ago.

The two sides have two different visions for the hot springs, and the matter is before the courts.

While the original deadline to change the ownership was March 22, the board controlled by the majority agreed to extend the closing date because of the progress being made by the potential buyers, Hayhurst explained.

The buyers were informed about the vandalism.