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Footage from security cameras shows the roof of the Smeaton Recreation Centre collapsed around 1:30 a.m. CST on Tuesday, the community’s mayor says.
Mayor Lyle White said no one was believed to be inside the building at the time.
Smeaton is located about 80 kilometers northeast of Prince Albert.
Leotta Belcourt, who lives across the street, said she heard loud noises during the night and her partner woke up in the morning to see the whole thing had collapsed.
“Our neighbor had pointed out to him, she’s deaf so she was pointing to him to go look out the back and he went and checked and he’s like, the whole back end had collapsed throughout the night.”
Belcourt said she immediately contacted the recreation board, reaching a member who then called the mayor.
Impossible to rebuild
White said the building will be inspected by authorities only after an insurance assessment is finished.
“The rink was built in the late ’70s and the whole community came together,” said David Willness, a member of the centre’s board.
The Smeaton Recreaction Centre is volunteer-operated and gets operational expenses from fundraising, skating fees and donations. (Submitted by David Willness)
“The town helped us with our insurance for that cost and then it was 100 per cent fundraised through the rallies, the little bit of money that would come in from rentals and stuff, ” he said.
“The government had grants out for putting in the hockey and curling ice and then we donated all of our labour for that. So that all went into the rink bank account to keep it operational.”
For that reason, Willness said he believes it would be impossible to rebuild.
The board has had talks about a situation like this occurring, and for a community of Smeaton’s size and the resources available, it just wouldn’t make sense he said.
“The cost to rebuild it would be astronomical compared to what we could afford.”
The community may be able to build another recreation facility, but nothing of the scale of this one, he said.
“It would probably just be like a community centre that would go up and there would no longer be a curling ice or skating ice.”
Board member David Willness said the recreation centre was the primary spot for sporting and community events in the village. (Submitted by David Willness )
People in the community have speculated that the collapse may have been triggered by moisture in the wooden rafters.
The building was a vital hub in Smeaton, serving as the primary location for significant community events, including town hall meetings, birthday celebrations and funerals.
“There’s so many different things happening in that building,” White said. “There’s curling, there’s hockey, there’s an auditorium, there’s dances and fall suppers, stuff like that … And now that’s gone.”
A view inside the Smeaton Recreation Centre before it collapsed. (Submitted)
A large curling bonspiel was held there less than two weeks ago, and kids’ events were held there this past weekend, he said.
“In the winter time, there’s not a lot for kids to do … Just last Friday there it was full of kids because we had their final skating windup party. We’re very fortunate nobody got hurt or killed in the building.”
He said community members will get more information as soon as updates are available.
“There is $1 million worth of insurance on the building, but buildings cost millions nowadays,” he said. “These small towns don’t have millions of dollars to spend. It’s a devastating blow to this community and the surrounding communities.”
The centre was a large hub for curling, hockey, community suppers, parties and senior activities. (Submitted by David Willness)
Staff shared on social media that they are profoundly saddened to announce the “unimaginable” loss.Â
“We don’t know what happened, everything is in the early stages,” a post on the centre’s Facebook page said.
“We understand the meaning this place had to so many over the years. Feel free to post your memories!”
Staff are asking people not to use the neighboring care home’s property as a parking lot or a turn-around area, and to keep a safe distance away from the site.