Stony Plain curling rink destroyed by fire
Firefighters couldn't stop a large blaze at Stony Plain’s Westridge Curling Club from destroying the facility Wednesday night.
According to town officials, the fire started at around 6 p.m. inside the building and quickly spread across the roof. Dozens of people came out to watch the fire as crews attempted to douse it from the ground and above with ladder trucks.
In total, six fire trucks and 24 firefighters from the Stony Plain Fire Department and Spruce Grove Fire Services were called to the scene.
The 63-year-old building had been home to 220 curling club members.
"It is with a heavy heart that we have to tell you that we have lost our curling club in a fire today. It is a complete loss," Westridge Curling Club president Kevin Hedley said in a statement on Facebook.
"Thank you all for your support and making this club what it is."
An overhead view of the damage to the Stony Plain Westridge Curling Club (CTV News Edmonton/Cam Wiebe)
Stony Plain mayor William Choy called it a staple that he, like many others in the community, had grown up using.
"I remember as a kid going to the rink with my phys ed class and learning how to curl," he told CTV News Edmonton, noting the community was collectively grieving.
"We'll take a couple days to live that a little bit and understand it and come to the reality and grips of that, and then from there, as I say, we'll just get together with the curling club, sit down, and make some plans."
He promised on behalf of the town: "We will rebuild, and we will assist the curling club in any way that we can. And we'll make sure that there is curling back in Stony Plain."
INVESTIGATION TO BE DONE
Neither official speculated on what caused the fire, but Hedley promised to keep the community informed as an investigation is done.
The building had been empty and there were no reported injuries, according to Stony Plain Fire Chief Trevor Mistal.
Crews were still working as of 7:30 p.m. Smoke from the fire was visible from as far away as Devon, about 30 kilometres southeast of Stony Plain.
RCMP and Peace Officers closed the area to traffic and pedestrians.
According to the FortisAlberta website, the fire caused an unplanned power outage affecting 26 customers. The company was working to restore power.
The fire investigation will begin when the fire is contained, according to town officials.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.