Community scrambles to deal with arena fire

Band members on the Peguis First Nation have spent the day coming to terms with the emotional and logistical effects of the loss of the reserve's arena, which burned down Monday.

No one was hurt in the fire on the Interlake-area reserve, but therink and its Zamboni were destroyed.

"They were close to stopping it, but we had a shortage of water, and with the wooden structure, once that started, it just took off. We couldn't get ahead of it," band Coun. Lloyd Sinclair told CBC on Tuesday.

The rink is a busy place this time of year, with hockey playoffs set to begin next week.

"It's been a loss of almost a family member. The arena was something that everyone got together with and enjoyed other activities, other than just hockey. We've had carnivals, festivals, different events going on there.

"I've had many [band] members around that were crying with the memories, and [asking], 'What are we going to do?'"

Peguis officials have already made arrangements for their hockey teams to play in nearby Fisher River and Fisher Branch.

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Sinclair said the building was insured and will definitely be replaced.