Strong winds 'completely destroyed' curling rink in Strongfield, Sask.
Kendall Latimer | CBC News | Posted: July 21, 2017 1:19 PM | Last Updated: July 22, 2017
Curling rink now 'flat as a pancake' in village of about 40 people
A storm ripped through the small Saskatchewan community of Strongfield Thursday evening — leaving a levelled curling rink and scattered debris in its wake.
Mayor Jeff Vollmer said he didn't spot a funnel cloud or tornado, but said the winds were especially powerful.
"The sky was a funny greenish blue," Vollmer said.
Environment Canada conducted a damage survey in the area of Strongfield and Outlook on Friday.
"The damage was confirmed to have been caused by a bow echo, which is known to produce very strong straight-line winds," according to a statement issued by the weather agency later on Friday.
"No evidence of a tornado was found," it added.
'Big wall of rain'
Through his window, Vollmer had watched what looked like a "big wall of rain" advance toward the town.
"It got really windy for maybe five minutes, and then the rain was coming down sideways, and then pea-sized hail for probably a minute."
The small town's curling rink now lays "flat as a pancake," he said.
"It's completely destroyed," he said.
He added there was also plenty of damage to trees and power lines.
He lives about a block and a half south of the structure. The mayor said the rink was built in 1963 and that the parts that made up the building are now "scattered like toothpicks."
Community members were able to come together after the storm to help push the debris off the road. The cleanup will continue on Friday.
This isn't the first time a structure in town has been damaged by severe weather, according to Vollmer.
"We've had stuff happen before."
He said a tornado tore the end off the community hall about five years ago.
"Luckily, we have four or five guys in town that are really good at helping."
He said cleanup moves faster because of their trucks and tractors.
Only 40 people live in Strongfield, according to the 2016 census. The village is about 110 kilometres southwest of Saskatoon.
On Thursday night, Environment Canada issued a brief tornado warning for the Davidson, Girvin and Imperial areas after a tornado was reportedly spotted near Loreburn.