Strong winds 'completely destroyed' curling rink in Strongfield, Sask.

A storm ripped through thesmall Saskatchewan community of Strongfield Thursday evening leaving a levelled curling rink and scattered debris in its wake.

Mayor JeffVollmersaid 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 Canadaconducted 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 isknown 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, Vollmerhad watched what looked like a "big wall of rain"advance towardthe town.

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"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 addedthere 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 memberswere 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 severeweather, 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.

Only40 people live in Strongfield, according to the 2016 census.The village is about 110kilometressouthwest of Saskatoon.

On Thursdaynight, Environment Canada issued a brief tornado warning for the Davidson, Girvin and Imperial areas after a tornado was reportedlyspotted near Loreburn.

Strongfield, Saskatchewan curling rink destroyed by storm

7 years ago

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Strongfield, Sask. curling rink destroyed by storm