Photo: About two-thirds of the Smeaton rec centre roof is gone, and it collapsed mainly onto the ice surface. / Courtesy of Smeaton Recreation Center Facebook
By Nicole Goldsworthy
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
SaskToday.ca
A partial roof collapse at the Smeaton Recreation Centre in the early morning hours of March 30 has left the decades-old facility unsafe and residents without their community hall, skating rink and curling rink.
Lyle White, mayor of the Village of Smeaton, told SaskToday that exterior cameras captured the collapse at approximately 1:30 a.m.
“The building was constructed around 1978,” White said. “About two-thirds of the roof is gone, and it collapsed mainly onto the ice surface. The walls are compromised, and the entire building is not safe.”
White said the facility had been in active use just days earlier.
“On March 15, the community centre hosted a bonspiel, and about a week before that the skating club held its windup,” he said. “We were quite fortunate.”
At this stage, White said the village faces significant work and decisions.
“There is a lot to be done,” he said. “The village does have some insurance to rebuild, but there is a lot to discuss before anything happens.”
White urged residents to stay away from the site.
“We ask the public to please stay away from the building to keep everyone safe,” he said.
In a March 31 social media post, the Smeaton Recreation Centre described the loss as devastating.
“Our rec centre has suffered an unimaginable loss,” the post read. “The building has partially collapsed. We don’t yet know what happened, and everything is in the early stages. Please keep your distance as we work with the proper channels to keep everyone and everything safe.”
The organization also asked residents not to use the nearby care home for parking or turning around.
The volunteer-run facility has long served as a central hub for the community, housing a gymnasium, hockey and skating arena, curling rink and seniors club under one roof. It relies on fundraising, skating fees and donations to operate.
Community members expressed grief and shared memories online following the news.
Jamie Jensen, a board member and volunteer, said the it is a significant loss for the community.
“We aren’t sure what happened,” Jensen said, adding that the cause remains under investigation. “No one was inside and there were no injuries.”
Jensen described the recreation centre as a central gathering place that hosted a wide range of activities and events, including skating and curling, snowmobile rallies, weddings, funerals and community fundraisers.
Ryan Reid, a Smeaton resident, said the loss will be deeply felt.
“This is a major loss for the community,” Reid said. “I live in the area and pretty much grew up in the rink as a kid. It was an enormous building — a hockey and figure skating rink, a curling rink with three sheets and an upstairs viewing room, plus a kitchen and full-size gymnasium.”
Amber Hoffus, owner of Johnston Agencies in Porcupine Plain, said roof collapses are rare but serious.
“In the 13 years I’ve owned our business, we have had only one roof collapse,” Hoffus said. “They typically don’t happen, but when they do, it is catastrophic. Depending on several variables — including the weight of snow, roof structure, building age and freeze-thaw conditions — this can occur.”