Rosthern's Curling Club opened their doors to drivers stuck on nearby Highway 11 thanks to a blizzard. (Submitted Photo/Town of Rosthern)

By Rob Mahon

Rosthern Highway Help

Rosthern Curling Club shelters drivers stranded by storm

Feb 1, 2022 | 4:00 PM

Highway conditions were so treacherous yesterday some drivers reported trips taking five times longer than they normally would. Others, meanwhile, couldn’t complete their trips at all.

When that happened, some had to pull off the highway into nearby communities such as Rosthern. While even getting off the highway was a trick, once there they found the local curling rink open and waiting for them.

“It was largely on the initiative who run the curling rink, our rec staff,” said Rosthern Mayor Dennis Helmuth. “It was apparent to us that there were a number of stranded vehicles just exactly north of Rosthern and they needed a place to hunker down for the evening.”

Though Rosthern isn’t far from Highway 11, the drive would’ve felt far to anyone having to make it last night. The town helped out by sending some snow clearing gear to make a path from the main highway.

“Three of our outside guys went out with heavy equipment and had to clear a path off of the number 11 and then onto the 312 Highway, then directly on to the town,” Helmuth said. “Not a long distance, but the drifting was so high that we needed to clear the roads.”

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Helmuth estimated there were 15 to 18 people who parked their cars close by and elected to spend the night in the curling club’s lounge, or in their own vehicles in some cases. Club staff offered them hot meals and drinks, and by the early hours of the morning they had managed to get back onto the road.

“In the heart of the town, you don’t quite see the full effect,” Helmuth said. “All reports are, visibility was virtually zero. Some drivers were able to park it on a bit of the side of the highway and some ended up in the ditch. With zero visibility, it was a very dangerous situation.”

Later that morning, Helmuth got on the highway himself and saw that just north of neighbouring Hague, there were 25 to 30 vehicles parked, including perhaps a dozen semi-trucks. On a night like last night, smaller communities between major centres got to show their giving nature.

“Rosthern is a great town,” Helmuth said. “We try to accommodate people who are in need. Technically speaking, the highway doesn’t run directly through town, but when there’s a human need on the highway, we go out and assist.”

Helmuth added their local towing company, Harv’s Autobody and Towing, was busy directing people into town and then went back out in the morning to help rescue cars from ditches.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP