Going on two days without power, the town of Maple Creek, Sask., and surrounding areas were hit hard by a storm with heavy winds and wet snow.
Heavy winds the evening of April 4 knocked down power lines leading to numerous power outages in the area.
Nearby resident Hayley Mumby said her family had to drive to Medicine Hat to invest in a generator to run their deep freeze and refrigerator and provide warmth to their home, which is located 45 minutes north of Maple Creek.
“It’s an expense that we couldn’t afford but you have to make,” said Mumby. “You think of the price of gas and the cost of living right now to replace all the food in your fridge, you kind of have to do it because you’ll be paying more in the end that you’ll lose in a power outage like this.”
The Deputy Mayor of Maple Creek says he does not know when their power will be restored but during these times of need, the community has come together.
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“One thing we did was establish a warming place (at the) Salvation Army,” said Len Barkman. “We hooked them up to a generator so their facility is fully functional and they have everything that they need.”
SaskPower does not have an estimated time for power restoration for Maple Creek and areas.
The Salvation Army has set up beds as well as charging stations for residents to charge their electronic devices. They are also providing a place to eat breakfast, lunch and supper as well as delivering meals to residents.
“We’re not sure when the power is going to come back on but we’re going to provide some generators to some of our larger places like apartments,” said Barkman.
SaskTel released a statement on Wednesday stating that there are internet, wireless and landline services outages in the Burstall, Cypress Hills, East Fairwell, Fort Walsh, Fox Valley, Golden Prairie and Richmound areas. There is no estimated time of repair.
“Sasktel has indicated they anticipate more services may be disrupted in the area if power is not restored,” according to a statement. “If you are in need of police assistance and your landline and cell phone will not work, visit your local RCMP detachment.”
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