HEART AND SOUL: Storms rips apart centre of Foxwarren’s community

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Residents in Foxwarren say they are assessing the damage from a powerful storm that blew in over the weekend, and wondering if they will be able to salvage a long-time hockey arena that has served the community for more than seven decades.

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“Hockey and figure skating has been the centre of our community my entire life, and I think the majority of any Foxwarren kids favourite memories growing up probably happened inside that arena,” Foxwarren resident Danny Johnston said on Monday morning.

Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena
Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena can be seen in this photo. Residents in Foxwarren say they are assessing the damage from a powerful storm that blew in over the weekend, and wondering if they will be able to salvage a long-time hockey arena that has served the community for more than seven decades. Danny Johnston/Handout Photo by Danny Johnston/Handout /Winnipeg Sun

The future of the Foxwarren Arena is now in doubt, after a storm on Sunday morning that produced wind gusts of more than 100 km/h at times, ripped large sections of the roof off of the arena that has stood since the 1940s.

Johnston who was born and raised in the community of less than 100 residents located about 315 kilometres west of Winnipeg near the Saskatchewan border, says it was a shock when he went to the arena on Sunday morning to access the damage, and saw what had happened to the building.

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Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena
Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena can be seen in this photo. Residents in Foxwarren say they are assessing the damage from a powerful storm that blew in over the weekend, and wondering if they will be able to salvage a long-time hockey arena that has served the community for more than seven decades. Danny Johnston/Handout Photo by Danny Johnston/Handout /Winnipeg Sun

“It was extremely disheartening driving up yesterday morning and seeing it in the state it was in after seeing it as a big strong building your entire 40-plus years, and spending half of your life growing up and playing sports there.”

He said his initial reaction is that the damage looks severe, but he added it will take time for that damage to be assessed, and for decisions to be made in the community about the building’s future.

Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena
Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena can be seen in this photo. Residents in Foxwarren say they are assessing the damage from a powerful storm that blew in over the weekend, and wondering if they will be able to salvage a long-time hockey arena that has served the community for more than seven decades. Danny Johnston/Handout Photo by Danny Johnston/Handout /Winnipeg Sun

“I hope it is salvageable but honestly I don’t know if it is, it’s a guessing game,” Johnston said. “It would be devastating if it ends up not being able to be fixed.”

Along with hosting hockey and skating, Johnston said the building has also consistently served as a “meeting place” in the community, and is one of the few options left for large gatherings.

Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena
Extensive damage done to the roof of the Foxwarren Arena can be seen in this photo. Residents in Foxwarren say they are assessing the damage from a powerful storm that blew in over the weekend, and wondering if they will be able to salvage a long-time hockey arena that has served the community for more than seven decades. Danny Johnston/Handout Photo by Danny Johnston/Handout /Winnipeg Sun

“It’s somewhere where we have always gone for hockey, figure skating, social events like weddings and even funerals,” he said.

“In my opinion that arena is the heart and soul of this community.”

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