A clubhouse at a southern Manitoba golf course was ravaged by a fire on Saturday, less than a week after its grand reopening from a fire that destroyed the building three years ago.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but the impact of its loss has devastated community members in Morden, Man., said the city’s Mayor Nancy Penner on Sunday morning.
“It feels especially heartbreaking given that we had just celebrated the ribbon cutting on New Year’s Eve,” she said of the Minnewasta Golf and Country Club.
“We were extremely proud of the dedication and hard work demonstrated by not only the executive of the club, but the management team who brought the vision of our new clubhouse to life.”
Santa Lucia Pizza opened at the club — which houses the dining area, hall and kitchen — during fall for larger events and social gatherings, and welcomed the public in December, Penner said.
The restaurant area could seat approximately 50 people whereas the banquet area could seat up to 150 people.
The New Year’s Eve celebration showcased the newly-renovated building and made community members feel excited to spend time at the clubhouse in anticipation of the upcoming golf season, she said.
Volunteer firefighters responded to the scene at the Minnewasta Golf and Country Club around 3 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4. (David Goerz/Facebook)
“It’s really in moments like these that the strength of our community shines brightest and I have no doubt that together, we will rebuild, we’ll recover and we’ll come back stronger than ever,” Penner said.
‘Nothing short of heroic’
Volunteer firefighters were at the scene around 3 a.m. after reports of a fire were called in. Crews used water tankers to transport water from neighbouring areas paired with pumper trucks to extinguish the flames.
The firefighters’ teamwork, dedication and selflessness battling such a massive blaze is “nothing short of heroic,” she said.
Penner said she’s unsure how extensive the damage is at this time, but regardless, the loss is a significant setback for the clubhouse that was built based on community donations amounting to more than $1 million.
While the golf course will open in the spring, it’s unknown how long it will take to rebuild the Minnewasta Golf and Country Club, but Penner is confident it will happen.
The Minnewasta Golf and Country Club went up in flames in November 2021 and completely destroyed the clubhouse, which houses the dining area, hall and kitchen. (Travis Golby/CBC)
The last fire devastated the club in November 2021.
Approximately 40 firefighters from Morden and the neighbouring city of Winkler battled the flames to get the fire under control.