Community helps save Main Street after fire destroys three Radville businesses

Anyone from a small town knows that Main Street is typically the central hub of the community.

Radville, a town just 130 kilometres south of Regina, is no exception.

It’s where all the hustle and bustle takes place for the community of around 1000 people.

In the early hours of Monday morning, fire devastated the town’s Main Street.

Rene Bourassa, Mayor of Radville, said the community and nearby Ceylon fire department came together to protect the rest of the businesses.

“They worked along with our fire department all night right until four or five in the morning,” he said.

“That just shows the support and the community involvement. There were farmers and water haulers and the guys on the rigs. They all brought their trucks, equipment and tanks. That really helped us save our Main Street.”

Without their help, Bourassa said things could have been a lot worse.

“We could have lost our Main Street if that fire would have really got going. Once you get one building on fire, if it gets the right wind it can go right down the block.”

Bourassa said three businesses are now lost.

“The hotel caught fire first, and there’s a restaurant that’s pretty well hooked right to the hotel,” he said. “Then there’s a beauty salon right beside the restaurant. All three buildings are pretty well destroyed.”

The remains of the Long Creek Saloon (left) and the restaurant beside it. (Radville Sask/Facebook)

The hotel was the iconic Long Creek Saloon.

“The hotel wasn’t new,” he said. “It’s one of our bigger buildings in town and it’s high. It’s old, and once that lumber got going up on top, boy there were flames shooting 30 to 40 feet out of the top of that building until the roof caved in.”

The hotel was home to many celebrations and fond memories.

Bourassa used to attend meetings at the hotel with a group he was a part of.

“We had a stock car club and that was our meeting spot,” he said. “It was a good meeting place because you could order dinner, eat and have a birthday party in there.”

Bourassa was a big fan of the Chinese restaurant growing up.

“When I was younger it was run by a husband and wife,” he said. “They were great. We’d eat there all the time. When you’re a young guy working we’d go there for cheeseburgers, hamburgers and chips. It was a good café.”

He said the town had to cut back on water use after the fire.

“We have two wells we draw from,” Bourassa said. “Our reservoirs were going down. I think it’s coming back up a little bit. We’ve got our water restriction on right now. People are pretty good.”

Despite the tragedy, Bourassa said he’s proud of his community, who came together to help each other.

“I want to thank our community for being so supportive of each other,” he said.

The community rallied to protect the rest of Main Street from Monday’s fire. (Radville Sask/Facebook)

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