A water main break proved a major disruption to Gold Eagle Lodge over the past weekend.
The main break took place around 4:45 p.m. Friday. City crews worked throughout the weekend to repair the issue. Meanwhile, about 500 guests had to be rerouted to rooms at other hotels throughout the city.
The disruption caught staff members by surprise.
“This isn’t in the textbooks,” said Gold Eagle Lodge General Manager Malcolm Anderson.
“I’ve been in the business for 45 years, this is the first time I’ve had a water main break.”
It is not clear exactly why or where the water main break took place. It is believed the problem was somewhere between the hotel and the casino, with the situation most apparent near the entrance.
“To see the amount of water just bubbling up out of the ground, it was a bit scary for a moment there for me. Like I went ‘holy smoke,’” said Anderson.
The break happened far enough away from the hotel that flooding was never an issue, but it did cut off the water supply.
This was a major concern. Apart from the inconvenience of not having water available in rooms or in washrooms for the guests, Anderson noted the impact to the fire suppression system as well.
Despite the disruption, Anderson noted guests were understanding of the entire situation.
“People were just absolutely fantastic,” he said. “Those that were in house just said ‘sure, tell me where I’m going’ and away they went.” He noted the other hotels also gave them updates as to where they stood with rooms.
Also disrupted was the Saskatchewan Bison Association whose banquet had been scheduled for the hotel Friday.
Anderson adds there was “great co-operation” from the other hotels around North Battleford, who held rooms until they could get guests out of the Gold Eagle Lodge.
“By the end of the evening we had filled four of our competition,” said Anderson. They had to relocate guests to other properties on Saturday as well, filling rooms at two competing hotels on that night.
Anderson thanked the City of North Battleford, including those who worked so hard during the weekend to resolve the situation.
By Sunday at 5 p.m., the situation at Gold Eagle Lodge was well in hand and water service was resumed.
While the hotel reopened to guests Sunday, it was under a boil-water advisory while the necessary tests were being done to make sure water to the hotel was potable.
The advisory is issued simply as a precaution. Anderson said those water tests were done Monday morning and results were expected in a couple of days.
The advisory does not affect the use of water at the hotel for showers or toilets, or for laundry equipment, but it did mean bottled drinking water needed to be provided for guests.
He said two new valves were put in to shut the water off coming from the west. Water is now being drawn to Gold Eagle Lodge from the east, from the industrial park and WDM, through the cemetery and Ag Society grounds, and then to the hotel.
Anderson said this solution to the situation should help Gold Eagle Lodge avoid disruptions from future water main breaks.
“In the future, if there is a break on the other side, the east side of the hotel, then they can just switch the valves, close the one and open the other, and we’ll still continue, which is fantastic for any business,” said Anderson.
He said the City may look at that as a requirement for any new development.
After this experience Anderson expects they will have a full protocol of “what-to-do” at their disposal if a situation like this happens again at a hotel. Also, Anderson says he and the rest of the staff have a new appreciation of how important water is on a daily basis after not having it available for a couple of days.
“I think to myself how fortunate we are to have clear and safe water.”
