OLDS — The town's Community Connections Centre was made available on Friday for people stranded by the collisions that occurred on Highway 2.
Heavy snowfall the night of Thursday, Dec. 14, fog the morning of Friday, Dec. 15 created icy stretches which resulted in a string of collisions along Highway 2 between the Didsbury overpass and Red Deer.
The collisions claimed the life of a 58-year-old Fort Saskatchewan man and sent several people to hospital.
As a result, RCMP closed the highway between the Didsbury and Olds overpasses and advised people not to drive on certain portions of it. A tow ban was initiated.
Heather Dixon, the town’s lead community facilitator, says firefighters brought about 10 people to the facility, located in the provincial building just north of the Mountain View Museum & Archives.
In an email, Dixon said the centre “offered a safe place for individuals to stay until they could be picked up by a friend or family member.”
The Community Connections Centre team provided those people with internet access, snacks and beverages.
Dixon says the first stranded people began arriving at around noon and the last one was picked up at 4 p.m.
“They all mentioned being thankful that they were safe and that we had provided a safe place for them to wait,” she wrote.
The Community Connections Centre is an idea from town staff that was approved by council last spring.
The town’s three community facilitators are located in there, along with the Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society, the BGC and area youth coordinator the BGC youth centre.
Space is also available for non-profit groups who want to meet there.
“The Community Connection Centre is a great addition to the community and we are pleased to help wherever we can in the community,” Dixon wrote.
