Davidson’s population rose by about 200 the evening of March 3 and early morning of March 4 thanks to a blizzard that swept through the area closing Highway 11 between Chamberlain and Davidson for approximately 10 hours.

Trish Schilling, Davidson emergency management officer (EMO), said around 150 to 200 people ranging in age from a one-year-old baby to a 93-year-old lady were routed from Hwy. 11 to Davidson Town Hall between the hours of 7 p.m. March 3 to 1 a.m. March 4. She said the majority of people waited out the storm at the town hall, but many were also redirected to billets in the community and a sleeping space at the Davidson New Life Pentecostal Assembly.

“We have a billet list (of people) who are willing to take in stranded travellers, so we phoned them and exhausted that list,” said Schilling. “Then Russell and Angela Sparks opened up the Pentecostal Church and we billeted some out there. The remainder just held off (at the town hall) until the highways were opened (at 5 a.m.) and they took they their chances once the roads were clear.”

Around 20 billets in the community opened their homes to approximately 50 people, while another 25 people slept on bedding provided by the Davidson Health Centre at the Assembly. The remaining 75 to 125 people spent the night at the town hall where tables and chairs were set up, coffee was provided through volunteer work by Danielle Schneider, diapers were given by town residents and food in the form of pizzas and sandwiches were donated by Toppers Bar and Grill for the hungry stranded.

“We just provided a warm spot where travellers could be, so they weren’t on the side of the road,” said Schilling.

Craik RCMP constable Ian Smith said the Saskatchewan Ministry of Highways closed the stretch of Hwy. 11 between Chamberlain and Davidson at approximately 7 p.m. March 3 due to three separate accidents on the curve at Hwy. 11 at Girvin and reopened it at around 5 a.m. He said there were “too many vehicles to count” in the ditch that night, but there were no injuries.

To read more please see the March 11 print edition of The Davidson Leader.