A weekend water main break on Broadway Avenue has forced at least two businesses to close for now.
City crews responded to the water main break on the 700 block of Broadway late last Sunday night.
To get to the source of the problem the Broadway Business Improvement District (BID) Executive Director DeeAnn Mercier explains crews had to release pressure in the line.
“Of course when some of that pressure was released that also had some water that was on the street that soaked into some of the buildings,” she told 650 CKOM.
Mercier said the Broadway Theatre, Calories Restaurant and the Shoe Boutique next door all had some damage.
In a Facebook post, the Broadway Theatre said it had to close on Monday, but thanked city crews for their “tireless” work.
In dollars, the theatre is looking at a $5,000 to $10,000 insurance claim, said executive and artistic director Kirby Wirchenko.
For small business owners, unexpected closures are difficult, according to Mercier.
“That’s a loss of revenue for businesses and a loss of wages for people as well.”
The busy street underwent months of water main repairs and repaving in 2016.
Mercier said the hope was to avoid breaks, but there’s not much you can do in the Saskatchewan climate.
“No amount of investment in those water mains can stop them from heating and shifting when the ground starts to thaw,” she said.