Valley View Centre catches fire

November 20, 1977. On November 20, 1977, a fire erupted at Valley View Centre (VVC), in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (previously the Saskatchewan Training School for mentally handicapped people). While the centre staff was holding church services for the residents (which, luckily, most of them were attending), another resident entered an empty classroom, plugged a tape recorder in a power outlet, turned it on, and started listening to a cassette. While the tape was running, the machine let out a loud banging noise, which upset the resident. Startled, the resident dropped the machine and ran out of the classroom leaving the machine plugged in and running. A fire soon erupted. A staff member smelled smoke and evacuated the residents. Due to quick thinking and practiced fire drills, nobody was injured.

Damage estimates from the fire were around $2.3 million. The blaze gutted a building that contained a “gymnasium, another rec room, a small bowling alley and 12 occupational therapy and developmental classrooms” (Valley View Damage, 1977, p.1). The ruined structure was “used all day every day during the week and the gym was some use at night for special activities” (Valley View Damage, 1977, p.1).

Even though the building was an important one, Herman Rolfes, the Social Services Minister, came forward and announced the government was in no rush in deciding what to do to VVC. In the mean time, the administration had found temporary facilities for the residents. They used the space at the King Edward School, where they were leasing seven classrooms that the city had slated for demolition.

-Blaine Wickham

  • Sheppard, L. (1977, Nov. 21) Valley View Damage $2.3 million. Moose Jaw Times-Herald, p. 1.

  • Valleyview Options Being Considered. (1978, Feb. 18). The StarPhoenix, p. 7.

  • Wickham, B. (2012, September). Valley View Centre Moose Jaw: Report prepared for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. Retrieved from http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/VVC

Valley View Centre catches fire

November 20, 1977. On November 20, 1977, a fire erupted at Valley View Centre (VVC), in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan (previously the Saskatchewan Training School for mentally handicapped people). While the centre staff was holding church services for the residents (which, luckily, most of them were attending), another resident entered an empty classroom, plugged a tape recorder in a power outlet, turned it on, and started listening to a cassette. While the tape was running, the machine let out a loud banging noise, which upset the resident. Startled, the resident dropped the machine and ran out of the classroom leaving the machine plugged in and running. A fire soon erupted. A staff member smelled smoke and evacuated the residents. Due to quick thinking and practiced fire drills, nobody was injured.

Damage estimates from the fire were around $2.3 million. The blaze gutted a building that contained a “gymnasium, another rec room, a small bowling alley and 12 occupational therapy and developmental classrooms” (Valley View Damage, 1977, p.1). The ruined structure was “used all day every day during the week and the gym was some use at night for special activities” (Valley View Damage, 1977, p.1).

Even though the building was an important one, Herman Rolfes, the Social Services Minister, came forward and announced the government was in no rush in deciding what to do to VVC. In the mean time, the administration had found temporary facilities for the residents. They used the space at the King Edward School, where they were leasing seven classrooms that the city had slated for demolition.

-Blaine Wickham

  • Sheppard, L. (1977, Nov. 21) Valley View Damage $2.3 million. Moose Jaw Times-Herald, p. 1.

  • Valleyview Options Being Considered. (1978, Feb. 18). The StarPhoenix, p. 7.

  • Wickham, B. (2012, September). Valley View Centre Moose Jaw: Report prepared for the Ministry of Parks, Culture and Sport. Retrieved from http://www.tpcs.gov.sk.ca/VVC