Heavy rain in late June caused sudden flooding at the Sandy Bay Community Complex in Sandy Bay First Nation, Manitoba, forcing a temporary shutdown of the video lottery terminal gaming area. The VLT lounge has since dried out and reopened, officials confirmed.
According to the Sandy Bay Radio 106.3 CISB FM, the closure was brief. The community was first alerted via social media that the machines were closed for the night due to heavy rain and flooding. A follow-up announcement later confirmed the VLTs are now open again.
The flooding did not affect the entire complex. The on-site smoke shop and the community radio station stayed open throughout the incident. The Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation, which owns and manages the terminals, was notified of the situation. Under its agreement, First Nations siteholders keep 90 percent of net win revenue from the machines.
The complex houses the community’s two VLT lounges. A smoking lounge is located in the complex, and a non-smoking lounge — originally opened at the Sandy Bay Arena, also known as the Howard Starr Civic Centre — was relocated to the complex in 2015, according to the First Nation’s website. (Note: the community’s own webpage contains conflicting information about the lounge’s current location; the most recent update indicates it moved to the complex.)
This wet-weather disruption fits a long pattern for Sandy Bay First Nation, a low-lying community on the western shore of Lake Manitoba roughly 165 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. Historical records show crops and livestock were often lost to flooding on the reserve. In 2011, a severe flood triggered a lawsuit against federal and provincial governments after water was diverted into Lake Manitoba, damaging homes and property.
The recent rains were part of a larger storm system across western Manitoba. Dauphin recorded its second-wettest June on record with more than 211 millimetres of rain, prompting a local state of emergency and widespread road closures. While Sandy Bay was not under a state of emergency, the burst of water was enough to temporarily knock out the VLT area.
Residents can once again access the gaming lounge at the community complex. Anyone looking for updates can tune into Sandy Bay Radio 106.3 CISB FM for the latest community notices.
