Second blaze hits Morden golf clubhouse days after reopening

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This article was published 05/01/2025 (306 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A golf clubhouse in the Pembina Valley has been ravaged by fire, days after it celebrated its grand reopening following a blaze that razed the building about three years ago.

The Minnewasta Golf and Country Club, a treasured attraction near the town of Morden, caught fire for the second time shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday, Chief Andy Thiessen of Morden Fire and Rescue said.

The blaze caused significant damage to the clubhouse, restaurant and banquet facility, which officially opened to the public last weekend. Thiessen said it appears the fire started in the kitchen area.

“The news from the golf course is truly devastating. Especially heartbreaking because we had just celebrated the ribbon cutting on New Year’s Eve,” Morden Mayor Nancy Penner said.

“We celebrated at midnight with fire works. I couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful evening and now, five days later, we are back to square one.”

Firefighters from Morden, Winkler and Plum Coulee battled the blaze overnight, as temperatures plummeted as low as -28 C before warming throughout the day. No injuries were reported, Thiessen said.

Crews remained on scene Sunday afternoon, and Thiessen expected they would continue to monitor for flareup and hot spots into the early evening.

“Ironically, the cold weather is helping us in that regard, but it was also a deterrent while we were actually fighting the fire,” he said.

Thiessen could not provide exact figures, but estimated losses could total up to $6 million.

He credited the fire crews for working quickly to contain the blaze.

“I have the utmost respect for them. They did the best they could, and under the conditions, they went over and above,” he said. “We were able to save a fair bit (of the building)… it’s not a total loss this time.”

The building, located about a five-minute drive southwest of Morden’s town centre, was destroyed in a blaze in November 2021.

The cause of that fire was later linked to a malfunctioning electrical box. Community members rallied together to raise funds and build the facility anew, Thiessen said.

The fire chief said he has been golfing at the club for more than five decades. The fire is a devastating blow to the community, he said.

“It’s not just a golf club, it’s also a community spot where the venue helps with fundraising events for all kinds of different charities, foundations and stuff like that throughout the summer. So, yeah, it is a fairly important jewel for our community and now we are going through another little setback.”

“It hits home.”

Penner echoed those comments, saying the community raised more than $1 million in support of rebuilding the facility after the previous fire, including an additional $300,000 donated by shareholders during the grand reopening.

“I’m really at a loss for words,” she said. “We were so immensely proud of that hard work.”

Around 200 stakeholders, contractors and community members attended the celebration. For some, it was the first time they got to see the state-of-the art facility, which included a new pro-shop, virtual golf simulator and views of the golf course, she said.

The facility was built with tournaments in mind, and was expected to draw tourism to the community. Anticipation for the 2025 golf season was already building, she added.

“This setback is significant, but this community is resilient,” Penner said. “It’s in moments like these our community shows our strength and I think we shine our brightest. I have no doubt that, together, the club will rebuild, recover and come back stronger than ever.”

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca