Volunteers for the Canadian Badlands Passion Play were forced to evacuate the Nacmine campground as waters inched higher over the weekend.
Now, the Passion Play site has turned into a small city as the volunteers pitched their tents. It is hoped a new location can be found for the volunteers.
“All the volunteers were moved to the Passion Play site. We have 40 trailers and many tents in our parking lots and are looking for a new location for them for the next four weeks,” said Vance Neudorf, executive director of the Passion Play.
“The Passion Play site looks like the days prior to 2008 when we used to have all the actors stay on our premises from May to July. The Nacmine campground was a great blessing and saved our staff and actors from 10 weekends of camping in the heat on our gravel parking lots.”
No one was hurt, but the campground wash car was badly damaged when it was dragged by the river.
“We are hoping to find an oilfield or power company that may donate a purpose built wash car, one that we can install each spring and remove each fall. We need one that can be easily and quickly removed from the flood plain area should we suffer another flood in the future,” said Neudorf.
Despite the setback, the Passion Play is getting ready for their 20th anniversary season, which will start on July 10.
“We look forward to going back to the Nacmine Campground in 2014 and greatly value the assistance of our neighbours, the Nacmine Community Association,” said Neudorf.
