While the Moosehead Inn may now be gone, its memories will live on for years. The inn burned down Friday night, with firefighters working until Saturday morning to put out the remaining hotspots. 

The cause of the fire is not known at this time, but the building was a total loss. 

According to reports from the Canadian Press, the owner, Dale Orsted, had re-opened just three months ago after spending a year shuttered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To help save on costs due to the lack of income caused by the pandemic, he had actually foregone repurchasing insurance.  

The Moosehead was a storied building in southeast Saskatchewan. Originally, it was built by Ethel and Archibald Grandison, where it was a dance hall for teens. Orsted purchased the building in 1990 and kept the spirit of it being a place to be during the summer alive. The restaurant on the bottom floor was considered to be one of the best in the area, and the nightclub upstairs was the scene of concerts over the years, as well as cabarets, weddings, and more.  

One of those who took in the atmosphere at the Moosehead was Brad Chapman. Originally from Estevan, he now resides in Nova Scotia. He owned a cabin in the area in the ’80s and ’90s and remembers the place fondly. 

“It was our home away from home for a lot of people,” Chapman said. He pointed out people came from across the southeast to the Moosehead, and it also attracted big-name bands. 

“They wanted to come here,” Chapman added, noting the reputation of the venue made it easy for Orsted to book the acts. “They’d reach out to him and say ‘Can we come and play at the Moosehead’ because it was so much fun.” 

With just the memories of the Moosehead remaining, Orsted has stated he isn’t planning to rebuild. The plan now is to clean up the property with the intention to sell it.  

--with files from Joseph Ho (CJME) and The Canadian Press