The Groupe Berger stage, like all stages approved in Canada, was built to withstand winds up to 75 mph (120 km/h). Crew members had little warning that the storm’s winds might be worse than the forecasted 55 mph (90 km/h) gusts.
The actual force of the winds that hit the stage may have been as high as 87 mph (140 km/h), according to Brian Dillon, a Weather Network meteorologist — putting the gusts in the category of an F1 tornado on the Fujita scale.
“It knocked over trees on the other side of the river, then hit the water and gained speed, knocked out a few other trees on this side and hit the stage at the exact ‘right’ place,” said Berger.
Berger added that he’s given close to 40 interviews in the days since the storm hit, and expressed gratitude that there were no fatalities.
“I couldn’t sleep if there were – and in fact I went and saw the injured truck driver [Sandy Sanderson, a driver for Cheap Trick] and he was walking and smiling through the circumstance. That was a relief.”
Berger said the company stands by its safety standards, noting that this model stage has been approved by two Canadian Engineers and six U.S. Engineers, and is certified for use anywhere in North America, Alaska and Hawaii. The Ottawa festival’s main stage had been used in several festivals since being built three years ago.
The damaged stage structure, which was insured, is a total loss, and is currently being dismantled for recycling. It will not be reused at any point in the future, Berger noted.
For more information, please visit www.groupeberger.com/Eng
