CBC Calgary newsroom evacuated, makeshift newsroom set up at SAIT Polytechnic

Due to the “worst flooding in decades,” CBC Calgary's newsroom was evacuated Thursday night. It's estimated that 75,000 people are affected by evacuation orders, including several CBC Calgary employees.

We are now evacuating the @CBCCalgary building because of rising water. #

Due to the “worst flooding in decades,” CBC Calgary's newsroom was evacuated Thursday night. It's estimated that 75,000 people are affected by evacuation orders, including several CBC Calgary employees.

 

We are now evacuating the @CBCCalgary building because of rising water. #

— Kristina Barnes (@CBCKristina) June 21, 2013

CBC Calgary has set up a make-shift newsroom at SAIT Polytechnic and is broadcasting its Eyeopener radio program from there. SAIT has taken in almost 200 evacuees since getting the request from Alberta Emergency Response at 6 p.m. Thursday. “We opened the doors for (the CBC) and they arrived shortly after 9:00 p.m. with about a dozen trucks and 15 people,” said Anika van Wyk, manager of communications at SAIT Polytechnic. “We set up a war room, we set up a broadcast room and now we've expanded into some television as well.” 

 

Make-shift newsroom #SAIT since @CBCCalgary evacuated by flooding. Complete flood coverage @ 99.1FM #yyc #abflood pic.twitter.com/tdsuN3G3pG

— CBC Calgary (@CBCCalgary) June 21, 2013

While SAIT does have radio broadcast facilities, CBC staff decided to set up a remote operation in several rooms in Heritage Hall and started broadcasting at 5:30 a.m. Friday. The CBC had been at SAIT all night and were ready for the Eyeopener morning show. Several CBC employees were put up in SAIT's residences, said van Wyk, who herself was also affected by the evacuation order. 

CBC has not yet been available to provide further comment. 

 

*Clarification: A previous version of this article referred to the Eyeopener as a newscast.