During Sunday's flooding, guests were evacuated from an upscale event venue in Monroe, Connecticut, as a sinkhole opened on the venue’s lawn.
The Waterview sits on the banks of Lake Zoar. It’s got a beautiful lawn for outdoor weddings — with white columns and colorful rows of flowers. But just a few yards away, a huge sinkhole formed on the lawn, opening up onto the lake.
Co-owner John Royce takes in the damage with landscapers.
“That storm was one in two hundred, one in a thousand years," he said.
Royce said the pressure from the water overloaded a pipe, causing it to burst.
“And when it exploded, of course, it was like a giant fire hose," he said. "And water finds its least resistance, and it was right near the lake, so it easily just blew out the side of the hill and drained itself into the lake.”
Two events were going on inside the building at the time. No one was injured, but dozens of people were evacuated, and the events were canceled.
“And we're getting new dates for these people so that they can celebrate them," he said. "We didn't know if the structure of the building was compromised, and after having everyone out here today, the building is just fine.”
Royce said the Waterview will remain open for business — despite the sinkhole.
