Brantford residents head home after river flooding
Residents urged to stay away from waterways
THOUSANDS OF BRANTFORD residents started heading home Thursday to assess the damage to houses evacuated amid unprecedented February flooding along the Grand River.
But some neighbourhoods near the swollen river, particularly Eagle Place, remained without gas and electricity Thursday night and the city was asking residents to stay away from a handful of flood-damaged homes until structural engineers give them the all-clear.
Mayor Chris Friel warned in a Thursday evening news conference that while the evacuation order is lifted, the city remains in a state of emergency and the swollen river is still “exceptionally” dangerous for anyone venturing too close.
“Please stay away from the impacted area,” he said, expressing concern about reports
of curious residents flocking to the riverside to eyeball the damage.
Friel also gave notice the city would be seeking provincial emergency funding to
help recover from what he called an “extraordinary” and unprecedented flood. Premier Kathleen Wynne visited the area Wednesday to offer unspecified provincial support.
“The Grand River is a flooding river; we’re used to it,” Friel said after telling nearly 5,000 residents evacuated Wednesday that it was safe to go home. “But we are not used to, nor is any other community along the Grand River used to what we just saw.”
In Brantford, water levels reached nearly seven metres Wednesday thanks to a combination of rapid snow melt, steady rain and devastating, repeated ice jams.
Friel said the provincial Ministry of Transportation had inspected bridges affected by the flood and given the all-clear to reopen all vehicle bridges. Pedestrian bridges, however, remained closed.
Brantford Power officials vowed to continue working into Thursday night to restore electricity to still-dark homes in pockets along the river so long as it is safe to do so. Union Gas said it will begin entering previously flooded areas Friday morning to examine and, if needed, repair natural gas equipment.
The amount of damage to basements and homes due to overland flooding from the swollen river or sewer backups remained unclear Thursday night.
Some residents complained online that the city could have done more to stave off flooding in some neighbourhoods.
Typically, the city is able to temporarily use stoplogs to manage water levels at two areas in the dike — one around the Lorne Bridge and another on the other side of it. But this time the flooding came on too fast, Friel said.
The city declared a state of emergency Wednesday morning, urging close to 5,000 residents from about 2,200 homes in Holmedale, Eagle Place and Old West Brant to evacuate due to an ice jam and water levels of which Brantford has never seen the likes, Friel said. Several homes were significantly damaged, with those closest to the river most affected, said Friel, who toured some of the neighbourhoods Thursday morning. City officials warned some of those homes may be unsafe.
Six Nations also remained in a state of emergency Thursday, but water levels had begun to recede by the afternoon. Residents along Fourth Line from 744 West to Bateman Line were most at risk, so Six Nations Fire and Emergency Services planned to visit those who chose to remain in their homes.
Friel said he visited some of the affected areas and had an “impromptu” meeting with residents, who voiced concerns about insurance claims and when their utilities would be restored. The city planned to reach out to the Insurance Bureau of Canada to set up a community hub where residents can go with their claims.
Toward Orangeville, workers braced for tragedy as they searched for a three-year-old boy, identified as Kaden Young, who slipped from his mother’s grasp after their van was swept into the Grand River early Wednesday. In rural Milton, a woman and her dog were rescued after her vehicle ended up in a fast-flowing Sixteen Mile Creek Wednesday.