Wolfville looking for flood mitigation strategy to combat rising sea levels
The Town of Wolfville is starting the work to make sure its waterfront park doesn't become a water park.
The town is looking for proposals for a flood risk mitigation plan for an area of the town east from the park, which was once the town's harbour when ferry service sailed from the town to Parrsboro and ships docked to load apples.
Money for the eventual work will come partly from a federal fund for communities that are on the water and need to take steps to prevent the flooding that is coming as a result of climate change.
“We're looking at shoreline protection right around the downtown, right in the curve of the harbour, if you will,” Mayor Jeff Cantwell said in a recent interview. “That's our low point in the town.”
He said the town is working on the issue now “because we know that in 50 years things are going to be changed unless we take steps now to try to mitigate and protect that area. There will be challenges we won't be able to meet if we don't take the steps now.”
What used to be the harbour is part of a tidal estuary off the Minas Basin, fed by the Bay of Fundy and its massive tides.
Cantwell said the last time there were major problems in the town was during the Saxby Gale of 1869, but there was flooding this year during a high tide and surge that put water to the door wells of people's cars.
"We're just lucky there wasn't a big storm with it,” Cantwell said.
“There's no way of stopping the Bay of Fundy from doing what it wants to do, all we do is manage what's happening out there.”
The town has called for tenders for a flood risk mitigation plan to determine what needs to be done to protect the town. The tender closes Jan. 16.