Loxahatchee Groves unites to dry roads
Neighbors help remove water from properties, roads awash from rain.
Neighbors worked together to help bail out properties and roadways saturated from weeks of heavy rain.
When Ryan Tucker heard more rain was coming to Loxahatchee Groves over the Memorial Day weekend, he knew he had to have a plan.
The town’s dirt roads were suffering, with months of issues giving way to massive puddles and occasional washouts made worse by torrential rain the weekend of May 19.
The 31-year-old worked with town officials to find a temporary solution — just one example of Loxahatchee Groves neighbors coming together to help bail out properties and roads saturated from weeks of heavy rain. Stories circulated on social media Monday and Tuesday of neighbors running to Publix to help those trapped by high water, and family members pitching in to dig ditches to divert water toward drains and canals.
The town does not have a public works department and outsources its road maintenance to a contractor.
Tucker joined forces with Councilwoman Phillis Maniglia to rent an industrial-sized pump from Home Depot on Sunday.
“We thought about what our options were to keep the roads from washing into the canals,” he said. “This seemed like the best way to do that.”
Of particular concern was B Road north of Okeechobee Bou-
levard, where a section of the road collapsed into the neighboring canal May 20. After Sunday’s rain, E Road north of Okeechobee faced a similar issue.
Maniglia said she and Vice Mayor Todd McLendon on Saturday night placed “Road Closed” signs on B and E roads to warn residents of the conditions.
E Road was the first place Tucker and Maniglia headed when the rain let up Sunday. With Vice Mayor Todd McLendon and resident Jim Galloway, they pumped several inches of water from the large puddles on the road. Tucker then pumped water off a property on E Road north of Southern Boulevard.
The team turned to B Road on Monday, tackling more wide, deep puddles that have persisted for weeks. “Other than my work truck, I drive a real small car, so I know how it is trying to get through that,” Tucker said.
Tucker, Maniglia, McLendon and Galloway were joined by resident Ken Swindell on Monday, and they worked throughout the day to move water out of the road’s largest holes and into the adjacent canal.
While many residents offered thanks, there were some “younger folks” who drove by the crew too quickly, swamping it with dirty water. “That’s not help- ful at all on these roads,” Tucker said. Maniglia urged residents to take it slow.
It wasn’t all hard work and no play. Neighbors gath- ered late Monday to help one of the residents on B Road and, with the pump team nearby, formed an impromptu block party. “We got to meet all the neighbors,” Maniglia said, adding that she spoke with many about an upcoming vote to make the Loxahatchee Groves Water Control District dependent on the town. “I was able to answer their questions and talk to them about the issue.”
Tucker also involved his 5-year-old son, who he said had a great time playing in the puddles on Sunday and helping his father pump the water off E Road. “He loves it,” Tucker said, laughing. “He’s pretty handy and likes to help me with the trac- tors, too.”
The limelight wasn’t Tucker’s goal — he just wanted to help his community. “There’s people all over the town doing things to help their neighbors,” he said. “Credit needs to be given to everyone.”
But being in the wind and rain has taken its toll on him: Cold symptoms started Monday night, and by Tuesday he had developed a cough. He said the work was still worth it. “Everybody seems really appreciative,” he said.
The town is looking for solutions to its road issues, Maniglia said. “We’ve got some growing pains right now, but we’ll get through this,” she said.