By Chad Ingram
Published May 25 2017
A state of emergency that had been inplace in Minden Hills for nearly three weeks due to flooding waslifted on the morning of Friday May 26.
“The widespread and significantthreat to safety of persons and property from the recent flooding ofthe Gull River watershed has declined” read a release from thetownship. “The township is currently operating in the recovery andcleanup phases of the response to the flood.”
At noon last Friday the BobcaygeonRoad bridge the village's lone vehicular bridge was reopened totraffic with township staff removing concrete barricades that hadblocked it to vehicles since May 11.
A number of streets that had beenclosed to traffic for weeks including Anson Orde and InvergordonAvenue were also reopened to traffic.
At press time the only remaining roadclosure in Minden was a portion of Water Street where a water mainburst during the flood. It has been estimated it could be a few weeksbefore that portion of the roadway is reopened.
For those who had sandbags on theirproperties pick-up can be arranged by contacting Paula Stamp at theMinden Hills township office at 705-286-1260 ext. 211.
Residents and business owners who wishto keep the sand from their sandbags for repurposing may do so butshould be aware that some bags may contain a sand and salt mixture.
Residents able to get sandbags to theScotch Line landfill may drop them off there at no charge where thesand will be used for cover.
At a May 25 Minden Hills councilmeeting councillors voted to waive fees for the disposal of anyflood-related waste as well as building department fees for anyflood-related demolitions or repairs.
“Certainly the imminent threat parthas passed” Devolin said at that meeting. “We're into therecuperationpart and people are getting their lives back together.You find out good things about your community in bad times and wehave again.”
The flood was the second major one tostrike Minden within a four-year span. The township also declared astate of emergency during flooding in 2013.
Devolin has said he expects floodingand flood mitigation to be a topic of discussion amongst municipalprovincial and federal politicians at the Association ofMunicipalities of Ontario conference in Ottawa this summer.
Along with Minden Hills two othercommunities within the 13 municipalities that comprise the EasternOntario Wardens' Caucus declared states of emergency due to floodingthis spring.
“I suspect it will be the primarydiscussion” Devolin said.
The provincial government has activatedthe Disaster Relief Assistance for Ontarians program for Minden Hillsand any residents who experienced property damage during the floodare encouraged to register on the Ministry of Municipal Affairs andHousing website.
There will also be an informationsession for residents applying to the Disaster Recovery Assistancefor Ontarians program at the Minden Hills Community Centre onTuesday June 6 at 7 p.m.
