There is absolutely nothing funny about what has transpired, weatherwise, in north Niagara lately. But NOTLers are demonstrating so much resilience as we mop up after not one but two major precipitation events. And by the way, whatever happened to the simple words rain and rainstorm?
During my four years living in Montreal in the 1970s, I happened to come upon a little quebec town named Saint-Jean-sur-le-lac. It was near Mont Laurier, not too far from the well known ski mecca of Mont Tremblant in the Laurentians. Right on a lake, and just like our town now, it seems that residents liked their town name. Quite fou-fou, wouldn’t you agree?
Just imagine their surprise when many houses got damaged by high waves from the lake. Some houses situated right on the lake shore got flooded.
And in June 2013, we watched the television coverage of the brutal floods in southern Alberta. The Elbow and Bow rivers both overflowed, causing much damage in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Way back when they named the town of High River, did the cartographer possess the power of prescience?
Please forgive me if I ramble, even more so than normal. My thoughts and sympathies are with every NOTLer affected by our recent inundations.
It was only 25 or so years ago, during our years living in Chautauqua, that many neighbourhood homes experienced water damage from a torrential and extended rain storm.
Town staff assured us it had been a “century storm” the severity of which would not occur again for a long, long time.
The irony was that this had been the second century storm within five years.
Everyone pulled together, and within a reasonable length of time, a very large underground water overflow surge tank was constructed under the William Street park. It’s still there, serving its purpose. Who knew?
We can rest assured town council and our town staff led by chief administrator Nick Ruller are working overtime and proactively to mitigate the effects of our next major precipitation event. Big bucks. But with climate change guaranteed, “it’s a matter of when, not if.”
This weekly Ross’s Ramblings has certainly been unique, and came from out of left field. But who will ever forget the sight of the NEOB Lavender Farm on Niagara Stone Road out near the Airport? One day so beautiful — the next day, completely submerged. But I know they will be back.
And the ditches that usually drain the rural areas of our town. Suddenly filled with water. And I mean full of water. Often flooding right over the rural roads, the concessions and lines. Countless vineyards and fruit farms damaged so badly.
Our historic and picture perfect Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club has seen it all over the years. But who can recall such a shocking situation? Fairways and sandtraps under water. Oh, the sad sight of a golf course with no golfers golfing.
To lighten up as I ramble to a conclusion this week, full credit where full credit is due.
What the heck happened to Mary Street between Mississauga (or is it Mississagua?) Road and King Street? On June 12, I took a quick photo of a portable toilet on the shoulder of the road, between Simcoe and Gate. A weird picture to take, but it was right on the shoulder, almost on a busy street.
Amateur scribblers like me must often think “out of the box.”
Mary Street has been around a long time, and was due for paving, I suppose.
Three or four days later, I was on that section of this fairly busy street again, and to my shock and awe, it was an absolute showpiece. Fresh black asphalt and neatly trimmed shoulders.
And I kid you not, only a day or two later, all the lane markings, turning arrows, and bicycle lane markers were freshly painted. Truly a pristine street now.
Yes, full credit where full credit is due. Congratulations to the NOTL roads crew for such a professional project execution on Mary Street.
And let’s all send positive karma to everyone affected by the recent rainstorms and flooding.
