Yesterday at 4pm the Mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson, proclaimed a state of emergency based on the flood water predictions. Since then, the City of Ottawa senior staff put into action a plan to help with the communities most effected across the City. Residents in the community have also pulled together to find solutions for their own neighbourhoods. Here in Bay Ward, we have flooding alerts in Crystal Bay, Belltown, and Britannia Village. I have been in communications with all of these communities and can say that they are all doing an excellent job working together during this stressful time. Thank you to all the Community Presidents who have shown leadership in this unpredictable time. The flood situation was deemed an emergency because it surpassed the levels of 2017. The City is now better prepared for this situation and I want to thank the City Manager, Steve Kanellakos, and his team for their commitment and efforts to this emergency situation. They have responded well to the quickly rising water levels. We are seeing unprecedented action such as sandbags being piled on the Britannia Village berm, and sandbags lining the bike path that fronts the Belltown community. There is also a constant demand for sandbags in the Crystal Bay community as residents shore up their property in preparation for the rising water. We all know that the reserve troops were called in, but I can tell you that the bulk of the strenuous work is being done by hundreds of ordinary citizens. Volunteers are working side by side with residents filling and stacking thousands of sandbags daily. More sandbags are still needed as we continue to prepare for the worst. We know more rain is on its way as well as wind which will push the river water over the edge of the river. I can’t thank these hard working individuals enough for their time and efforts. Let’s make sure we all pace ourselves as we continue to get through the next week.
Take care everyone,
Councillor Kavanagh
