MONDAY
S I N C E
1 8 9 5
JUNE 25, 2012
Gresley-Jones wins again in Christina Lake
Vol. 117, Issue 123
110
$
Page 8
INCLUDING H.S.T.
PROUDLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF
ROSSLAND, WARFIELD, TRAIL, MONTROSE, FRUITVALE & SALM SALMO
City soaked Road crews, city staff and residents wade through weekend drenching BY TIMOTHY SCHAFER Times Staff
Larry Abenante did everything except build an ark and pair up animals on the weekend as several days of heavy rainfall created Biblical floodwater complications along the Columbia River and throughout the city. The city’s manager of public works and an eightmember city crew fought the forces of nature and rising waters as mudslides took out streets in several areas, with massive mounds of soggy earth, forcing the closure of the “S” Hill— from AM Ford going down into East Trail—Brown Street in West Trail, and Sand Pit Road in Sunningdale. Engineers will be involved in the “S” Hill “I’ve never shut down, said Abenante, seen (the to see what caused the Columbia slide. On Friday a water main River) this burst in Sunningdale when high.” a torrent of storm water coursing through the veins LARRY ABENANTE of the city’s infrastructure backed up the sewer system near the Trail Aquatic and Leisure Centre, spilling water and sediment onto Columbia Avenue. It was nonstop for the weekend until Sunday afternoon, said Abenante. Crews, heavy equipment, and even Abenante himself working a shovel to clear sewer drains, pitched in to deal with the water. “You have to deal with this as it happens,” he said. “There’s nothing you can do but clean it up and take care of (the situation).” Abenante was on call for the entire weekend since the working week ended Friday afternoon. A water main break in Sunningdale that night started the first chapter of the gospel according to Mother Nature. As a city crew began to dig into the situation, heavy rain slammed the city, commanding a repeat performance Saturday morning. The storm’s machinations maximized the capacity of two of the city’s creeks by noon, prompting Abenante to call in another city crew and equipment in to clear the channels, setting up secondary intakes to ensure the excess water had a place to go. McQuarrie Creek between Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital and J.L Crowe Secondary School stopped traffic around midday when it jumped its channel and created a new creek bed across a neighbourhood road. Gorge Creek in West Trail had a mudslide as well, with city equipment and workers being called in to clear the trash racks.
GUY BERTRAND PHOTOS
The weekend downpour brought water up in the rivers and down from the hills. In Trail even boats were unable to use the launch and city staff had to secure the wharf. Gyro Park beach picnic tables were off limits. And the rainfall brought debris and mini mud slides throughout the area including mud which washed down in East Trail on Victoria Street and onto Fourth Avenue.
See MUDSLIDES, Page 2
DO THE MATH. ADVERTISE IN THE NEWSPAPER.
NADbank, ComBase: Adults 18+, print and online
Contact the Times: Phone: 250-368-8551 Fax: 250-368-8550 Newsroom: 250-364-1242