EAGLE VALLEY
NEWS
Assessment crew inspects flood damage Page 3
Celebrating the nation’s birthday Page 8
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Vol. 53 No. 27 Sicamous, B.C., • 1.25 (HST included) • www.eaglevalleynews.com
Homeowners consider legal recourse Debris flow: Swansea Point residents angry to see repeat of ‘97 incident. By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
This time Swansea Point homeowners Glen and Linda Heming won’t be letting the province off the hook so easily. Last week the Hemings were busy removing truckload upon truckload of sand and debris from their front and back yards. Their Swansea Point Road. residence was in the path of destruction left by Hummingbird Creek after it left its channel on the evening of Saturday, June 23, and came rampaging through the residential subdivision. Glen, who says the residence has been in his family since 1963, and who had recently finished renovating the place, says the foundation was compromised by the flooding water, which managed to fill his eight-foot-high basement. He says there is no insurance as it’s “an act of God,” and that seasonal residents do not qualify for disaster relief from the province. See Province on page 3
Assessing the damage: Swansea Point home-owner Glen Heming inspects a large hole that was carved into the foundation of his residence by Hummingbird Creek after it burst out of its banks Saturday, June 23, and came rampaging down Swansea Point Road. Photo by Lachlan Labere
Two Mile evacuation order lifted, Highway 97A reopened By Lachlan Labere Eagle Valley News
With the evacuation order completely lifted for all of the Two Mile subdivision, restoration work can get underway. On Canada Day, July 1, the Shuswap Emergency Program officially rescinded the mandatory evacuation order for Two Mile residences that went into effect on the evening of Saturday, June 23 after Sicamous Creek had burst its bank and came raging through adjacent residential areas and Waterway Houseboats. The evacuation order was lifted earlier last week for Swansea Point, where, on the same Saturday, Hummingbird Creek became a debris flow that ripped through Swansea Point Road and other parts of the Electoral Area E subdivision.
While residents of both Two Mile and Swansea Point may now return to their properties, both areas remain on evacuation alert. On a positive note, as of 5 p.m. Sunday evening, July 1, residents of both areas, instead of having to drive around to Grindrod, could return home from Sicamous by Highway 97A. At that time, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure had officially re-opened the highway in Sicamous with the original Bailey Bridge back in operation, as well as a temporary bridge that will remain in place until MOT work crews can divert Sicamous Creek back into its former channel. On Monday, July 3, MOT road area manager Erik Lachmuth explained See Do Not Consume on page 2
Highway reopens: Workers rebuild a section of Highway 97A at Two Mile Creek bridge. The road was opened to limited traffic late Sunday afternoon. Photo by James Murray