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ALBERTA
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Tuesday, July 2, 2013
High River residents trickle home BY THE CANADIAN PRESS HIGH RIVER — The long road to recovery began on Saturday for some residents of flood-stricken High River as part of the town was opened to those forced out last week. Authorities ordered all 13,000 residents of this community south of Calgary to leave when the Highwood River burst over its banks. Streets were flooded and people were stranded in their vehicles and their homes. “Anger’s not going to get me anywhere and I’m looking at today as AD after destruction”, said Charlotte Jackson after she received a pass to return to her home. “You start your life. It’s 2013 AD. We start building with what we can and that’s all you can do” she said with a chuckle. “If you can’t keep some sort of positive attitude you may not get through this. I intend to get through this. I’ve got a lot of life to live.” The highway leading to High River’s registration centre was a virtual parking lot. There was a huge lineup outside before the doors opened and traffic backed up a kilometre down the road. Only about 5,000 people were allowed in. The next influx will be in about a week and the hardest hit neighbourhoods could be five more weeks. Inside the town residents were checking to see how they fared. Heather Dupont said other than the mess that her three cats made her home is fine. “Oh it’s so good. I’ve been away from home for so long. I’m one of the lucky ones. I’m blessed. Really really blessed”, said Dupont who has been staying with a friend. “I almost feel guilty because my house is fine. We’re grieving and there are a lot of emotions to go through,” she said.
Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS
Homeowner Eddy Marshall carries belonging from his basement at his residence in High River on Monday. A second wave of homeowners and business owners were allowed to return to the flood ravaged town since the disaster struck on June 20. People were already bringing out flood damaged material from their basements. Things were worse at Kyle Hansen’s home where his backyard was on the High Golf and Country Club. The greens are covered with water
and deep layers of mud that already is showing cracks from the hot sun. “This is the fourth hole on the Highwood Golf and Country Club. We were here Thursday morning and I was watching the water run across the course,” he said.
Saddledome won’t be ready for Calgary Stampede BY THE CANADIAN PRESS
The
ALBERTA
BRIEFS
EVENTS CANCELLED OR MOVED BECAUSE OF FLOODING
CALGARY — Calgary Stampede organizers say some signature events this year have been cancelled because flood repairs to the Saddledome cannot be completed in time. Stampede spokesman Kurt Kadatz says the Calgary Flames have informed Stampede officials that the building won’t be ready for the first five days of this year’s festival. Kadatz says the hockey organization is busy making repairs to the building so it will be ready for the Stampede concert series, which will be held during the second half of the Stampede. He says the penning competition, which sees teams of riders separate three cattle from a herd, will be moved to the nearby community of Okotoks. But other events like the horse cutting and the vintage tractor pull will be cancelled entirely. Record floodwaters filled the Saddledome up to the eighth row over a week ago, but days afterward, Stampede officials vowed this year’s event would go ahead “come hell or high water” beginning this coming Friday. “I know the Flames are working really hard to deliver the Saddledome for us for the concert series,” Kadatz said Sunday. Performers for the series include Carly Rae Jepsen, Kiss, The Dixie Chicks and Tim McGraw. According to a posting on the Calgary Stampede website about the penning competition, no other suitable replacement on the Stampede site exists. “As you are no doubt aware by now, the recent catastrophic flooding in Calgary has caused extremely serious damage to the Saddledome,” the posting advises participants. “The fragile state of the flooring alone prohibits the heavy machinery and tons of dirt at this time, let alone the host of other major issues.” The heavy horse show, which features Belgian, Clydesdale, Percheron and Shire horses moving to music of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, will also have to move from the Saddledome into a large tent called The Big Top. The website says organizers are hoping to announce a modified schedule soon. Crews have pumped millions of litres of water from the rodeo grounds, scraped mud, torn out and replaced drywall and have been sanitizing surfaces in Stampede Park just southeast of downtown as the days tick down to the opening parade later this week. Organizers and longtime Stampede volunteers say it’s important for the party and rodeo to go ahead this year.
“It came up incredibly fast. It was an actual river running through the golf course.” Chad Thomlinson runs the golf course and worries about the business and getting home. “I know there’s a lot of other people in town that will face a lot more than a flooded basement,” said Thomlinson. “I’ve got to get back in. We’ve left our families behind, our wives and kids, and really the next thing for me is when can I get friends in to help.” A state of disaster remains in effect. The length of time away from home coupled with a few hundred who defied the evacuation order led to simmering tensions. Ryan Domes was relieved to get the news he was able to deal with his flooded basement. “My first thought was it’s about time. I know there’s a lot of challenges in town but there’s a lot of dry areas,” he said. “Good news for us. Bad news for most people. We feel for them.” A tour of the hardest hit areas shows little progress. There are streets under deep water and street signs almost submerged. Clean up work continued Saturday in neighbouring Calgary where a state of emergency also remains in place. But there are no longer any Calgarians under an evacuation order. The Alberta government announced Calgary residents with flood damage can start applying for funding on Tuesday. Registration centres are opening in Calgary so residents with property damage can access disaster financial assistance. “We promised support to rebuild would reach Albertans within days. This is happening,” said provincial cabinet minister Ric McIver. “We are starting with communities where safe re-entry and rebuilding has begun so they have the money they need to start their recovery.”
RCMP say they will start returning guns seized in homes during flood
Photo by THE CANADIAN PRESS
Clean-up crews check out the ice surface and seating area as work continues at the Saddledome in Calgary on Monday, June 24. “I think more Calgarians are going to go this year because they want to say they went this year, because they have Calgary pride,” said Cliff Steedman, a retiree who has been volunteering with the Calgary Stampede for three decades. For the past few years, Steedman, who is 85, has been volunteering as a carpenter and built sets for cooking performances. Unfortunately, he said his son’s home was damaged by the flooding, so he’s busy helping with the cleanup and had to bow out of his Stampede duties this year. Many other volunteers are still available, however, according to Stampede spokeswoman Jennifer Booth. Now that the water has been drained from the grounds, she said the area is surprisingly dusty. The rodeo infield and track have been dried out. Crews are tearing apart walls inside buildings, while outside, other crews are planting flowers. The midway rides have arrived and are being set up, Booth said. Booth said the Stampede got a lucky break in that its electrical substation -- essential for everything from amusement rides to concessions -- was protected from water damage and is operational.
HIGH RIVER — Mounties in Alberta announced Sunday that they’ll begin returning some of the guns they seized during searches of evacuated homes in this flood ravaged town. An RCMP news release says that owners of guns that were seized should call police, and that an officer will call them back to make arrangements to have the weapons picked up. The Mounties said earlier that they took the guns as officers searched homes in High River’s flood zone to look for flood victims, pets and anything that might pose a threat to returning residents. Any guns were removed from homes because they were not properly stored, said Staff Sgt. Brian Jones, who added that no charges are planned. “There is no indication of that at this point in time. That wasn’t the reason. That wasn’t the intention,” Jones said about the gun seizures. “Our focus was on the search and rescue operations.” The move to take the weapons was condemned by the Prime Minister’s Office, who said the Mounties should focus on more important tasks such as protecting lives and private property. Critics took the PMO to task, saying the Harper government should not be dictating how the Mounties should conduct their operations. Jones said owners of guns that were seized can let RCMP hang onto their firearms if they can’t return to their homes, yet. He said it’s also OK if they want to store the guns with someone else.
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