by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
LACROIX BAY — The lands along the lakes and rivers is getting soggier as each day goes by. There’s hope the water levels will stop rising soon.
But, with the weatherman predicting “a soaker” moving into the area Friday, it’s hopeful the sunny weather Wednesday, and hopefully Thursday, will have decreased the water levels a little bit.
Mike and Maryanne Wendorf of Greenlake Road in Lacroix Bay are thankful their home is situated on high ground, but their beach, firepit and horseshoe pit are all under water.
As a matter of fact, Mr. Wendorf demonstrated just how high the water has come by standing as close to a tree he can get. While he stood taller than the tree, he explained that usually he can stand right beside the tree and it comes to the centre of his forehead. Mrs. Wendorf noted she’s shorter than the tree.
However, the Wendorfs state that some of their neighbours are in worse shape than they are.
Up the road, Willy Verhoef’s family is working hard to sandbag around her home. She’s only lived at the home for two years, but after talking to neighbours, she believes it’s almost at it’s highest level.
She has a few sump pumps going in the basement to try and keep the water level low. Her sons Arno and Jan Nagel and son-in-law Jason Reist, along with two of their wives, Colleen and Annemarie, were sandbagging along the side of the home and in back, in hopes of keeping as much water away as possible. When sandbags ran out, they used a few plastic-wrapped bales of silage.
They were happy to see Lorin Martin and friends come with a tractor and bucket filled with sandbags. They had been sandbagging around an older couple’s home and had extra bags.
Mrs. Verhoef noted the water has come towards the house about six metres from where it usually sits.
Neighbours John Bromilow and son Rick were working feverishly to try and salvage what was in the family’s cottage. Although the water wasn’t inside, if the rain continues, it could be, Rick said.
Further along to the point, Father Bill Kenney and friend Mel Ready were trying to get the floating firewood into the bucket of a tractor to be put onto higher ground.
Driving along the backroads in Lacroix Bay, there are swingsets with just the tops showing; the platform of trampolines are showing – but it looks like there are no legs; and water is surrounding trailers and cottages.
Whitewater Region roads supervisor Randy Buckwalt said 13,000 sandbags were available to residents and another 10,000 should arrive Friday. They are inside the dome at the Westmeath garage, he said.
“Eleven loads of sand have been strategically placed around Westmeath and La Passe,” he said.
He noted most township roads are ok. Warning signs have been placed on a few private roads that are under water or washed out, Mr. Buckwalt said.
Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay noted staff is in contact with the County of Renfrew and Ministry of Natural Resources regarding the flooding situation.
