
Bristol cleans up


In the wake of last week's flooding, cleanup efforts are underway in Northern Carleton County.
Bristol suffered the brunt of the flooding, with Route 105 submerged at both ends of the village.
Mayor Darrell Giggie said engineers have surveyed the damage and have reported two homes at the end of the village are complete write-offs, with several other homes and businesses suffering extensive damage.
"We had a lot of damage," said Giggie.
The homes of David Davenport and his mother Betty were completely surrounded by water. Now that the water has receded, he said, the houses are ruined.
"(The water) ruined the floors and pushed the foundations off," he explained. "And the flower shop (Village Greenhouse) next door needs a new foundation under it as well."
Neighbouring Brennan Contracting and Building Supplies Ltd. also took a devastating hit.
"Brennan's has to be completely gutted," he added. "All of the floor is ruined and parts of the walls."
He added Brennan's is still operating up the street at the newly-acquired Pickle's Home Hardware location.
"They are still in business," he said. "They have never slowed down, they just moved their office to another building (for now)."
Giggie pointed out the village's sewage lagoon building also suffered severe electrical and structural damage. While he is still waiting a total damage estimate to the building, he believes it is ruined as well. Fortunately, damage to the lagoon did not pose an environmental threat to the community.
Repairs on the lagoon building have already begun, and Giggie expects it back up and running this week.
Giggie added the former restaurant building across from the lagoon is also a write-off.
Department of Transportation (DoT) officials were also out examining the damage following the flood.
DoT spokesperson Tracey Burkhardt said the receding flood water did no damage to the Route 105 in Bristol. Luckily, it was a slow rise and a slow recede, she explained, unlike an ice jam, where the ice lets go and the high-water level washes out the road.
She did note the high water caused erosion damage to Route 105 in Riverbank, forcing the road to be closed.
Giggie is not sure of total damage costs in Bristol as he is awaiting the final figures to come in.
For now, he said, the village is doing what it can to help those affected by the flood waters.
"We're helping them out now," Giggie explained. "One of the residents who had to leave her home, we have offered her accommodations to stay until we get things settled. We are doing all the paperwork for them at the village office. Anything they need, we are there to supply it for them."
Giggie said they are waiting to hear from the province on possible funding assistance, then they will begin repairs, replacing foundations and floors, and, possibly, building two new homes.
Giggie said this year's flooding was the worst he can recall in the village, but the community and the residents managed to get through it with no injuries. He commended EMO and community officials for a job well done.
"EMO did a good job for us, Robert Lee from Centreville and Andrew Cougle from Bristol our EMO representatives," said Giggie. "Everything worked well, and the (emergency) plan we had in place went off without a hitch."




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