Flood victims switch focus to recovery

Flood victims switch focus to recovery After being overwhelmed by flooding and under water for weeks, water levels are finally receding in cottage country.

Residents in Muskoka are finally seeing some relief in cottage country as water levels continue to recede after being overwhelmed by flooding for weeks.

The Mayor of Bracebridge, Graydon Smith knows all too well that recovery is a slow but steady race; having gone through two floods since 2013, with his town still under a state of emergency.

“We had a big folder on lessons learned in 2013, and now we'll be adding to them,” said Smith, “We’ll be putting all that together in our emergency binders and hoping that there isn’t a next time, but being prepared for it should it occur.”

With more control logs in the damns, flow on the Muskoka River has decreased by 50 per cent, and the water level is down approximately three feet.

"So good news on the river,” said Smith, “on the lake it’s a slower story where they're still actively surrounded by a lot of water.”

Fifty troops from the Canadian Armed Forces remain in the town to work with the municipality to clear all types of debris out of the water on Sunday afternoon.

“Because of the high water level and the swift current we’ve had a lot of debris and a lot of trees and other items float down the river,” said Sgt. Don Giroux with the 32 Brigade, “lots of different objects, shoes, we've had many types of buoys, [and] we've had a cooking stove.”

“There's docks and tree's and propane tanks,” added Smith, “and it’s a navigation hazard which is why right now there is still a navigation order.”

Debbie Hastings, who was gardening on Sunday afternoon, returned home from Florida just in time to find the water rising in her backyard.

“It was kind of shocking because we are used to [water] rising, but then it kept coming up and up and up. You do become very afraid,” said Hastings

In Downtown Bracebridge where the streets are dry, Victim Services Muskoka Executive Director Eva Zachary says they’ve been busy helping with those affected connect with shelter and supplies including clothing and medication that may have been left behind during the quick evacuation.

“We've obtained a few Canadian Tire cards for victims who need to fill up their gas tanks to go back to their homes,” said Zachary who says these situations can be very emotional, “it starts off with shock. The flood waters came on very suddenly.”

But as of Sunday, some families are still not allowed home.

“It's really hard to see them in their current state,” said Giroux, “you know we try and do our best sandbagging efforts and everything.”

“It's a lot of work, and there's more work to come for this community,” said Smith.

But it’s clear, this is a community banded together by much more than just a natural disaster.

“The community spirit,” said Hastings, “it's been wonderful in that respect, and we are glad that we will be able to get back to normal soon.”