Winter flooding is always a possibility thanks to the freeze-thaw cycle in southwestern Ontario. A combination of melting snow, mixed with sleet and freezing rain can overload drainage systems. Ray of Hope, an organization that helps those experiencing poverty and homelessness in Kitchener and Waterloo, got the gift no one wants for Christmas – a December flood. “I thought, ‘Oh no! What’s happening? What needs to happen?’” CEO Tonya Verburg recalled. She said most of the damage was contained to the second floor of their King Street East building. “Our executive team works up here, human resources, our donations and fundraising team, our accounting and payroll… those kinds of important things,” Verburg explained. The team’s biggest concern was leakage to other parts of the building. “We’re feeding and have space for up to 300 people every day,” said Verburg. In the end, Ray of Hope had to close their doors because of the flooding. Their first step was to reach out to a local restoration company to fix the problem. “They came in right away,” Verburg said of Woodhouse Restorations. “Water came in through the roof,” explained company COO Shaun DeLorey. “What happened was there’s a back-up. Just too much snow, too much ice. Typically, the water would flow towards the drains. This time it didn’t, so it just backs up.” Once they stopped the flow, the next step was to keep the area dry. Those tasks have kept the Woodhouse workers busy. “I think, over the last week-and-a-half or so, we’ve probably had 200 to 300 calls [for help] between commercial and residential houses,” DeLorey said. The real problem is the significant snowfall, mixed with heavy rain and warmer temperatures across southwestern Ontario. “We’re seeing roof leaks, we’re seeing sump pump failures, [flooding] basements. We’re seeing window leaks,” DeLorey listed off. Buildings aren’t the only concern. The wet weather has also left pools of water on some city streets. “In some cases, we’re seeing that there is some localized flooding taking place where there might be blocked catch basins,” Nick Gollan, Kitchener’s manager of utility planning and programs, said. He also offered tips for homeowners who are worried about protecting their properties. “Remove snow that’s built up around the foundation of the building,” Gollan advised. “Pay special attention to basement windows or basement doorways to keep those clear. Also, make sure that the area around the downspouts is clear so there is space for the water to flow out of them.” Meantime, at Ray of Hope, the team is hoping to get back to work soon. “Within two weeks we’re going to be back in and running, which is fantastic,” Verburg said. “[Woodhouse Restorations] knows the time crunch that we’re under. They know the important work that we’re doing.”
