Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
BARRY’S BAY – Heavy rains the last two weekends resulted in several roads being washed out in Madawaska Valley (MV) and the Township of Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan (BLR) and flooding.
A beaver dam broke on private property, resulting in damage on Rockingham Road (County Road 68) about two kilometres east of the intersection with Palmer Road (County Road 515). Director of Public Works & Engineering for Renfrew County, Lee Perkins, said crews completed temporary repairs by Monday morning. Perkins anticipated permanent repairs would be completed by the end of the week. Heavy rains the past two weekends likely contributed to the failure of the beaver dam.
Perkins said culvert repair work on John Watson Road was another problem area. Crews were already working to replace the culverts and had a diversion ditch dug already. He anticipates the work to be finished this week.
Perkins said the county will not be applying for emergency funding from the province, “at this point.” He said the Southwest Patrol, led by Raymond Gutz, were instrumental in responding to the Rockingham Road and keeping it safe for motorists.
A portion of Old Barry’s Bay Road near Crooked Slide Park washed out on Sunday afternoon. The road was re-opened to a single lane near 11 p.m. Township crews re-opened Lower Craigmont Road shortly after 6:30 p.m., minor washouts on Peplinski and Kowal roads were repaired and the roads re-opened by 7 p.m. An area at Stanley Olsheski Road and Rocky Ridge Road was open at 6 a.m. Monday morning.
Perrier Road experienced a more serious washout and is closed to traffic until further notice. The township advises using Mullin Road as a detour. Operations Manager Hilary Kutchcoskie said via email that repairs are ongoing on Stanley Olsheski Road and motorists should exercise, “extreme caution,” in the washed out area. The township is developing a plan to effect repairs on Perrier Road.
Amanda Hudder, MV treasurer, told the Gazette that the township is tracking expenses for the repairs from the last two weekends. Expenses need to be at least $140,890 (representing three per cent of tax revenue) to be eligible for the Ontario Disaster Relief Program. Applications for funding need to be submitted within 120 days of the incident and the program will only cover expenses to bring the infrastructure to its previous condition. Any upgrades are the expense of the municipality.
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