Township, volunteers, and agencies assist with flood response in Alfred-Plantagenet

As floodwaters continue to recede along the Ottawa River, the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet is still monitoring areas that were affected.

“We’re not doing that bad,” said Mayor Stéphane Sarrazin.

He explained that 22 properties in the Presqu’île area were most affected, and that six houses actually have had water in them.

Many of the affected properties are former summer cottages that have become permanent homes.

By Friday, approximately 20,000 sandbags had been filled and distributed for use on the affected properties.  Students from École secondaire catholique de Plantagenet helped fill almost 3,000 sandbags last week, in addition to the work being done by other volunteers and township public works employees.

“Everybody really chipped in,” said Sarrazin.

Prescott-Russell Emergency Services, Valoris, and Hawkesbury General Hospital also offered their services for flood victims if they were needed.

Affected residents could also get assistance from the Red Cross which had set up an emergency centre in Clarence-Rockland.

Sarrazin acknowledged patience ran low at times for some waterfront residents and there was some criticism over a shortage of sandbags.

The Ontario government is now seeking information from property owners so it can determine the financial compensation they can receive.

Sarrazin questioned if there should be limits on how much municipalities have for assistance to flood victims.

He said that the approximately 4,000 taxpayers in the township cannot carry the cost for approximately 30 residents.

The mayor added that the federal government should also be playing a role in flood assistance and prevention because it has rights-of-way on the Ottawa River.