Mayor Neil Driscoll thanked members of the local community for the collective response to the June 23 flood.
Data from the Grand River Conservation Authority indicates just over 88 millimeters of rain fell overnight in Mapleton, flooding basements throughout Drayton and filling local streets with water. The municipality set up an evacuation centre at the PMD Arena Complex for those needing to leave their homes.
“I just want to thank everyone involved in the flood experience this past Friday here in Mapleton, specifically in Drayton,” said Driscoll at the June 27 council meeting.
“It was just unbelievable [how] the people came out and offered to help and how something like that can draw a community together.
“On behalf of council I want to thank everyone involved – from staff to the public, it was great to see.”
Mapleton public works director Sam Mattina said his department was still repairing road shoulders and washed out roads, “which is not a disaster in itself, but there was significant damage there.”
Mattina also noted there was significant damage at the park in Glen Allan.
“The tennis courts will have to be completely rebuilt,” he told council, adding there was substantial damage to playground equipment in the park as well.
Mattina said public works is compiling a list of all damage and costs to the municipality.
The township is also compiling information on the number of homes, farms, businesses and nonprofit organizations that have been impacted. The information collected so far was shared with Ministry of Municipal Affairs officials during a visit to the community on June 30.
A state of emergency, put in place on June 23 to deal with flooding was officially lifted on June 29 at 2pm.
Water levels in the Maitland River at Harriston were also higher than they’ve been in decades, which caused widespread flooding in Harriston. Many residents were also temporarily evacuated and a boil water advisory was issued by the local health unit.
The boil water advisory was lifted on June 27 and the emergency status was ended by the Town of Minto at 2:30pm on June 28.
Provincial officials also toured Harriston on June 30.
