Here is another account from my sister, Anne, about what's happening in Goderich since the tornado. As Andy commented this morning, it's the best kind of front line journalism. Shelter Valley is a campground outside of Goderich along the Maitland River that Anne & Peter owned and ran for many years, and where my parents spent their last 36 spring, summer and falls, and my kids spent part of their summers, until they sold their trailer this spring.
Hello All,
Had a busy day. Up early to make a pot of chili for supper for Mom and Dad. I loaded the car with a solar lantern, butane indoor cook top we use when we are camping and all the coolers we own because today the fridge and freezers MUST be emptied. I stopped at Zehrs and picked up today's groceries for them. Milk, bread, 4 bags of ice and more batteries.
I got into Goderich with no problems but had a difficult time getting to Mom and Dads. The north west part of Goderich was one of the worst hit and the new road blocks today, set up to accommodate the massive clean up effort forced a few u turns. I eventually got there after driving around a bit. The town was a buzz of activity today. Gangs of men cutting downed trees, lines of hydro repair trucks and trailers full of wire, big loaders and lines of dump trucks scooping up tree limbs and debris from the street, skid steers piling up bricks and cinder blocks, shingles and twisted steel. The big boys and their toys ruled the streets today.
Waterloo street was a mass of activity. New power poles were erected today and wire was strung. By 4pm you could look down Waterloo Street and see the boulevards as the debris and fallen trees were cleared. It was very busy and very noisy. The whine of chain saws and big trucks drowned out the!!! I almost said birds but in fact there are no birds. Its strange but there have not been any birds in town since the tornado, nor any squirrels, or insects, or flies. I guess the tornado scooped them up as well. Oh I forgot, Mom and I did see one spider today.
We emptied the freezers today and I brought what was salvageable home till the power is back on. You have probably guessed by now that Mom and Dad did not return with me today. Tomorrow is church and they wanted to go to Wednesday mass. Tomorrow is another day but I expect their resolve will persist.
The town’s Emergency Management Team sent an army of teenagers out today with a printed fact sheet. It provided an update on Gas Service, Hydro Service, Drinking Water, Garbage Collection and Food Safety as many residents are still without power and that will continue for a few more days.
It was the first official notice that has been issued as most of the town and county web sites as well as hydro and gas websites and phone systems have been down. There is a promise in the last line that another update will be delivered on Thursday. Hopefully it will have some firm answers as this one had no real dates for reinstatement of services. One thing is for sure. There will be no garbage collection on Wednesday of this week.
Mom and I went for a short walk and watched big machines dredging the harbor near the grain elevators. There is a ton of debris from the salt mine in the inner harbor and they must clear an area for ocean tankers to enter the harbor to take on soya beans and corn. Combining corn, soya and white beans will begin in a few weeks and the harbor is the gateway for the salt mine and elevators, two of the largest employers in Goderich. A large number of the population of Goderich will be out of work for the next few weeks and after the restoration of hydro and gas service, rebuilding those areas of town that employ the residents are high on the list.
I left town at 4pm and it took 35 minutes to get out to Zehrs. The lines of dump trucks with debris were staggering and they got the right of way. We are watching the Blue Jays, a home game; we never miss a game but I don’t think I will see the ninth inning. I am tired. Will email tomorrow with Wednesdays news. At least we don’t have to put the garbage out.
Jackie, You know Jimmy Johnson from Shelter Valley, he was severely injured by the tornado at the main beach in Goderich on Sunday. The fish and chip wagon was picked up by the tornado and rolled over on him. He was air lifted to London and will have a long recovery. Many broken bones. You also know Ross and Joan Hallam from Shelter Valley, they live next door to the salt evaporator plant in Goderich which was leveled, they lost their home on Sunday. There are a hundred tragedies these are a few.
Talk to you tomorrow.
Annie
The London Free Press has an excellent and large photo gallery of tornado pictures:
http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2011/08/21/18582706.html
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