Cobourg Council is wrong
Just because Council says "It's not our fault" they can't afford to deny liability. In the case of the flooding in the George St, Buchanan St Station St area the Town told local residents that it's not their fault that the area flooded. The reasoning being that the flooding occurred as a result of an inadequate storm drain on private property.
Quote from the NNews
"In an interview after the flood, Ted MacDonald, acting director of public works, said town staff were out in the field on Jan. 25, inspecting the George Street culvert as well as areas both up and downstream and found no evidence that the George Street culvert was blocked, based on flow rates observed in other parts of the system. The George, Buchanan and Station Street area has long been defined as a flood plain and the affected homes have been there for over 50 years, said Mr. MacDonald. Currently, new building is restricted on flood plains, given the likelihood of flooding. However, the homes in the area predate the current rules and regulations, he said.
Quote from the NNews
"In an interview after the flood, Ted MacDonald, acting director of public works, said town staff were out in the field on Jan. 25, inspecting the George Street culvert as well as areas both up and downstream and found no evidence that the George Street culvert was blocked, based on flow rates observed in other parts of the system. The George, Buchanan and Station Street area has long been defined as a flood plain and the affected homes have been there for over 50 years, said Mr. MacDonald. Currently, new building is restricted on flood plains, given the likelihood of flooding. However, the homes in the area predate the current rules and regulations, he said.
Flooding in this area is not a new occurrence, he added. Similar circumstances back in 1980 - frozen ground and heavy rains - also resulted in heavy flooding. He added the culvert that runs under the CN/CP tracks is not on town-owned property nor was it built by the town.
"Any flooding that occurred (in the area) was not due to any negligence whatsoever on the town's part," said Mr. MacDonald. "We (Town of Cobourg) have worked hard over the last 20 years to improve infrastructure to limit any damage that may occur during flooding."
The BurdReport asks the following questions:
- If the Town has worked hard to improve infrastructure how come this area flooded?
- If the Town is responsible for Storm Water Management how come they haven't ordered private property owners to improve their facilities to modern standards?
- If the Town knew that this Railroad culvert was inadequate twenty odd years ago why haven't they followed the standards of the latest Storm Water Management Report and ordered changes on the railroad property?
- If the Town is denying culpability why didn't they tell the Homeowners to sue the Railroad Company?
For a video of the flood as it passed below the affected area, the railroad lands, look here; Wally's video
5 comments:
Another reason for the water issues was the Public Works Supervisors. They got on the scenes first, but would not get out of their trucks and clear sewer grates because they did not want to upset the "union" by doing unionized workers jobs!
Quite rightly too, anonymous. And why did you put quotation marks around the word union? Is there just a trace of anti-union bias in your remark?
There is more than a trace.
It's a David and Goliath thing. None of the homeowners are likely to have the deep pockets required to engage a lawyer to fight for their interests in a case they may not win.
From that perspective, wouldn't it be better to use their precious funds to just make the repairs themselves?
These people are living in a flood plain. The area has been a flood plain since that end of the last ice age. Why won't the residents in this area acknowledge that they are living in a flood plain? The answer is simple: then they would have to acknowledge that they are responsible for what happened to them. It is so much easier to say that it's someone else's fault.
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