The Milton Centennial Pool appears to have been the greatest casualty for the Region of Queens in this weekend’s storm.
The storm washed out roads, and 100-series highways in neighbouring Hants and Lunenburg counties as well as Halifax with reports indicating between 250 and 300 mm of rain fell across Queens County on Friday.
Despite receiving a summer’s worth of rainfall in a single day, Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman says Queens County got off relatively easy. “We were very, very fortunate here in Queens compared to Lunenburg,” said Norman. “There was no major damage to infrastructure. There was a road wash out on St. Catherine’s Rd. in Port Joli.”
Norman says Port Medway and Liverpool fire departments were prepared to go in with their Zodiac boats to evacuate the 45 residents on that road.
The provincial public works department initially estimated the road would take four to five days to repair but after the water subsided, they discovered the major culvert was still intact and the road was repaired by Sunday morning.
Norman says a few driveways have been washed out but for the most part, Queens residents were spared the major damage experienced in other areas of the province.
She spoke with an official at Nova Scotia Public Works and told QCCR, “He said, Darlene, it ain’t pretty, but we got their driveways fixed. But he was just so impressed by the politeness and the patience that people had as they understood that this is serious, and they will get their driveways fixed.”
Unfortunately, the storm caused significant damage to the Milton Centennial Pool, and it will not reopen the rest of this summer as engineering and public works staff assess the extent of the damage.
The Region of Queens has been wrestling with how to replace the Milton Pool for over a year.
Council recently decided to move forward with a new outdoor pool to be located alongside Queens Place and are awaiting designs.
Anyone enrolled in swim lessons will be contacted and issued a refund.
Mayor Norman says staff will continue to monitor and assess damage across the county but if anyone sees damage that doesn’t look like it’s being addressed, they should contact the municipal office.
“If there are concerns and you see no one and it seems like you’ve been forgotten, then it’s probably because people are unaware. So, please always make a contact. Let people know when you are need of help,” said Norman. “And thank you to every volunteer fireman, neighbour, friend who helped each other and looked after one another because that’s what we’re all about.”
To listen to the full interview with Mayor Norman press play below.