Councillors want action on flooding in Peoples Road area

The Sault's Ward 4 councillors are pushing for action to address flood issues in neighbourhoods around Peoples Road.

Marchy Bruni and Rick Niro persuaded City Council this week to pass a resolution calling for an environmental assessment of the problem areas.

Councillor Bruni said two major floods have occurred in the Peoples Road drainage area in recent years: one in the fall of 2013, the other in October, 2018.

"Many of these same residents received a second flooding," Bruni said.

The councillors met with ratepayers in the area and also with the city's public works and engineering departments.

"We all agreed the infrastructure in this area is weak and it's deteriorating," Bruni said.

Asked how long the environmental assessment might take, Don Elliott, the city's director of engineering services, said the duration of such projects is difficult to predict.

"Some of them take a year or two. I would say an environmental assessment of this nature would probably take at least a year," Elliott said.

"I don't think the residents can wait longer than a year to get this assessment done," Bruni replied. "They've been affected twice now. Come springtime, I'm just worried that a third flooding for these residents will occur."

Elliott responded that even after the assessment is done, further work must be done to plan and build whatever remedial measures are needed.

"We need to get this done as soon as possible," councillor Niro added. "I realize it is a big project."

Ward 5 councillor Matthew Scott said he's heard concerns from the Peoples Road area and expressed support for the Bruni/Niro resolution.

Councillors were told that pipes are clear in the area and city crews have cleared anything they thought might lead to flooding.

The following is the full text of the resolution passed by city councillors:

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Surface flooding

Mover: Councillor M. Bruni
Seconder: Councillor R. Niro

Whereas on October 11, 2018 a major flooding occurred for the second time in five years in the following areas: Hillside Drive, Elliott Road, Hill Street, Johnson Avenue, Diane Street, Pozzebon Cresent and Peoples Road; and

Whereas residents in this area have incurred major insurance costs to recover from the flooding damage; and

Now therefore be it resolved that public works and engineering services be requested to conduct an environmental assessment to determine a course of action to address surface flooding issues in the People’s Road drainage area.

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