By Staff
BURLINGTON, ON. July 23 2013. —Hydro workers, firefighters and roads and parks maintenance staff worked through the weekend responding to damage, road closures and power outages caused by that Friday night storm.
By Monday morning power had been restored to all but 3,000 homes. Burlington Hydro staff called in colleagues from other hydro services to help today. The Burlington Fire Department called in the neighbour Oakville Fire Department. The city’s roads and parks maintenance staff and contractors worked through the weekend responding to fallen trees and maintaining road closures at locations throughout the city.
This tree on King Road fell on one property landed on the hedge of the next property and then lay sprawled across the neighbours driveway as well.
Hydro will then work on cleaning up and repairing the 25 broken poles with trees down stretching in a path along Cedar Springs Road and No. 1 and 2 Sideroads.
Burlington Transit had to reroute at least one bus line.
Cathy Robertson, Director of Roads and Park Maintenance may not be certified to use a chain saw but she certainly kept her crews hopping over the weekend as the city dealt with hundreds of calls about fallen trees.
Cathy Robertson, director of roads and parks maintenance said the city is “ working closely with Burlington Hydro to focus on what counts most—getting power restored to homes and getting people around the city safely.”
The Region created an enhanced brush pick up that basically lets you put out brush on your next regular yard waste collection. At that time you can put a pile of bulk brush instead of having to bundle it. That will make it easier for residents to clean up debris from the storm.
Burlington’s Robertson, who advises she is not certified on chain saw use but does manage very well is ensuring that city trees are cleared away as quickly as possible. Trees that are on city property are chipped and the wood chips are used on paths in some park areas and woodlots.
No one was yet able to put a number on just how many trees came down. The city is completing a street by street check – by the end of this week it should all be cleaned up. There were no reports of any injuries. But Sunday morning we certainly had a mess on our hands.
