Cleanup continues at Conroy Pit following May 21 storm

The clean-up continues three weeks after a devastating storm tore through Ottawa. The extent of that destruction is still being discovered in the city's south end at Conroy Pit, near Hunt Club Road.

The area is part of the largest forest in the Greenbelt and hosts a number of nature trails as well as a popular dog park.

Homes that back onto the escarpment are also severely damaged.

"It’s going to take three, four, five or six months before we can get back into the house," said Lyndon Smith, whose home was damaged.

Smith’s Blossom Park neighbourhood home had a roof ripped off. He found pieces of it down the street and in the forest. 

"We got no power and we have a bedroom ceiling that’s got to come down," said Smith.

Debris is still scattered, hydro wires down, shingles are on the street, and trees are cut up.

Maurice Forgues has been cleaning up his yard every day for weeks.

"I’ve been out here since 6:30 a.m. cutting up branches," said Forgues.

The properties are adjacent to the Pine Grove sector, a large forest south of the city.

It is where you’ll find the Conroy Pit, which has trails and a popular dog park. The NCC closed off the entire area because of the storm devastation.

"Thousands of trees down because the storm had a pretty extensive impact," said Marc-Antoine Poitras of the National Capital Commission. 

There’s so much to survey that staff haven’t been able to safely check out all of the destruction.

"I cried," said Celine Caron, "You could see the canopy, the landscape, like the trees that’s lots of fallen trees."

It’s not clear when the area will reopen or the cost to repair with many risks to consider.

"Assessing the threat of fire and fuel for fire after so many trees falling," said Poitras.

The NCC has reopened other conservation areas, including part of the Bruce Pit.

UPDATE | Bruce Pit is partially reopened.

Commonly used trails within the dog off-leash area and areas have been cleared and reopened.

⚠Avoid the denser forested areas as they are still unsafe.

Thank you to our colleagues @OttawaCity for their hard work. #OttNews #Ottawa https://t.co/C3NEyUwKCD

— National Capital Commission (@NCC_CCN) June 10, 2022