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Cleanup still just beginning in some areas 100 days after Ottawa storm

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It’s been 100 days since a devastating storm blew through Ottawa and destroyed properties, tore down trees, and left behind irreparable damage.

The winds reached up to 190 kilometres an hour.

The clean-up is still ongoing in one of the hardest hit areas, Pinhey Forest in the Greenbelt. The National Capital Commission (NCC) space is not far from Woodroffe Avenue in Ottawa’s southwest end.

“It’s extensive and devastating,” said Marc-Antoine Poitras, of the National Capital Commission. “The Pinhey Forest area and the Pine Grove area were the most heavily affected.”

100 days later, trees are still completely uprooted, the green canopy is gone, and open space is what remains.

“We are seeing approximately 70 per cent of the upper canopy lost. We are seeing a lot of the red pines and white pines that have snapped during the event of May 21.”

Staff say the damage is so significant within the Greenbelt that it will take decades to repair.

“It seemed to attack certain pockets. Some of the stuff is untouched and then right next to it is damage,” said Eric De Niverville, who lives in the area.

The NCC is focusing on phase one of the clean-up, which involves clearing out debris that could become a fire hazard.

“For phase one of the operations, which involves the clearing of the boundary lines for the residents and the clearing and reopening of trails and recreation spaces, we are looking at 1 to 1.5 million (dollars),” said Poitras.

There’s still a lot of work to be done as fallen trees hang from other trees alongside piles of debris.

It’s nearly impossible to walk through many areas.

“It’s kind of crazy,” said Bruno Chicoine, a forester. “It’s as serious as a tornado, but on a wider scale.”

It’s not clear how long the work will take to complete.

After the clean-up, the NCC says data will be used to identify the type and amount of damage to the recreational areas.

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