Gatineau Park cleanup continues one week after storm destroys roads, trails

Another weekend of rain is expected for the Ottawa-Gatineau region as cleanup efforts continue after last week’s torrential downpour.

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Some trails in Gatineau Park remain devastated by the more than 83 mm of rain that fell on parts of the region last week.

The National Capital Commission (NCC) continues to provide closure updates on social media. Parkways remain closed to cars, and the Gatineau Park shuttle remains cancelled until further notice.

“It's a little easier now that we've got access to the parkway with closed roads, but you still need to be really careful," said park frequenter Chris Lindsay.

As he prepared to roller skate down a trail Saturday, he offered a recommendation to fellow visitors.

"Go to the website and see what trails are recommended," he said. “I would hate for someone unprepared to go out there and injure themselves or have a hard time just getting back down the hill."

Meanwhile, the Municipality of Chelsea is still picking up the pieces after last week’s flooding. Ten roads are closed – most needing a complete reconstruction. The municipality remains under a state of emergency.

Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a special weather statement Saturday morning. Gatineau is expected to receive 40 to 80 mm of rain by Sunday night, with showers expected to continue early on in the week.

With another storm on the horizon, Chelsea Mayor Pierre Guénard says public works will be deployed all weekend in an effort to prevent another disaster.

"They are doing a safety watch for the sensitive areas that identified during the last week," he said.

"If we need to do any emergency work of any kind while we are still under the state of emergency, we have the capacity to act fast just like we did last week.”

The goal for this weekend, according to Guénard, is to weather the storm and continue to focus on repairs.

While roads in Chelsea have been steadily reopening, some, like Hollow Glen Road, has more than 100 metres of pavement that needs to be reconstructed.

The municipality has asked for $1 million from the Quebec government in emergency assistance to clean up the damage to roads and homes.