Gatineau Park remains closed to vehicles after torrential downpour damages roads, trails
The parkways inside Gatineau Park remain closed to drivers on Sunday as eastern Ontario and western Quebec continue to recover from Friday's significant rainfall.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
The nearby city of Gatineau saw a total of 83 mm of rain on Friday after remnants of Hurricane Debby moved through the region. Crews across Gatineau and Ottawa are continuing to work to reopen roads and repair culverts that were damaged or washed out during the storm.
Gatineau Park cancelled all shuttle service and closed many of its parking lots through the weekend as crews worked to assess the damages.
In an update at 1 p.m. on Sunday, the National Capital Commission (NCC) said Champlain Parkway, one of the main arteries into the park, remains closed to all visitors between Fortune and Gatineau parkways.
Fortune and Gatineau parkways are open only to cyclists and pedestrians. Dunlop Road is closed to all traffic until further notice.
"Please exercise caution, respect the barricades and follow the directional signage in place," the NCC said on its website.
The NCC is recommending against the use of the hiking trails, due to "serious" rain damage that remains. The storm caused several footbridges to be destroyed or swept away, including at trail 13, the Dunlop picnic area, and the Keogan trail.
O'Brien and Blanchet beaches at Meech Lake are closed as of Sunday afternoon, but beaches at La Pêche, Leamy and Phillippe Lake are open.
Parking lots in the north-end of the park, including P10, Dunlop, P11, P12 and P13 are closed.
Chelsea, Que. still under state of emergency
A state of emergency was called in the nearby municipality of Chelsea on Saturday, after the storm flooded roads.
The state of emergency is expected to end by Monday morning.
As of Sunday morning, officials have reopened Chemin de la Montagne and Chemin Juniper to traffic. Chemin Meech is also open as crews complete corrective work on the road. Work is expected to be completed on Sunday.
Chemin Fleury has reopened with one lane accessible to traffic.
Work is currently underway to reopen Chemin Hollow Glen and remains closed to all traffic.
"Crews are working to re-establish roads to ensure that no enclaves remain by the end of the day. Please use caution when travelling," the municipality said on its website.
The storm also caused flooding to many City of Ottawa roads, mostly in the west end communities of Carp, West Carleton and Kanata. According to the City of Ottawa's interactive traffic map, most roads have reopened, though the city is asking drivers to avoid parts of Marchurst Road and Old Second Line Road as repairs continue.
More rain is expected to arrive in the region on Sunday, with a few showers with a risk of thunderstorms forecasted this afternoon. Scattered showers are likely to continue into early next week.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa woman dies after battle with pancreatic cancer
An Ottawa woman who raised more than $500,000 for cancer research at the Ottawa Hospital has died after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.
Andrew Scheer avoids answering if Conservatives will cancel dental care program
Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer won't say whether his party will scale back or fully scrap Canada's federal dental care program, despite new data showing nearly 650,000 Canadians have used the plan.
Jane's Addiction concert ends early after Perry Farrell throws punch at Dave Navarro
A scuffle between members of the groundbreaking alternative rock band Jane’s Addiction came amid 'tension and animosity' during their reunion tour, lead singer Perry Farrell’s wife said Saturday.
A landslide triggered a 650-foot mega-tsunami in Greenland. Then came something inexplicable
It started with a melting glacier that set off a huge landslide, which triggered a 650-foot high mega-tsunami in Greenland last September. Then came something inexplicable: a mysterious vibration that shook the planet for nine days.
New evidence upends contentious Easter Island theory, scientists say
Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island, never experienced a ruinous population collapse, according to an analysis of ancient DNA from 15 former inhabitants of the remote island in the Pacific Ocean.
'We're at a high degree of spread': What you need to know about COVID-19 in Ontario
As we head into another respiratory illness season, here’s a look at where Ontario stands when it comes to COVID-19 and what you need to know.
Air Canada, pilots still far apart as strike notice deadline approaches
Labour talks between Air Canada and its pilots are approaching a midnight deadline, when either side could trigger the start of a shutdown for Canada's largest airline.
MPs to face new political realities on their return to Ottawa
On Monday, Parliamentarians will return to the familiar stone walls of West Block in Ottawa to find the political landscape has shifted significantly.
More new cars no longer come with a spare tire. Here's what you need to know
Vehicles used to come with a "full-sized" spare tire, but about 30 years ago, auto manufacturers moved to a much lighter, smaller tire, sometimes called a "donut spare." But now, depending on the car you have, it may not have any spare at all.