Nearly two weeks after the May 21 storm that devastated parts of Ottawa and the region, about 300 homes are still without electricity.
One area where residents are in it for the long haul: the Grenfell Glen neighbourhood, with large trees still scattered everywhere.
“We had about five trees on top of the house,” says resident Jeremy Luke.
After 12 days without power, this neighborhood came back online last night, but the relief was short-lived. It was shut off just hours later to keep tree removal workers safe.
“They worked so hard to restore the power for us,” says Luke. “So we got it yesterday and then this morning, they said in order to remove the trees we’re going to have to turn it off.”
Carty’s Tree Service owner James Carty says his company has been removing trees in Grenfell Glen since the storm hit. At the beginning they were doing about 30 homes per day.
“It’s not easy work,” says Carty. “There’s always math, physics and everything involved. We have to calculate the weights of these things.”
Massive logs are being removed from backyards with cranes. Some chunks, he says, can reach up to 10,000 pounds.
The Luke family had trees puncture through their roof, luckily they weren’t home at the time.
“My family and I were in Mont Tremblant camping for the long weekend and at about 4:30 my neighbours called me,” says Luke.
Those neighbours were the Beauchamp’s who live about a block away from the Lukes.
“My wife did,” says Mike Beauchamp. “She went down the street and noticed the really rather dramatic damage there.”
The Beauchamps saw the damage just minutes after it happened, and told the Luke’s to get home right away.
In Grenfell Glen, it’s been a combined effort with neighbours helping neighbours.
“Last Saturday we had 15 people at the Lukes’ house down the street helping them,” says Ruth Gray-Beauchamp. “It’s been nice in that way to see everyone working together. And you realize that everyone owns a chainsaw. We bought a chainsaw.”
The Beauchamps also bought a device that attaches to their hydro box after the 2018 tornado. It allows them to connect a generator directly to the outside of their house and send power to their electrical panel.
“This is something Ontario Hydro puts in,” says Mike. “It’s a smart switch. And it’s a special cable that you need to plug in.”
As for the Lukes, they’re staying in a rental for the time being, and say it could be months until their house is back to what it once was.
“It’s been frustrating to wait so long but these guys have been working day and night,” says Luke. “And it’s been dangerous, the stuff they’re doing. So we’re super grateful for it.”
