Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Drain cleaned out

The VanBuuren Drain has been cleaned out. Pictures to follow.

Thanks to the Drainage superintendant for making this happen.

I still wonder about the 2 undersized culverts. Not seeing them replaced with 1 big one.

Not seeing the shared farmers ditch cleaned out.
(the one that will keep on flooding and holding stagnant water, the one that the township has hooked up a municipal drain into). Hope it doesn't rain too much.

At least the drain has been cleaned out, good news.

All in all, alot of progress has been made these past 2 years.

It took 13 years to get the front roadside ditches working, and 15 years for the drain to get a clean out.

Progress.










Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Van Buuren Municipal Drain Project 2015


The project is scheduled to begin October 26, 2015 and last for 20 working days.

All landowners that own lands within the watershed boundary of this Municipal Drain can expect a bill for the maintenance.

Total to all lands is $63,085.00

With that price tag lets hope that the maintenance can be done this year as promised, and that the 2 undersized culverts finally get replaced.

Not seeing anything happen yet.




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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Van Buuren Drain construction improvements 2015


Drainage Superintendent takes action

According to the drainage Superintendent – he contacted Grimsby officials and they are working together to resolve the flooding.

Council approved the following budget amendments:
a transfer of $24,110 from the Capital Reserve to finance the Township’s portion of the Van Buuren Drain construction improvement:







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VanBuuren Drain – log of events 2014


October, 14, 2014.

Attention: xxxxx, Drainage Superintendent

RE: Regional Road 73 (Mud St.) Culvert – VanBuuren Drain – Flooding


Dear Mr. x:

The following is my log of events regarding your involvement with the flooding problem to date.

On May 13, 2014 when the last flooding waters filled my boots I called and spoke to you on the phone. You said that you “will send someone out”.

Left on our answering machine was a message from xxx - Manager of road operations.
He said: “We know there’s a problem with the VanBuuren Drain”, and he has “fired off the report to the drainage superintendent to review”.

August 31, 2014 you were copied an email to xxx from the Niagara Region. In the email it stated: “Please respond to my emails regarding the repair and maintenance you are responsible for”.

September 1, 2014 you responded to my email saying that you cannot determine what the issue is and “a website fabricated from speculation hardly proves to be sound engineering analysis”.

September 2, 2014 I called and faxed you a letter spelling out the flooding issues and providing a link to the Grimsby Floods West Lincoln Blog at: http://grimsbyfloodswestlincoln.blogspot.ca/

September 5, 2014 you sent me an email: “kindly have my name removed or I will sue for damages for Public Defamation.”

September 5, 2014 I sent you an email indicating that I removed your name “as requested by your threat of lawsuit.”, and explained that my comments are “fair comments”, “not malicious”, and “based on fact”.

September 5, 2014 I sent you and email with the above phone message from xxx as an email attachment stating: “We know there’s a problem with the VanBuuren Drain” ,and he has “fired off the report to the drainage superintendent to review”.

September 5, 2014 you sent me an email that said: “I have to reschedule”, “How is Tuesday afternoon?”

September 5, 2014 I replied to you by email to “confirm reschedule” for Sept 9 as requested. The email also said: “If you cannot make it please call me”, and “I waited 2 1/2 hours and left 2 phone messages without a courtesy call from you” because you did not show up for our last meeting.

September 9, 2014 I sent you an email: “Please confirm your on-site appointment for 1pm today.”

September 9, 2014 you responded and confirmed the appointment.

September 9, 2014 you had a brief on site meeting with us at our home.

The following are some of the issues that were discussed with you:

1-The main issue is the culvert under Mud St Regional Rd 73 – “needs to be bigger”.

2- The VanBuuren Drain Extension “A” “landfill was used by the township to block” the VanBuuren Drain - “remove the fill that the Township put in”.

3- “Re-open the roadside ditch” at the corner of our street and redirect the water back to it.

4- “Maintain the VanBuuren Drain.”

5- Our neighbour “filling in our ditch with debris”.
Ministry of the environment xxx was contacted. He visited the area and has instructed our neighbour to remove the debris by October 26, 2014.

6- The problems with the VanBuuren Drain “culvert alongside the airport”. Sources of late say - “there are two culverts put together to make one for the farmer”. “The middle has collapsed”.

The above meeting was cut short because as you know we had a previous engagement, and you were 20 minutes late. We would still like to finish our conversation with you now that you have seen the area when it's dry, and know what the issues are; it would be beneficial for you to view it when it’s flooded. We will be in contact to reconvene with you during the next flood.

September 24, 2014 I sent you an email: “Looking forward to hearing from you in regards to your on site visit to our home.” and I asked “Have you have taken any action to resolve the flooding issues?”

September 24, 2014 you responded back in an email: “I apologized for not getting back to you sooner.”, “I spoke to xxx from Grimsby and he said they are cleaning the culvert out this year and a full clean out next year.”

September 29, 2014 you sent me an email: “You may have noticed that Grimsby Public Works has cleaned culvert by the Airport; we will be looking to do a full clean out of the VanBuuren Drain in 2015 (West Lincoln and Grimsby).”

We have not as been able to confirm that anything has been “cleaned” out in the “culvert by the airport”. For us to “have noticed” we would need to trespass on private property.

Your recent emails are good news and we thank you for them, but could you be more specific?
What is a “clean out”, what is “full clean out” and what is “looking to do a full clean out”?

Will you be addressing all the issues that were discussed, including the main issue of the undersized culverts?

When engineers design new Development they must account for the added water that flows to a Municipal Drain (VanBuuren drain). We are currently investigating the recent Michael St. Development holding pond. How much water is being added to the new VanBuuren Drain Extension “A” from this Development?

We maintain that the culverts are too small to address the waterway as can be clearly seen in the pictures and videos: http://grimsbyfloodswestlincoln.blogspot.ca/

For your viewing I have put the 2014 flooding pictures up at:
Or you can use http://goo.gl/wRKlis to get there.

This is an urgent matter that needs to be resolved soon. I have been instructed that their maybe legal issues with our ditch that the West Lincoln Township has hooked up a Municipal Drain into, and backs up into yards and buildings. Though helpful unfortunately “looking to do a full clean out” next year could be too little, too late.

To be clear, this letter serves to instruct you that the legal issues are now with you - as you have been informed of the flooding issues that you are responsible for.

We hope that you will work with us to resolve the flooding. Looking forward to hearing from you as soon as possible in this regard. Thank you.


Sincerely,
Mr. x

Administrator,
Grimsby Floods West Lincoln





Cc: undisclosed.


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