Many downtown Okotoks businesses were closed and sandbagged Friday, but few sustained serious damage when the Sheep River spilled its banks a day earlier. However, all eyes remain on the river as the rain continues to fall.
Many downtown Okotoks businesses were closed and sandbagged Friday, but few sustained serious damage when the Sheep River spilled its banks a day earlier.
However, all eyes remain on the river as the rain continues to fall. Riverside Drive by the Okotoks Library was closed to traffic at around 3:30 p.m. Friday. The library and provincial court were both closed.
About an hour-and-half earlier a power pole plunged into the river near the Laurie Boyd pedestrian bridge behind the library, cutting out power to parts of the Town.
Steve Brunet an employee at Rim To Rim tire shop, which backs on to the river, said he was unloading something near the river when he heard a loud bang.
“I looked over and the lines were in the water,” he said. “There were blue flames shooting up and down the lines.”
The power was restored later in the afternoon.
While other parts of the foothills were decimated by flooding Thursday and Friday Okotoks remained almost unscathed.
Most of the shops, restaurants and businesses lining Elizabeth Street and North Railway Street were dry Friday.
Some businesses along Riverside Drive took in water.
Mike Keith, owner of Crazy Horse Trailer Sales, was using a squeegee to get water and mud out of his shop on Friday.
He said they took in about about three to four inches of water and were left with about half-a-foot of mud once the water receded.
However, Keith said this flood was minor in comparison to the one that swept through in 2005.
“We’ll be done today,” Keith said of the cleanup. “We closed the business and hopefully we’ll be back up and running Monday.”
He said Okotoks enforcement officers told him about the possibility of flooding early Thursday morning, giving him time to prepare.
“We were moving trailers out of here and moved paperwork and equipment and computers,” Keith said.
The Town also brought in sandbags for businesses close to the river.
Rim to Rim tire shop owner Pat Kerrison said he also wrapped the bottom of his business with poly, which kept his shop dry.
“That’s why were open for business today,” he said.
Kerrison said he will be keeping an eye on the river throughout the day, but it will be business as usual.
He said he couldn’t believe the number of other people gathering along the banks of the Sheep River to see the surging water.
“There was a lot of people standing around taking pictures,” Kerrison said. “They should have cleared the area and keep people out.”
Late Thursday afternoon downtown Okotoks was evacuated as the water in the Sheep River rose and expected to peak at around 10 p.m.
Northridge/Southridge Drive was closed between Milligan Drive and West Drive overnight. Traffic backed up for hours as motorists tried to make their way over the 32 Street Bridge during rush hour.
On Friday morning all roads were re-opened and the evacuation was lifted.
Parts of Okotoks still covered in water, including areas near the library and sections of pathways in the river valley, are closed off.
Friday afternoon power was off in parts of downtown and in some parts of residential areas, including Cimarron. Traffic lights along Northridge Drive were off or flashing Friday afternoon as well.
Okotoks communications manager Nancy Weigel couldn’t say if the power pole in the river was what was the cause of the outage and said Fortis was responding. The Town office was operating with the use of backup generators.
At around 2:30 pm the Okotoks municipal office could not be reached by telephone.
A reception centre has been set up at the Okotoks Recreation Centre.
The Town has been inundated with people who want to volunteer and say they don’t need any more volunteers at this time.
Anyone who wants to leave their name on the list of volunteers can call 403-938-8936.
