A downed tree in the Port Elgin Marina area of Saugeen Shores, a result of a severe weather event on Tuesday, September 7, 2021, where wind speeds were in excess of 100 km/hour. Hub photo

On Tuesday, September 7, 2021 a severe weather event was experienced in Saugeen Shores with sustained wind speeds of over 100 km/hour. In a September 8 media release from the Town, there was extensive damage to the Port Elgin Marina and Northshore Park, as well as private homes in the area. Significant damage was also experienced in the Saugeen Beach Road area near Gobles Grove and a number of roads remain closed throughout the Town with trees on power lines.

Mayor Luke Charbonneau said the damage is still being evaluated, adding that while significant property damage was sustained, no injuries have been reported.

"As the community works together to clean up from this event we ask you to use caution when approaching hazards," said Charbonneau.

The public is asked to stay clear of any fallen power lines and to stay at least 10 meters back, even if it does not appear to be live. Both Westario Power and Hydro One have crews in Saugeen Shores working to restore power as soon as possible. The Town is working to clear roadways and asks that the public stay off closed roads.

All work on municipal streets will be done by Town staff. The Town will clean up any Town trees in the Boulevard. To report damage in public areas you can contact the Town through the Report a Concern form on our website at www.SaugeenShores.ca/Report.

"Please do not put any private debris (waste, branches, broken windows, etc.) in the boulevard," read the release, as this will make it difficult for cleanup. For any work that requires digging, underground services need to be located before this work can be done. Locates need to be coordinated through Ontario One Call at 1-800-400-2255.

The Landfill is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. All brush from the storm will be accepted free of charge at the landfill until September 25. Town staff are reviewing operating hours and the ability to bring brush to the landfill in a way that will manage the influx that is expected.

The in person event portion of the Leisure Fair scheduled for this evening has been cancelled. The Centennial Pool is closed. The Port Elgin Harbour and Boat Launch are closed. Staff are reaching out to patrons at the Port Elgin Harbour with direct information on next steps. All boats are safely moored. All trails are closed at this time until Town staff are able to inspect the trail system and crews can be dispatched. Northshore Park is closed including the splash pad and washroom facilities.

The Town has been in contact with the Province of Ontario and has requested activation of the Disaster Recovery and Assistance Ontario (DRAO) program. "We are awaiting an assessment of eligibility for the program," read the release. "We encourage residents to document any damage with photo evidence in order to potentially access future funds should they become available," the release added.

If you require immediate or emergency assistance, please call 911. For essential services, residents can call 211 (or 1-877-330-3213) to speak with a Community Navigator to assist with accessing community services and support. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and multilingual interpretation is available.