Help has dried up for some Cherry Creek residents after flood

Jul 4, 2017 | 6:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — It has been nearly two months since flooding ravaged the Southern Interior.

One of the hardest hit areas was Cherry Creek, just west of Kamloops.

While some are slowly getting their lives back to normal, others are still waiting for help to rebuild.

WATCH: Full report by Chad Klassen

While the flow along Cherry Creek is back to its normal levels — quiet and peaceful — Corine Lebourdais’ property doesn’t look a whole lot different than two months ago when there were raging waters rushing by her house and tac shop. 

“The TNRD had suggested to us they were going to help fix the creek in a specific area when the hydrologist came,” said LeBourdais. “They had a number of hydrologist out actually and they haven’t done any of that to date.”

Lebourdais noted the response from the TNRD has been non-existent. The only help she’s received is $600 from the Red Cross. Meantime, the district has recommended putting in a berm to protect the property, but according to LeBourdais it would be all on their dime.

“They should have a 0.6 metre berm to stop the creek from wanting to come down low where the trench has been created, and on our last interaction with the TNRD, they have denied really that they have a need to do any of that,” she said. 

Up the road next door, Arnold Blair could be looking at even more damage if not for help from the TNRD and friends. He said the district has been a big help, and now he’s just waiting to hear back from the province on disaster financial assistance for the basement. 

“They’re going to be putting together a number that they feel is fair to get it back the house in pre-flood condition,” said Blair, who is slowly chipping away at the clean-up. “It could take 30-90 days before any funding comes through, so it’s a waiting game. In the meantime, we’re going to clean up and try and get this place back to looking like it used to.”

Over the course of the last two months, Blair and his wife have been busy, trying to take on one thing at a time. He knows there is still lots more ahead to fully restore the property. 

“We have our basement ready to refinish,” he said. “The water’s dried up. The house is dried up. But our yard, as you can see, is an all-summer project. We need to clean up the debris that came downstream.”

Temporary bridges have been installed at Greenstone Road as well as Rodeo Drive. At Lebourdais’ place, it remains a post-flood disaster zone as they wait for any help they can get from the TNRD or province.