Flooding frustration in Bedford
Posted Oct 21, 2011 03:39:14 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Thursday’s heavy rainfall is still wreaking havoc for several homeowners in Bedford. Their homes were built on a flood plain, and they claim that wasn’t brought to their attention when they purchased. Every time we get a lot of rain, like yesterday, their basements flood.
Several residents on Union Street have reached out to the Sackville Rivers Association for help. Association President Walter Regan says what’s happening to these homeowners isn’t fair. And because no one can control the flow of the river, he says it should be up to the city to purchase these homes.
“Right now there’s at least three (houses) that have to be bought immediately in my opinion,” he says. “Eventually, all the residences as they come up for sale on the flood plain should be bought. There’s probably over 100. 40 at least on Union Street, possibly another 150 in Sackville.”
But Bedford Councilor Tim Outhit says that’s not an option.
“We don’t have the money to do that,” Outhit says. “And if we do that, we’d have to buy (houses) on flood plains all throughout HRM.”
Outhit says the city is going to work with the province on new legislation that won’t allow new homes to be built on flood plains.
