City’s youth sandbag filling superstars

CONSTANCE BAY – After a long day of work, the last thing a person wants to do is fill sandbags.

But that is the reality for West Carleton’s riverside residents, although today (April 22) those residents got a lot of help from the city’s youth. West Carleton Online dropped by the Constance and Buckham’s Bay community centre shortly after 6 p.m. this evening. There were already an estimated 9,000 sandbags filled and ready to go.

Meanwhile, a baseball club from the city brought three of their teams out with them to tackle the sandpile with a goal of filling 3,000 bags before the evening was through.

The West Ottawa Pirates out of Pinecrest, that features players from across the city including a Gatineau player who made the trip, brought their U13, U15 and U16 teams out to Constance Bay for an evening of training – by shovelling sand and filling sandbags.

“I did this with my oldest son, back when I was coaching with Kanata, I think in 2017,” Pirates U16 manager Russ Mullins told West Carleton Online while young ball players tackled the sand pile. “We were out in Dunrobin. So, when I saw the news, we’re supposed to do strength and conditioning on Wednesdays – this is strength and conditioning. I got the guys, and put it out to all three teams to see if we could get as many kids out as possible.”

A quick eyeball of the crew and it looked like there were close to 30 players (and some adults) out shovelling and chatting away.

“Good crew, good kids,” Mullins said.

The Pirates belong to a Can-Am league, and play games at home in Ottawa (with two other teams), in Montreal and in the northern U.S.

“Very good, competitive baseball,” Mullins said.

Mullins said he was not worried about shoulder injuries moving sand around.

“I’m more worried about high school tryouts this week causing issues than shovelling sand and doing good for the community,” Mullins said. “This should not injure anything.”

But it will definitely be good for strength and conditioning.

Inside the community centre West Carleton Online also overheard a father and son saying they came in from Barrhaven to help out and were calling it a day after four-and-a-half hours of sandbagging.

In Dunrobin, students at West Carleton Secondary School (WCSS) students filled an estimated 8,000 sandbags today and at the Kinburn Public Works Building city staff are able to fill roughly 3,000 a day thanks to the help of the city’s sandbag filling machine.

Water levels along the Ottawa River are starting to stabilize, but those levels are still very high, according to West Carleton Disaster Relief who has taken the lead role in coordinating volunteer response to the disaster.

“Water levels remain at 60.25 metres — holding just four inches (10 centimetres) below the 2023 flood peak, with the forecast still projecting a rise to 60.30 m,” WCDR volunteers released in a statement yesterday (April 21) evening. “Groundwater is also rising and some properties across from ones along the river are experiencing some flooding. We are in the thick of it, and community support is making a real difference.”

Today (April 22), WCDR had some better news.

“Some cautiously good news to end the day,” WCDR released in a statement. “The river has stabilized at 60.25 metres, and the updated three-day forecast has come down to 60.20 m — meaning we may have seen the peak of this first wave. We are still well above last year’s levels, and we are not standing down, but this is a welcome shift in the right direction.”

WCDR also wanted to personally thank the youth for their help today.

“Thank you to the incredible students and teachers at WCSS who organized four shifts of 200 students who then filled close to 8,000 sandbags,” WCDR said. “What a superb group of young people from our area and their friends from Kanata who attend this wonderful school.”

WCDR is still looking for sandbagging help.

“Sandbag volunteers urgently needed,” WCDR said. “Demand for sandbagging help remains very high. If you can help, it’s simple — register online at westcarletonrelief.ca, then show up at the Constance and Buckham’s Bay Community Centre (CBBCA) at 262 Len Purcell Drive. No experience needed — just willing hands. You can also sign up once you get there.”

Two shower locations are now open to affected residents:

• Constance Bay community centre – one shower open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Erskine Johnston Arena (3832 Carp Rd.) – showers open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Water filling station — Constance Bay community centre

“A water filling station has been installed at the rear door of the Constance Bay community centre,” WCDR said. “You can drive right up to it with your containers. The hose is located at the back of the building. This is available for anyone who needs clean water for their household.”

Do not pump your septic tank.

“With groundwater at current levels, an empty tank can become buoyant and lift out of the ground — we’ve seen it happen in past floods. Leave your tank as-is until water has fully receded.

Some homes continue to experience hydro and gas shutoffs due to flooding.

“The city has porta-potties deployed in the area,” WCDR said. “If you have concerns about your drinking water, please use bottled water for now and hold off on water testing until levels drop — that’s when the results will be reliable. WCDR will continue posting each evening. If you need help or want to help, we want to hear from you.”

This week, WCDR expects to shift its focus.

“We’ve moved into maintenance mode,” WCDR said. “The urgent rush to build is giving way to the equally important work of holding the line. Most residents are now maintaining their walls rather than building from scratch, and WCDR is focused on stockpiling sandbags in preparation for the second water pulse we still expect in the coming weeks. When that arrives, the call for sandbagging and wall-building volunteers will go out quickly — please stay connected and ready to respond.”

WCDR suggests homeowners should use this reprieve wisely.

“This is the time to shift your attention from building to monitoring,” WCDR said. “Inspect and reinforce your defensive walls — look for soft spots, leaks, or settling. Test your sump pumps and any portable pumps while you still have a window to fix problems. Test your portable generator and make sure it’s fuelled and ready. Be aware that as groundwater continues to saturate the soil, additional properties may be affected even without direct river contact — keep an eye on your basement and yard drainage. Ensure clear, safe access to your utility meters — gas, hydro and water shutoffs need to be reachable quickly in an emergency. Make this a deliberate check, not an afterthought.”

You can contact WCDR by email at flood@westcarletonrelief.ca, by phone at 613-447-4446 or visit their website at westcarletonrelief.ca.

West Carleton-March Coun. Clarke Kelly also provided an updated on the issue.

‘Currently, water levels are plateauing and are expected to gradually decline,” Kelly released in a statement today (April 22). “The first phase of the freshet peaked at, or just below, the level recorded in 2023. Ongoing monitoring is required, though, as conditions are dependent on weather and any remaining inflow from the north.”

Minor flooding levels have been exceeded in low-lying areas that are typically prone to flooding. Major flood levels have been exceeded at many locations between Lac Coulogne and near the Montreal area. Major flooding is defined as water levels at which one or several streets begin to flood, affecting several homes, buildings, or entire neighbourhoods.

“Please leave any protective measures you have put in place, such as sandbag walls, until further notice,” Kelly said.

Kelly also wanted to thank WCSS students.

“As a former student of WCSS, I’m proud my office was able to help coordinate today’s WCSS student efforts with filling and moving sandbags,” Kelly said. “Their work today was another example of the strength of our community.”