A guest at the time, Miner’s Bay Lodge general manager Darren Powers remembers what it was like when a tornado ripped through the resort in 2013 – pure devastation, he told The Highlander this week.
Powers didn’t think he’d see anything like it again, but the destruction caused by the recent ice storm gave him an eerie feeling of déjà vu.
“We were hit hard… at last count, there are about 150 trees down, four of our main buildings have holes in the roof, we’ve got trailers that have significant damage, trees ripping right through them, some cottages almost flattened,” Powers said. “We’re probably looking at close to $100,000 in damages.”
He was on-site March 29 when the bad weather hit. Initially, the freezing rain created a beautiful picturesque scene as Powers peered out the window of the main lodge.
Then, all hell started to break loose.
“I saw everything, heard everything. Trees were snapping by the minute. The smaller ones came down pretty much right away, and I could see the bigger ones swaying with the wind as the ice built up. Then there were the loud cracks as branches buckled under the weight,” Powers said.
Twelve days later and the resort still doesn’t have power – the GM said it’ll likely be another two weeks until it’s restored. Poles were ripped right out of the ground, necessitating a full rebuild of Miners’ Bay’s electrical circuit.
Resort plans regular season opening
Powers was there all last weekend coordinating clean-up. He’ll be back again April 11th, leading crews of paid workers and volunteers. He said the outpouring of support has been incredible, with about 20 people – some long-time guests, others nearby cottagers who think of themselves as part of the Miners’ Bay community – stepping up to help.
“It’s almost like going back to the 1970s, you know, when disaster strikes the whole community rallies to get you back on your feet,” Powers said. “Miners’ Bay is an important spot for many. It’s been a landmark here since 1938.”
There has been some flooding – to the beach area, and in the basement of the resort’s store, but Powers said that happens every year. He estimates about 10 per cent of the clean-up has been completed. A crane is coming in this weekend so crews can get a bird’s eye view of the property. He said most of the cottages and cabins will need windows and roofs replacing, and to be repainted.
While bad, the damages aren’t expected to impact the resort’s upcoming season. Powers said the trailer park is scheduled to open for the May long weekend, with the main property welcoming guests in June.
“Those dates will not be affected at all; the place will look tip-top by then. It’ll be like this never happened,” Powers said.
Hydro One update
Hydro One spokesperson Tiziana Baccega Rosa said as of April 9th, approximately 17,000 Ontario customers remained without power, including 1,661 in the County.
There are 94 active outages in Haliburton County, Rosa confirmed. So far, crews have fixed 358 outages in the area, restoring power to approximately 54,011 residences. She said about three per cent of Hydro One’s Highlands power grid remains offline.
Most of those are seasonal properties she notes, approximately 1,200 – meaning there are still about 400 full-time residences down. There’s no working timetable for restoration.
Rosa said crews made significant progress on repairs last weekend.
“More than 50 new poles were installed in Minden… [on Monday] crews focused on the most difficult to access properties. Heavy rains and localized flooding have washed out roads, creating further access issues for crews, but we’re working as safely and quickly to restore power,” Rosa said.
Hydro One announced a new ice storm recovery grant April 7, enabling municipalities to receive up to $10,000 to pay for things like food, supplies, clean-up and shelter for displaced residents.
“The damage is the worst we’ve seen in decades, and some of the hardest hit communities will never look the same,” said Meghan Collie, Hydro One media relations advisor. “The grant will help impacted communities access essential needs as they begin to rebuild.”
