Halifax Waterfront Sustains Damage Following Hurricane

WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT CORP.--Halifax Waterfront Sustains Damage Following Hurricane

Waterfront Development Corporation Limited is asking the public to use caution when accessing the downtown Halifax waterfront area.

A majority of the waterfront has been cordoned off to allow surveying of the wharves and to allow clean-up crews to begin removing debris.

The Halifax waterfront area weathered the brunt of Hurricane Juan as it made landfall early yesterday morning, Monday, Sept. 29.

Winds gusting to 140 kilometres per hour, combined with a high tide and heavy rainfall, resulted in severe storm surges along the waterfront. Most wharves from Tall Ships Quay to Casino Nova Scotia were affected. Engineering consultants and Waterfront Development Corporation management are conducting a detailed survey and have established a plan with timelines for repair and replacement.

Heavy waves and flooding resulted in storm damage to a variety of businesses; parking lots were flooded and, in some cases, have pulled away completely from the boardwalk. A section of the gravel walkway located to the north of Bishop's Landing on Lower Water Street has washed away, trees are down, damaged floating docks are now laid alongside buildings and most of the corporation's floats are missing or beyond repair. A variety of storm-related issues are in the process of being evaluated.

"The Halifax waterfront sustained considerable damage during Hurricane Juan. At this time, we are concerned with how safe the area is so we are asking for the public's co-operation in respecting areas that are clearly marked as hazardous," said Fred Were, president of the Crown corporation. Engineering firms are on site and Mr. Were said he expects to have survey reports in the next few days.

Lands, wharves and walkways owned by the corporation on the Bedford waterfront and in Dartmouth are also being surveyed. Convoy Quay in Bedford appears to be relatively unscathed, however the walkway in DeWolfe Park owned by Halifax Regional Municipality has sustained serious damage. The corporation is estimating a construction phase of about two to four weeks. The overall cost of rebuilding has not yet been determined.

"When we complete our evaluation of the damage, priorities will be set to begin rebuilding the Halifax waterfront. We hope to have a fuller understanding of the task ahead in the next 24 hours," said Mr. Were. "The waterfront has weathered the brunt of Mother Nature. Our objectives right now are to ensure the safety of the public and to return the waterfront to her citizens as quickly as possible."