What happens in a community when they are on their fourth day without power and then they get over 30 cm of snow overnight?
Turns out they really show what 鈥渃ommunity鈥� means.
Zeballos has been without power on and off since Monday, and like the rest of the Island they have received more snow in one day than they have in years. However, according to Mayor Julie Colborne, that has not put a damper on people鈥檚 community spirit. If anything, it has made the sense of community in the tiny tone on northern Vancouver Island even stronger.
鈥淚sn鈥檛 it amazing how the community just pulls together and does stuff for their neighbours?鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got people donating fuel and people are getting things to their neighbours. I鈥檓 just astounded by the kindness of the strangers and neighbours alike.鈥�
鈥淥ur hearts are with Tahsis, they鈥檙e in the exact same position as us, and our hearts go out to them,鈥� she said.
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Zeballos and neighbouring community Tahsis are fairly remote on Vancouver Island鈥檚 west coast. In the best of times, food security is an issue for villagers, whose closest grocery store is in Campbell River. Now with the roads closed, people have to turn to each other for necessary supplies.
However, SRD protective services coordinator Shaun Koopman isn鈥檛 too worried about villagers in Tahsis.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 live in Tahsis if you have to go to Starbucks,鈥� Koopman said. 鈥淚 am not worried about the residents up there.鈥�
The emergency response in the communities has been aided by the Strathcona Regional District鈥檚 Emergency Operations Centre. Since things are happening so quickly, people have been trying to find off-the-cuff solutions to the issues. One idea was for a helicopter to bring food supplies in to the Zeballos warming centre, but because of the inclement weather that idea didn鈥檛 work out. Instead a barge with food and fuel has been donated and will be arriving in Zeballos this afternoon. Colborne said that since people have stepped up, the village should be fine for food for the day at least, and hopes that the roads get cleared in the meantime, allowing food shipments to come in.
鈥淭here will be supplies brought to us somehow,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e advised people not to travel on the road because it鈥檚 better to let those guys do their jobs. They鈥檙e out there plowing and trying to keep it open for us for essentials. Somehow, some way we are going to get medicines and food for the warming centre. Then we鈥檝e had a gracious donation from Grieg Seafood for fuel.鈥�
Colborne hopes that the power will be back on on Friday afternoon.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 in perfect case scenario and in the best of conditions. We鈥檙e not in the best of conditions right now,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e building contingency planning for Sunday or so or even after, just so that we鈥檙e more prepared.鈥�
Fixing the power system also is reliant on a helicopter, according to a release from B.C. Hydro.
鈥淭he continued heavy snowfall has caused extensive damage to the line serving customers in Tahsis and Zeballos,鈥� it says. 鈥淲e assessed damage using a helicopter yesterday, and we began work in areas where it was safe to do so. As more heavy snowfall is expected, work progress will be dependent on the weather conditions and crews ability to safely access damaged areas.鈥�
Gold River has also seen more power outage issues this season than it does normally. Mayor Brad Unger posted on the village website that he and staff have 鈥渉ad discussions with the BC Hydro鈥檚 Vancouver Island community relations manger, Ted Olynyk, in regards to the current and past issues.鈥�
Potential solutions were to have a crew stationed in the village, but Unger wrote BC Hydro鈥檚 response was that it would be 鈥渧ery difficult for many reasons.鈥�
鈥淒uring severe weather storms like the one recently experienced, crews come from all over the island and the length of time they can work without a break is an issue that must be considered,鈥� Unger鈥檚 note says.
Despite the tough conditions, Colborne says that the villagers鈥� spirit has only reaffirmed her love for the area.
鈥淭he North Island is the place to be, man.鈥�
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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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