Waterways residents moved back home long before it was okay
Monday was the first day residents were allowed back into Waterways, one of the Fort McMurray neighbourhoods hardest hit by last spring's wildfire, but some people say they've already been back for weeks.
Despite warnings and restrictions, Waterways homeowner Louis Rondeau and his neighbours have been living on their properties long before the municipality and the province said it was safe.
Rondeau and his wife are living in an RV parked outside their damaged mobile home.
"Today's the official day isn't it?" Rondeau asked. "Then we would have been in the driveway for a couple of weeks now."
Waterways has been hard hit by natural disasters in the last few years. May's wildfire levelled over 300 homes in the community. River water inundated the community in 2013.
Up until October, it was unclear whether residents would be allowed to return at all because changes to provincial legislation prohibited rebuilding in flood zones. Waterways is on a floodplain.
After disaster funding guarantees and bylaw amendments, the province and the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo decided to allow residents to rebuild. On Monday, people connected with the 31 homes and the two businesses not destroyed by the fire were allowed to return.
Turning a blind eye
The municipality is aware residents of Waterways and other fire damaged communities have been living in their homes despite the restrictions.
Fort McMurray is still under a local state of emergency and the municipality had restricted access to Waterways between 8 a.m.and 8 p.m.
Alberta's chief medical officer of health said toxic ash and debris made communities unsafe for habitation. Official word came Friday that people could finally return on Oct. 24.
"We didn't come in and remove those people. It was their choice to stay," Erin O'Neill, the municipality's chief planner said.
"We did advertise what the recommendations were by the chief medical health officer. But ultimately it was that resident's choice."
The municipality didn't publicize it was turning a blind eye to residents who stayed in restricted areas past the posted curfew.
"It hasn't been widely advertised. We would prefer that residents are only in there between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. given the restrictions by the chief medical officer of health," O'Neill said.
Buyouts for residents
The municipality still may offer residents of Waterways the option to sell or swap their land if they decide not to rebuild on the floodplain.
"It's an option. We are examining that," O'Neill said.
In a survey conducted by the municipality, thirty per cent of Waterways residents voted in favour of accepting a buyout or land swap if the province prevented them from rebuilding on the floodplain.
The municipality plans to hold more meetings and conduct more surveys in order to help plan the next steps.
