Sussex residents excited about flood relief plans Achi-News

When Howard MacMillan and Corylee Rutherford moved into their home in Sussex a few years ago they were unaware that they had purchased a property in one of the many flood zones in Sussex, NB.

Almost four months after huge floods covered much of the town at the end of February, the couple are still cleaning their basement which was turned upside down during the weather. The couple lost thousands of dollars worth of items and are still finding new areas affected by February’s flooding.

But Monday’s announcement by all three levels of government about a flood mitigation plan being implemented in the town of New Brunswick was a day they weren’t sure would ever come.

“We were told it would never likely happen in our lifetime is the rumor so yes we are so proud,” admits Rutherford. “I had tears in my eyes. It actually makes me feel very emotional.”

“It was really huge,” adds MacMillan. “I’m so glad to hear the federal government, the provincial government, and the town of Sussex have all come together to fix the flooding problems.”

The federal government is chipping in just over $15 million for the project, the province plans to spend about $13 million, while the municipality will put in just over $10 million for the project totaling over $38 million. Environmental impact assessments are already underway by the town ahead of construction, which could take anywhere from 11 to 36 months.

Once the assessment is complete, work will begin to build a pair of flood diversion channels and overpasses over Route 1. A berm is also set to be built in the Meadow Crescent area which will help protect around 80 homes in that part of town.

“Our hope is that if everything went to the best case scenario by Christmas 2028 we will have this problem behind us,” said Sussex CAO Scott Hatcher.

Concept map of a flood risk mitigation plan for the town of Sussex. (Courtesy: Town of Sussex)Efforts for a flood mitigation plan are nothing new for the township. Hatcher says major flooding in 2019 accelerated the need for flood mitigation efforts in the town, but the research on what the borough would need stems further than that.

“We’ve been at it with reconciliation work, prerequisite like studies, assessing the effects that kind of thing, we’ve been out of them for a full 10 years,” Hatcher admits.

He added that the pandemic had slowed down efforts to implement the flood mitigation strategy, with government funding required for the project to proceed.

Ron Baird is the owner of the Golden Arrow Sports Bar and Pizza Delight on the town’s main drag. He says that since the first major flood in 2014 (and countless others in the following decade) he estimates about $600,000 in damages has occurred between his home and two restaurants.

He even had a sign displayed on his sports bar following the February floods that read “To our MLA and Mayor, when does the water problem get better?”

“I hope it has something to do with it,” Baird jokes of a plan finally coming to fruition to solve the town’s flooding problems. “I really wanted to let the councilor and everyone know that we are very concerned about it. I know they are working behind the scenes, and we really appreciate what everyone is doing in Sussex.

Of all the things he is most looking forward to once the project is completed in the next three to five years, he can get a good night’s sleep on a rainy night.

“Whenever it rains we never get to sleep here in Sussex,” said Baird. “That’s all we’re worried about is the flooding. Even if we get 20 or 30 millimeters we still worry about it.”

Baird says the whole community has been delighted since the news emerged that fears of flooding will soon be a thing of the past in the rural community.

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