Council agreed to enter two funding agreements as part of the National Disaster Mitigation Program Tuesday night
The federal government came through with some much needed funding to battle flooding in Lakeshore.
Council signed off on two funding agreements as part of the National Disaster Mitigation Program Tuesday night. The feds will pay $237,500 of the $475,000 needed for the town's Stormwater Master Plan.
Lighthouse Cove will receive its own funding — the government will kick-in $42,500 of the $85,000 needed to assure flood-waters won't threaten the community at the mouth of the Thames River again.
"We know there have been problems in the past, and we know there's going to be problems in the future. This is going to help us to be able to meet these problems head on," says Mayor Tom Bain, who goes on to say holding pond and pumping station improvements are a priority for the town.
He says with all the funding cuts lately, it's a relief to get the money approved.
"On one hand, certainly we wanted more, on the other hand we're glad we're glad to at least get some...we're glad to get what we got," says Bain.
Lighthouse Cove has been at the mercy of flood waters as the Thames River emptied out to Lake St. Clair several times in the past two years.
Ward 6 Councillor Linda McKinlay says the influx of cash will be put to immediate use.
"The whole cove is going to be put under a microscope, but the road in and out will be dealt with," she says. "When we worked it out it was actually quite reasonable for us to put this plan in place."
An additional $5,500 will be kicked into the Lighthouse Cove project from the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority.