All hands on deck: Gatineau needs you on June 1 and 2 for the Solidarity Blitz.

Gatineau, May 22, 2019. – In Gatineau, we have each other's backs! More than 2,000 flood victims were hit by the spring flood, and from day one, Gatineau residents have been there for them. Now that the water levels are gradually receding, the time has come to round up the sandbags. This is going to be a major effort! More than 890,000 sandbags were distributed, three times as many as in 2017. Gatineau is calling on all residents and businesses to volunteer and lend a hand for the Solidarity Blitz on June 1 and 2.

Quick facts

●	Get those muscles in shape! The work involves lifting sandbags off the properties of the flood victims and placing them along the streets as indicated by municipal officials.

●	Those sandbags will be waterlogged, so they will be very heavy.

●	The sandbags will then be taken away in trucks.

●	Each day of the two-day blitz will be split in two: from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m.

●	For safety reasons, volunteers must be at least 16 years of age.

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If you can help, please go to one of the following gathering points: - Centre Robert-Guertin (125 rue de Carillon, Hull sector) - Frank-Robinson (96 rue du Patrimoine, Aylmer sector) - Parc-o-bus Rapibus Labrosse (266 boulevard Saint-René Est, accessible through boulevard Saint-René between rue de Vauquelin and boulevard Labrosse, Gatineau sector) - Centre sportif Robert-Rochon (97 rue de l'aréna, Masson-Angers sector)

●	Gatineau will coordinate the assignment of the volunteers to the different work sites, and the STO will provide their transportation.

●	The work will take place in those areas from which the water has receded.

●	Cars will not be allowed to park on certain streets to ensure that the trucks can get through to pick up the sandbags. Certain streets will be temporarily closed. - Residents are asked to limit their movements in the affected areas, and to comply with the temporary signs.

●	For details on the Solidarity Blitz, go to gatineau.ca/solidarite.

●	Flood victims who will still have sandbags on their properties after the Blitz will have until Friday evening, June 7, to place them along the street.

●	As many of the sandbags as possible will be moved on June 1 and 2.

●	Service des travaux publics crews will go around picking up the sandbags on June 8 and 9, 2019.

Calling on volunteer contractors

●	Gatineau will need volunteer contractors to help manually or mechanically transport large quantities of sandbags. Those bags would be moved from the dikes to the edge of the street.

●	As many of the sandbags as possible will be moved on June 1 and 2.

●	Contractors are asked to fill out the offer of volunteer contractor services form (French only) on the Solidarity Blitz Web page at gatineau.ca/solidarite

Flood victims

●	If the water has not yet receded from their property, flood victims are asked to keep their dike in place.

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Flood victims whose properties are free of flood water are asked to place soiled sandbags right inside their property line. - It is important that sandbags not be placed on the street or sidewalk to avoid obstructing traffic and pedestrians. - Construction and demolition residues must be kep apart from the sandbags and household garbage, and placed next to the street.

●	There will be a special collection for oversized trash and construction debris later on.

Reusing sandbags

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Gatineau may reuse the sandbags for different things, namely as fill for new roads or as abrasive in the winter. - Such uses are authorized by and based on the guidelines of the Ministère de la sécurité publique. For details on those guidelines, consult their document d'information en cas d'inondation (French only) on the department's Web site.

Images

Video

Video - Mayor invitation to Solidarity Blitz (in french only)

Associated links

The Solidarity Blitz

Spring flood (including a map of the affected streets)

Offer of volunteer contractor services form (French only)

Reusing sandbags guidelines - document d'information en cas d'inondation du Ministère de la sécurité publique (French only)

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