Community of Rosemont drowning in flood woes

CALGARY – A northwest Calgary resident whose home has flooded several times is beginning to feel hopeless.

Jane Bartle’s basement suite in Rosemont took another blow during Friday’s storm as water poured in through the windows.

“It was up to the top of the windows coming through and down the walls like a water fall!”

The tenant will have to move out for yet another renovation. Bartle says she doesn’t have the heart to look for another.

“I couldn’t rent it out like that. It would be immoral.”

The city says Friday night’s deluge exceeded storm water drainage standards for a one in a hundred year event – but for Bartle, it’s nothing new.

“Repeated flooding and the insurers want to back away and say this is an act of god so they are not doing it.”

“It’s the third major flood since 2007.”

Following the 2007 flood, a sump pump and check valves were installed in Bartle’s home and she though the worst was over.

However, two floods so far this year have dashed her optimism – at least only slightly.

“This is my retirement. I have a huge capital loss in the building so it’s no small thing to me… I have to keep reminding myself I am still alive and not starving to death. I need a shower and I still don’t have hot water but I am not starving to death.”

Twelve cars in the area have already been totaled and towed away due to the flood. One resident tells Global News he’s had two vehicles written off in the last four years due to flooding in Rosemont.

Bartle feels the city is neglecting her community’s needs. The city even admits it’s got a problem.

“In Rosemont, the city has identified an issue and service level concerns there and we have undertaken a study that we are currently completing,” says Frank Figo.

Figo says Calgary’s older communities simply don’t have the same standards as newer ones with fewer catch basins, smaller pipes and poorly designed streets.

Currently Rosemont is just one of eight being studies for remedial work.

“The remedial actions will mostly deal with pipe upgrades, potential new storm water ponds or other system upgrades, re-grading and introduction of extra catch basins,” says Figo.

As for Bartle, she feels she’s already living in her own storm water pond.

“Right now I feel like I’m living at the bottom of a swamp.”

The city says once the study is complete, Rosemont will be placed on a priority list but it’s not known how long before the older communities will be retrofitted with new systems to handle flood waters.