You’d need a pair of hip waders or a canoe if you wanted to shop in the greenhouses at Kredl’s Corner Market in Hampton, N.B., a popular destination among cottagers and day trippers.
Battling floodwaters wasn’t what Blair and Rosalyn Hyslop had in mind when they purchased the business a mere three months ago.
“Wow, I mean what a way to start not just in terms of the flooding but in terms of the outpouring of support from the community,” said Blair Hyslop.
When the Saint John River began rising, floodwaters swelled and impacted the Kennebecasis River. As the water continued to rise, the Hyslops knew they couldn’t save the business on their own so the family took to social media to ask for help.
WATCH: New Brunswick floodwaters are gradually receding. But as people begin taking stock of what they’ve lost, there’s still a danger that remains. Ross Lord reports from Saint John.
READ MORE: Water begins to recede in flood-soaked parts of New Brunswick: EMO
Get daily news
“Everything like this always brings our family together and also just reminds us of how close we are and how much a community and a family can do when we really set our minds to it,” said their daughter, Josie Hyslop.
Volunteers showed up in droves – slugging and filling sandbags. They built a three-foot wall out of about 5,000 sandbags and then worked tirelessly to clean debris that floated in from the river, save stock and raise the flowers in the greenhouses.
“It really is quite an emotional thing when we stop working for just a minute and reflect on what happened, you know it brings tears to our eyes. It really does,” said Blair Hyslop.
While water levels are slowly receding, the family, who also owns Mrs. Dunster’s, are far from in the black. They had an event planned for Mother’s Day weekend and there’s no telling whether or not anyone will be able to peruse the greenhouses.
However, a little flood water hasn’t dampened their spirits. Even while under water, the Hyslops are brainstorming ways to thank those who were there when they needed it most.
“Once things start to get back to normal, we’ll have a big BBQ for the whole community and everyone who helped anybody and just try to celebrate the community that we live in and the community that we are,” said Blair Hyslop.