Flood clean up along Grand Lake an enormous task as N.B. crews work around the clock

Flood recovery efforts are full steam ahead in Grand Lake West, N.B.

In the area of Princess Park, whole cottages are being torn down and loaded into garbage trucks.

Due to flood damage, cottages that have stood for decades are now being discarded like yesterday’s trash.

“The mood I can see us changing from being devastated to rebuilding. It’s Grand Lake tough, this side of the lake is hurt,” explains Jack Mills, the owner of Alternate Waste Management, a removal company contracted by the province to conduct cleanup surrounding the lake.

READ MORE: N.B. floods impacting some campgrounds ahead of May long weekend

Mills has more than 30-employees working 12-hour days, 7-days a week cleaning up the devastation left behind by the record setting flood levels earlier this month.

But there’s still no end in site. The cleanup at Grand Lake could take weeks or even months.

“This area in Princess Park will be cleaned up today I just can’t imagine what it’ll be like Monday. There’s more camps that need to come out. There’s just more to do,” said Mills as he loaded debris into a truck.

Down the road at former provincial park, now turned private campground, the owner Elaine Hoyt is hopeful the park will be open for the season — her water, sewer and electrical lines were been compromised by the flood.

The destruction is a hard sight for many to take in, especially for those who’ve been in the shoes of a flood victim.

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“It’s sad, it really is,” explains Ronald Tissington, who lived on Route 690 during a flood in 2005.

“It is tough. It really is. And as much as you try and help there’s very little you can do until, there’s a certain procedure that has to be done and there’s only so much, so many people to do it.”

Crews will continue to work around the clock cleaning up what Mother Nature has left behind. On Friday they’ll move on to another town needing their help.