CALGARY- Few communities in Alberta were as hard hit by the June floods as Exshaw.
75 per cent of the hamlet west of Calgary was affected, and dozens of residents are still not allowed home.
“It’s been stressful really, stressful on all of us,” says mother Jen Smith, whose family is camping in front of their damaged home. “We’ve been living in a borrowed motor home, our trailer has been a cafeteria where we feed our three little girls.”
The Smiths are among 22 families in Exshaw who are still displaced.
“The girls have been in swimming lessons, so they can shower at the rec centre. My husband is a fireman, and showers at the hall.
“You lose all shame, you just do what needs to be done.”
The hamlet’s reeve recently met with Premier Alison Redford earlier this week, asking for four million dollars.
“Now, right now,” Dean Cooper says, of the financial need. “It’s not a demand, it’s an absolute gap that needs to be filled immediately.”
Fortunately, eight modular homes are being brought in, some of which were used by families after the Slave Lake fires. They still need to be hooked up with utilities before families can move in, which could take a couple of weeks.
Mobile homes are also being delivered to Canmore and Cochrane.
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