The future of Roche Percee may soon be in the hands of the provincial cabinet.
The Saskatchewan Watershed Authority held a meeting Jan. 31 to provide residents of the flood-ravaged village with information on what options the SWA will present to the government later this month.
Jim Gerhart of the watershed authority informed those who packed into the Taylorton Room at the Days Inn, many of whom lost their homes in last June's flood, that a number of options will be presented to the province. Among them is rebuilding the community's dikes, which would allow residents to rebuild on the flood plain. The village council is also continuing to work towards creating a new subdivision further up the hill on the south end of Roche Percee. Gerhart also admitted the government could decide to do nothing.
"The intent is to provide some options not just locally but also for the government," said Gerhart who added they are hoping to receive a decision by mid-February.
The sometimes tense meeting was highlighted by a presentation from MDH Engineered Solutions, the firm hired by the authority to look at the possibility of rebuilding the dikes.
In the presentation it was noted MDH employees looked at two possible options with regards to the dikes - follow the route of the existing dike or to diverge from the existing alignment at Birch Avenue and along First Street.
Due in large part to a number of concerns about the existing infrastructure, the second option was chosen despite the fact that as many as 21 lots in Roche Percee could be lost to the new dike as it would be built 10 metres out from the edge of the Souris River due to its unstable banks.
As for the construction of the dike, presenters from MDH noted it would be two metres higher than the current berms and designed to withstand a once in 500 years flood like the one that hit the area in June. It would also be at least four metres wide at the top to allow for vehicle traffic.
MDH also included a price in their presentation and it was clear a dike system will not come cheap. MDH's initial estimate, which they admitted could rise due to such conditions as higher contractor costs, was $5.7 million.
Gerhart also informed the crowd that any construction costs are generally shared between the province and municipality on a 75-25 per cent ratio, meaning Roche Percee would be on the hook for $1.5 million or more should that option be selected.
"It's a significant amount of money but it's also intended to last," Gerhart said.
Roche Percee Deputy Mayor Sharon Wells said although rebuilding the dikes would allow some homes to be rebuilt on the flood plain, the village cannot afford the $1.5 million price tag that comes along with it.
"Unless government is going to pay the whole $5.7 million, we don't have enough people in town to pay the debenture that would have to be put out, if they would even lend us the $1.5 million," she said.
Wells added council is exploring the possibility of creating new lots on 10 acres of land on top of the hill south of Roche Percee and they have families interested in building in that location. However she said they have found only frustration in their attempts to move forward. She added they are also waiting to hear from the Commonwealth Group, an organization that assists communities in securing funds for various projects.
"At this point in time, we are still sitting as a yo-yo bouncing from side to side and top to bottom with everyone that we are dealing with," Wells said. "It seems that every time we try to make a deal, we run into a hold somebody slacks off or doesn't get the letter or get the information or deal with it.
"PDAP has never even given us a cost for what they are going to pay for the hall or the village office."
Wells said the lack of information coming to the members of council and the subsequent lack of information they are able to provide the community has created a massive level of frustration for all involved and led to hard feelings among residents who feel that council is hiding things from them and not acting in their best interests.
"Council can't give them a definite answer until we get one," she said. "We are still working, still trying, still phoning, still e-mailing, we are still in contact with all these people but getting nowhere."
Whatever happens in the future, it was clear from the meeting that many Roche Percee residents are anxious to see any type of progress so they can get on with their lives.
"It's been six months now and nobody can really make a decision on whether they can stay or move on," said Jay Riedel of the Roche Percee Restoration Committee. "That is the hardest part for everybody. We are basically in limbo now until cabinet makes a decision, which is unfortunate for a lot of the families that have lived down there for years. They have lost everything."
Riedel, and many of those who attended the meeting, expressed concern that the option of rebuilding the dikes is not a practical one given the size of Roche Percee's population in relation to the potential costs. Riedel said he and others he's spoken with would prefer just to be paid out for their land and get on with their lives.
"They're talking it's going to be over $5 million for a village that small that can't sustain itself now," he said. "I think in the long run, they would be better off buying all the people's property out at fair market value and everybody can at least move on.
"If it takes up to two years (before people can build in Roche Percee again) I don't think anybody can honestly wait that long. When PDAP did all their appraisals and assessments on houses, so much was taken off for the land already. I think they can use that as their guideline, pay everybody out that money. Whether they rebuild in Roche Percee if lots become available or if they move on, that's fine. Either way, at least they have some kind of direction where they are going."
