State of emergency declared in Gravenhurst – update 8

A state of emergency continues in the Town of Gravenhurst.

The latest…

All Town of Gravenhurst roads are now open to two-lane traffic. Please drive according to road and weather conditions. 

Town staff continue to clear snow from sidewalks in seniors’ communities and school zones. Sidewalk cleanup will be ongoing for approximately two weeks. Workers continue to encounter downed trees and limbs, which makes progress slow. The town has rented additional sidewalk clearing equipment to help facilitate operations.

Town crews are conducting their regular plow routes and treating roads with a sand/salt blend to provide traction. 

Contractors are using graders to remove hard-packed snow from arterial roads. 

York Region crews returned today. They are using blowers to push back snowbanks on main arterial routes. 

Staff and consulting engineers continue to conduct structural audits of town facilities to determine how they are coping with the snow load. As required, arrangements are made to remove snow from facility rooftops. 

Early Sunday morning, the sand dome at the public works yard collapsed due to the weight of the snow. The structure will need to be replaced. This work will happen in the New Year. In the meantime, the town is using sand from the Town of Bracebridge sand dome. We thank Bracebridge for its assistance. 

The Centennial Centre continues to operate as a warming centre. Hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Food hampers are on site for people who need them. Hamper deliveries are also available. E-mail us at info@gravenhurst.ca or call 705-687-3412, and press 8. The centre had minimal use over the weekend with people coming in primarily to have showers and recharge cell phones.

Power is restored to most areas. Elexicon said Monday morning it has restored service to all its customers. Hydro One has small areas that remain without power. See Hydro One outage map.

Activities at the Graeme Murray Arena resumed today. Recreation programs at the Centennial Centre will resume Thursday. 

The state of emergency continues to ensure the town has the appropriate resources to deal with the cleanup, but the focus now is on recovery and a return to overall normal operations. 

A key reason for remaining in the state of emergency is the town can access provincial financial assistance for cleanup costs. 

The significant weather declaration remains in place and will continue until cleanup operations are complete. This allows the town greater flexibility with its winter maintenance standards, as per provincial regulations.

Waste disposal – The District of Muskoka’s Beiers Transfer Station reopens Tuesday, Dec. 10 for people needing waste disposal services. The station is at 1052 Beiers Rd.

Things to keep in mind…

People on private roads requiring snow removal – please see our list of contractors. If you are a contractor and wish to be added to the list, please contact us through the phone number or e-mail address below. 

The Simcoe-Muskoka District Health Unit’s Gravenhurst office is open and accepting well water samples for testing. See the SMDHU website for more details.

People with questions about the state of emergency or specific needs can e-mail us at info@gravenhurst.ca or call 705-687-3412, and press 8.

Town hall is open during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) weekdays.  

If you experience an emergency, dial 9-1-1.

General safety reminders: 

• Don’t leave candles unattended.
• Don’t leave cooking areas unattended.
• Take breaks if you are shoveling snow.
• Keep snow away from furnace vents.
• Please consider removing snow from your roof. If you have structural concerns regarding your roof, please leave your house and call 9-1-1. 

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