The last time the floodplain around Midway was mapped was in 1993, even though flood areas change and therefore should be mapped every decade or so, experts say. The reason that many communities are dealing with outdated data today is because the responsibility to do the mapping was handed down to municipalities from the province at the turn of the millennium and many smaller hubs just haven’t had the cash to do it on their own.
Midway and Greenwood both, however, received grant money last month to help them update and be flood-ready again.
“It’s needing an update,” said Village of Midway CAO Penny Feist of the municipality’s plans.
Feist said that she had never seen flooding like what happened to the south side of the Kettle River last spring. “We just need to know what’s coming down the road.”
Community centre needing updates
The village has also applied for more than $500,000 in grant funds to pour into the Midway Community Centre, which, Feist said, is in dire need of updating. She explained that the building is more than 50 years old, has no air conditioning and is not handicap accessible.
With the average age in Midway climbing and a high proportion of the population pushing into their senior years, installing accessibility features in the building will be vital to ensuring that all residents can benefit from the centre.
Bylaw officer new in Midway, Greenwood
June 3 marked the first day of work for Midway and Greenwood’s first-ever bylaw officer. He will be working two days per week in Midway and two in Greenwood, unless emergency situations come up.