Weekend storms close buildings and roads across Edmonton

Homeowners and businesses are cleaning up after a series of intense weekend storms rolled through Edmonton. CTV News Edmonton's Evan Kenny has the latest.

Several roads and buildings across the city are closed due to flooding after the Edmonton area saw a barrage of rain over the weekend.

Thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday prompted about 380 calls to Epcor on incidents such as water pooling on roadways.

The severe weather events caused localized flooding, road closures, downed trees, powerlines and traffic lights, as well as flooding at some city recreation centres and facilities.

While several roads have reopened, the following are still closed or partially closed:

• 130 Avenue and 107 Street: Road and sidewalk remain closed;
• 178 Street off-ramp to Whitemud Drive: reduced to one lane until repairs are complete; and
• Stony Plain Road near 154 Street (Valley Line West LRT): Sidewalk remains closed.

The following city facilities are also still closed:

• Peter Hemingway Aquatic Centre at Coronation Park Sports and Recreation Centre; the rest of the facility is open;
• Grand Trunk Fitness and Leisure Centre is open, but the main pool is closed until further notice; and
• Telus World of Science.

“Our City workers and Epcor crews are actively repairing flood damage and working hard to minimize disruptions,” acting city manager Craig Walbaum said in a statement Monday. “These crews have been working around the clock to get this done in challenging conditions, and we are grateful for their dedication to keeping us safe and keeping our city running.”

Epcor recommends that residents practise safe habits during major rain events, including avoiding flooded roadways and underpasses, keeping a safe distance from stormwater ponds, clearing debris from your street’s catch basin and checking your home’s flood prevention systems like sump pumps and downspouts.

The city said Edmonton Fire and Rescue Services responded to a record-high volume of calls during and after the storms.

In an effort to help residents manage storm-related tree and branch debris, the city has extended hours at Eco Stations and the Edmonton Waste Management Centre. From July 14 to 28, Eco Stations will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The dump will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends.

Residents can also bring debris to designated areas at Community Recycling Depots from July 14 to 28.

All boat launches along the North Saskatchewan River remain closed due to high and fast-moving water.

Some trails and sports fields also remain closed. The status of such amenities can be found online.

The Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA) also experienced flooding in some mechanical areas during the Friday storm, which has impacted key building systems, prompting a temporary closure.

“We’re still assessing the situation, and will share more information about timelines and next steps on our website and social media channels as it becomes available,” said a statement from the ATA.