Water breached the northeast side of the footpath around Harrison lagoon on Tuesday morning, causing the Village to close off the popular walkway to the public.
However, Mayor Leo Facio said the public shouldn’t worry about flooding in the Village, as the lake would have to rise past the cement banks to cause problems.
“At the moment, everything’s fine,” he told the Observer Tuesday morning.
“There’s nothing at this point for any worries.”
The children’s playground was mostly underwater Monday and Tuesday, due to the same rising waters seen around the Fraser River watershed. One reader sent a photo into the Observer on Monday showing Harrison Village crews examining a sink hole in the walkway. The water breached in the same spot the following morning.
Facio said the Village is protected by the walkway along Esplanade, which is also the dike for the lake. The walkway around the lagoon is not the dike.
“If the water got to the level of the new retaining wall,” there would be a worry, he said. “But it hasn’t got to that point. It hasn’t crept up to the grass.”
He said the situation is being monitored by Roger Poulton, who is the emergency coordinator for the area.
The water was getting close to the public washrooms at the lagoon, and power was still on. However, the mayor said there was still no concern with their operation.
With Canada Day just days away, and the annual fireworks celebration being planned for Sunday night, some residents walking along the beach wondered if alterations would have to be made due to the high water.
But as of Tuesday, Facio said Canada Day celebrations were on track.
“Canada Day, at the moment, everything is still on,” he said. “Of course everything is up for change, but as of now Canada Day is on.”
Also on Tuesday, boaters were urged to stay off lakes that were experiencing flooding.
