By Cam Fortems
Kamloops This Week
Residents of a Rayleigh subdivision evacuated last month due to a slide risk started trickling back in Friday but some needed a little more care and handling.
The Ramage Road subdivision is home to a small farm with 50 goats, many of whom gave birth this spring to kids.
Trevor Woods and his wife Cobie, part of the family that owns the historic subdivision, were forced to move many of the animals to farms throughout the valley.
“Certain goats were too sensitive to move,” Trevor said.
The bulk of the goats were transferred to areas that included Barnhartvale and McLure.
Hay and feed were provided to the animals under the province’s emergency measures program.
Nearly two dozen residents of the subdivision were evacuated on April 27 due to slide risk from the hill on the east side of Highway 5N.
That was caused by a combination of rainy spring weather and a stream that was feeding more moisture into the hillside.
The city has since installed a flat pipe to divert the stream and the hillside’s movement has slowed from about eight inches per day to about two millimetres.
The evacuation order was lifted Friday morning, allowing 22 people to return.
They were greeted at the entrance by city bylaw officers, offering coffee and donuts.
Most residents stayed at Scott’s Inn during the order. Woods said lifting of the order came as a surprise.
“We were expecting to be out until the 23rd [of May],” he said.
“None of us were prepared for a one-day notice.”
City officials said the pipe will remain in place for the near future.
The city, Emergency Management B.C. and the provincial Ministry of Transportation are continuing to look for a long-term solution to stabilize the hill.
