Big waves, shoreline erosion in Tuk threaten buildings
MLA Jackie Jacobson says a late September storm brought water dangerously close to homes and an old public works building
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Saturday, September 12, 2015
TUKTOYAKTUK
About a half dozen families in Tuktoyaktuk are nervously watching the shoreline after high winds during a storm late last month brought water perilously close to their homes.
About a half dozen families in Tuktoyaktuk are nervously watching the shoreline after high winds during a storm late last month brought water perilously close to their homes.
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One building in particular, the old Public Works workshop owned by the territorial government, was damaged by the surge during the storm and there are concerns over its stability. Todd Engram, acting regional superintendent for the Department of Public Works, described it as a surplus building and said it was already slated to be demolished because it it no longer in use. He added however that the work is more urgent now and will likely be done this fall before the freeze-up. The building is currently fenced off to keep people out.
"I don't know what year it was built but it is very, very old," Engram said. It is not entirely clear what materials or supplies might still be housed in the building.
Jackie Jacobson, MLA for Nunakput and a former mayor of Tuktoyaktuk said that the problem currently has his full attention.
"The storm eroded underneath the building about 20 or 30 feet. Right now there are just trying to shore up the building to get it ready for demolition, said . "They've built up behind the building with blocks, so it's half on the shore and the other half has nothing underneath it," Jacobson said.
The storm in late August took about 15 to 20 feet of shoreline away, according to Jacobsen. He said the water has since receded but there are still major concerns because September and October are traditionally very windy months in Tuk and big waves are a problem before the winter freeze-up.
"We have a crew down there right now trying to build up the shoreline, moving some of the existing rock but it's going to be a big, long-term project," Jacobson said. "It's going to cost between 10 and 15 million dollars to protect our shoreline and our community."
"We going to have to build two or three breakwaters about 50 to 100 feet out to break the waves before they come in and reach the shore," Jacobson said, adding that Premier Bob McLeod was in the hamlet two or three weeks ago to survey the shore erosion.
"This was an act of God. I've been talking with out government and I'm requesting act of god money. Our government is not fiscally able to provide the money needed to fix it so we'll have to borrow it I think."
The erosion is not so bad that families have been forced from their waterfront homes but action has to be taken soon to keep that from happening, he continued.
"That's why we are building up in front of their homes right now. Once you see six-to-eight foot waves - rollers coming in - then you'll know what I'm talking about. I've got about seven families relying on the government for their safety. I'm working with MACA (Municipal and Community Affairs) and Public Works on this. I'm working with the mayor to determine how much rock we need. We've been down there with an engineer three or four times this week already walking along the beach. If we lose that beach then we're opening up as many as 75 houses - maybe 300 residents who would be affected. People are getting worried and we can't stop Mother Nature but we're really going to try to postpone her."
