Floods in Charlevoix: two bridges washed away at Le Loup golf club in Baie-Saint-Paul

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At the end of the line, Germain Tremblay seemed to have his cap full. The inhabitants of his region of Baie-Saint-Paul have gone through a most agonizing week. Some were forced to leave their homes while others suffered extensive damage. The disaster caused by the floods ravaged the small municipality of Charlevoix.

Even though it is located in mountainous terrain, the Loup de Baie-Saint-Paul golf club was not spared by the fury of the waters. This considerably damaged the course facilities. 

“The roads are washed out and two of our bridges have been swept away, summarizes the general manager in a telephone interview with Le Diary. As for the game, on the whole, we are not too affected. 

“We were lucky. But that's nothing compared to what's happening in our city,” he reminds us.

Major transport axis

To provide good playing conditions, Mr. Tremblay must be able to deploy his machinery on the course. This is where it gets complicated for the DG, because it takes the bridges that have been destroyed by the flooding. One of the two bridges notably serves as a fuel supply route and main axis for equipment.

“I expect the costs of the damage assessment to be major . We should start work next Monday.” 

In the meantime, as the municipality is in a disaster area, the management of the golf club will go to an information meeting with government authorities this evening, like several companies in the region. 

As the golf season is set to get under way soon, Mr. Tremblay predicts delays. However, he already knows that he will bow out in the fall, after three years in the field. 

Groundhog Day in Outaouais

< p>For the third time in six years, Dominique Morin is having a worrying start to the season at Golf Château Cartier, located in Aylmer in the Outaouais. He reviews the flood scenarios of 2017 and 2019. 

The water level has risen on the four holes landlocked between Lucerne Boulevard and the Ottawa River. This morning, according to Mr. Morin, who had consulted official municipal data, the level had risen again. -il. 

For the moment, the club management does not anticipate heavy damage, but everything depends on the time during which the installations will be submerged. 

“It had been a big problem during the flood in 2019. We had to redo a complete green, says Mr. Morin. The grass had suffocated. Subsequently, for weeks, the sediment had left a loamy and greasy layer on the surface. 

“This time I am more confident. The weather forecast is positive for the next week. It's hard to predict how long the water will take to recede.”

Once the water has disappeared, however, it will have to wait a good week before opening its doors to customers. . 

Thirsty grass

Superintendent and professional at the Saint-Jérôme golf club in the Laurentians, Tim Alarie believes that in such circumstances, it is the turf that takes the worst damage. 

“Too much water can cause diseases like algae. But if the water recedes and is properly drained, the long-term damage isn't too great, he explains. will ask for more water, because used to having it, it becomes deficient with good weather. He cracks. Too much water is like not enough.” 

Mr. Alarie reminds us that the Laurentians have just come out of winter. In some places in the undergrowth, snow still covers the ground. Golfers will therefore have to be more patient at the start of the season. It will also be important to respect the rules of the game in order to avoid damaging surfaces that are still wet. 

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