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Lost homes, broken promises Morgan Hampton CONTRIBUTOR
Kids and teens danced to some movie hits at the Lights! Camera! Dance! winter recital. Page 22. Photo/Laísa Condé
MULTI-USE PATH
DON’T DRINK OR DRIVE HIGH
City of Merritt seeks grant for new Here is your daily reminder to not drive while multi-use path connecting Main Street intoxicated. Bridge and Middlesboro Bridge in Collettville. /PAGE 24-25 /PAGE 8
The Hintz family had spent seven years renting a home they loved in Merritt’s Riverside neighbourhood when Nov. 15, 2021 arrived. Like many, they were startled from their sleep by a pounding on the door around 2:00AM. All they were told was that the Coldwater River had breached its banks and to, “Hurry up and get out.” The couple grabbed sentimental items and what they call their “life in a box” - bins of special mementos. They also gathered up important documents, photo albums, and souvenirs from their wedding the year before. “I think we had a backpack of clothes each,” said Michelle Hintz. After an attempt to register with the Merritt ESS they went to stay with family in Diamond Vale, only to be put through the entire ordeal over again when the city-wide Evacuation Order was issued. After several hours at McArthur Island Park in Kamloops where a reception centre for Merritt flood evacuees had been established, the Hintzs were able to secure a pet-friendly room downtown at the Thompson Inn, where they ended up staying for a month. Because Michelle was considered an essential worker with the School District she was allowed to return to Merritt after one month, but not to return home to live.
“Basically we were at ground zero, we were Phase 5, we were the last of the shut outs,” said Hintz. With no other options the Hintzs secured the last dog-friendly room in Merritt where they stayed for a further five months, by which time they were facing imminent homelessness with high rental costs, low vacancy rates, and their former home still being unlivable after being filled with two feet of water. “We started looking at possibilities of how can we get out of there?” Hintz explained. “Because Red Cross was ending their funding, they weren’t sure how long the funding would continue for.” They made the decision to purchase a travel trailer, which they are still living in today, three years after the catastrophic floods. Unfortunately, losing their home and the majority of their possessions was only the beginning of the difficulties they faced after Nov. 2021. At that time, the couple believed they were properly insured, “Only to find out the week after the flood that the sewer and surface water rider did not include flood water,” said Hintz. “I broke down, I lost it.” Hoping that financial aid would come from somewhere else left them equally as devastated.
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