Shoreline residents hold community meeting to discuss flooded properties

People who live along Lake Erie gathered in Wheatley on Sunday to learn what they can do next, after their properties were flooded.

The community meeting comes a week after heavy rainfall and high lake levels contributed to significant damage to homes along the shorelines in Kingsville and Leamington.

Patrick Irwin lives on Pulley Road in Leamington. He organized the event. 

"We are in an emergent situation right now. We are waiting for the province, along with the municipality, to declare us a disaster area," said Irwin.

"I don't think that the residents of this region understand how hard we were really hit. We have a disaster. We have people that have lost their houses, lost their belongings."

Irwin said up to eight houses will have to be torn down in his area.

"My primary breakwall is gone," said Wayne King, who said he has not seen a storm that bad in a long time. 

Last week, Leamington Mayor John Paterson said crews were evaluating a 10 km stretch of shoreline and about 300 structures to submit a report to the province to see if it will declare the area a disaster. 

The bulk of the damage happened from Wheatley Harbour all the way to Point Pelee National Park.