Flood Recovery
Flood recovery threatens to erase one small town
Posted on Sep 16, 2009 by Admin.
One of the 11 flood damaged homes slated for demolition along West Rochester Ave. in unicorporated West Rochester Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009 in Cedar County. The homes were severely damaged by flood waters in the summer of 2008 and are being demolished under a FEMA program. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)
FEMA buyouts and demolition of flood damaged homes will change the face of Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.
But the painful signs of progress are also showing up in the smallest communities.
For instance, in unincorporated West Rochester along the Cedar River in Cedar County, the area is disappearing one home at a time.
Before the flood of June 2008 you could find a dozen homes here tucked away in this secluded area. Contractors are now knocking down one a day, and before too long you won’t find a whole lot left.
Wednesday was not a happy day for Tom Wessel. High water destroyed his home on the banks of the Cedar River 15 months ago. But this was a day it actually disappeared.
“I’ve been here for 21 years. You start thinking back on all the Christmases, holidays, memories come back you know,” Wessel said.
Thirteen homes clustered together in this riverbank neighborhood for years. When the demolition is complete, only five families will remain in either rebuilt homes or new construction.
(Brian Ray/The Gazette)
Jack Wonick built on top of a hill and watched his old house come down on Wednesday. “It was a little tough. I stood on my garage and took pictures of it as they started to take it down,” Wonick said.
“It’s going to change the neighborhood quite dramatically. I talked to people as we do them. Some have lived here 30 years,” demolition contractor Bruce Barnhart explained.
Many of the self described “river rats” thought they knew how to cope with the threat of high water. Many had lived along the river for decades. But in June 2008 the river proved them wrong.
There are just five houses to go now. Then this tiny riverbank neighborhood will be pretty much just a memory.
Dave Franzman, KCRG-TV
peculiar1
17. Sep, 2009
Those five houses will be there 50 years from now still enjoying the riverfront life.
Venetia
17. Sep, 2009
The wrath of the Cedar River will never be forgotton by everyone directly affected by it last summer.
peculiar1
17. Sep, 2009
I agree with ya ma mm
WWJD1
17. Sep, 2009
It is hard to know if flood victims are over reacting to their experiences or just being practical because a lot of people like to live next to the waterways even if the water can become very dangerous at times.
Truth
17. Sep, 2009
Lets all please move forward. We are spending alot of our time dwelling about that drastic day when we need to put it behind us and move on. I know alot of families are finding it hard financially to do that, but sitting there remembering what you have lost isnt doing any good. Is it?
ICU2
17. Sep, 2009
Sure we all need to move forward. Life forces us to, we have no choice. But like losing a loved one, the memories are often all we have left that define what has been. To be "sitting there remembering what you have lost" …. is to savor for a moment a jewel in your life, whether it's a place, a person, a pet, a home. It's very hard to lose someone, or something that has been precious to us — as Frank Capra reminds us:
"Strange, isn't it. Each man's life touches so many other lives. When
he isn't around, leaves an awful hole, doesn't it."
(Clarence, "It's a Wonderful Life.")
Truth
18. Sep, 2009
I understand, but is it going to bring back what we have lost? I am not saying that you cant remember what happened, I am saying that people cant constantly keep dwelling on something they cant change.
Losing a loved one is hard, but I am sure that the person who passed wouldnt want you too dwell on the bad memories, but rather the good right. So what good things has the flood brought us? None right. So just remember the good things and move forward.