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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks Lulu...What a heartbreaker for all these hard working vendors and what a blessing nobody was seriously hurt physically but I’m sure some were badly hurt financially. The rapid changes in the weather is frightening. Ginny<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> all-bounces@gren.ca [mailto:all-bounces@gren.ca] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Louisette Lanteigne<br><b>Sent:</b> September-04-11 12:28 AM<br><b>To:</b> all@gren.ca<br><b>Subject:</b> [All] Storm at St. Jacobs: Letter to Regional Reps.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><span class=apple-style-span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#333333'>Hi folks</span></span><span style='font-size:8.5pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:#333333'><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>I was at the St. Jacob's Market today after the storm hit today. I was there just before 3pm. It was a scary time for customers who told me their cars and vans shook with the winds. I was at home with the kids at the time of the storm where I witnessed the weather transition from a dark dead calm to heavy downpour and strong winds. The storm went as quick as it started. We went to the market when the rain was a drizzle afterwards and it's only about a 5-10 minute drive from my home.</span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>The folks at the market told me traffic stopped along the roadways and folks were scared about a tornado. They tried to seek shelter in the main building but it was packed with people. No room. Outside they could not breath in the strong winds.</span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>The wind bursts destroyed tents bending metal legs etc. Some vendors expressed concern for the fact that young families were still walking about in the aftermath even as the tents and displays were still falling apart. They were worried someone would get hurt. Broken jars of honey, spilled vegetables, scared sellers and yet folks just kept on shopping. It was the most bizarre thing I've seen in a long time. </span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>It was a horrible loss for sellers. They had to liquidate all the wet produce and products and their tents were destroyed. </span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>Found out later on that 5 people were hurt at the market from flying debris and a roof was blown off of the auction barn. It might have been a micro burst or tornado.</span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>All I could do when I got there was take video of it all. Here's what I posted on You Tube that is now showing up on CTV national news. </span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>These are the Video's of St. Jacob's Market after the storm</span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv3JjVSJdtM" target="_blank"><span style='color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv3JjVSJdtM</span></a></span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FBZcOQugZg" target="_blank"><span style='color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FBZcOQugZg</span></a></span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>This one shows flooding</span><br><span class=apple-style-span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0WUYlVaoR4" target="_blank"><span style='color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0WUYlVaoR4</span></a></span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>This one features storm witness Jan Atkinson</span><br><span class=apple-style-span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfJLr7286d8" target="_blank"><span style='color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfJLr7286d8</span></a></span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>Vendors take a loss today</span><br><span class=apple-style-span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE4I_YmliLA" target="_blank"><span style='color:#3B5998;text-decoration:none'>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dE4I_YmliLA</span></a></span><br><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>I advised Regional Council to work with the market vendors to look into securing better shelters for vendors and that some sort of emergency response be in place to prevent public risk at times like this. At least close the market down until things are proven safe before we allow folks to walk through these flooded areas with tents falling down all over. </span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>These good people had no warning at all and nature is like that at times but when the rains came there was not enough shelter. I told the Region they might want to look at ways we can improve upon the basics like that. More shelter can't be a bad thing for a successful tourist draw like this. Something towards the south would be helpful so folks don't all head to the same buildings all at once. Folks were jammed into the doors today of the main building on the west side. Another facility or at least more doorways to existing ones might help. </span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>Also, the tents that didn't come down were the ones hand fabricated by the Mennonites using welded steel rods or welded pipes. Might want to get these good folks to help engineer a more rugged set up. Their tents seemed to pass the test rather well. Kudos for that. </span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>I basically relayed this to Regional Council and already the Mayor of Woolwich got back to me with a letter of thanks saying he's relayed the concern to the Mercedes Corp. who runs the market. Although 5 got hurt with minor injuries, hopefully today will help protect others in the future from similar storms. </span><br><br><span class=apple-style-span>Lulu :0)</span></span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>