Municipality : West Gwillimbury Community : Holland Marsh Lot : 8 Concession : 3 Description : A flooded field facing north east from Hwy. 400 after Hurricane Hazel (Oct. 15, 1954). In the foreground is the service road that runs beside Hwy. 400 between Hwy. 9 and the Canal Road. Bags of harvested onions are stacked in the field.
Photo is taken facing north prior to the flood of Hurricane Hazel (October 15, 1954) Lettuce in foreground is #9654 lettuce. Hand dug ditch is also illustrated.
"To help solve the housing problem for the thousand or more people made homeless by the flood a trailer town is being planned. Bradford Rotary Club members are in charge of this project and the objective is 100 trailer cabins to be located on the ball grounds. It is proposed to install showers and toilet facilities to serve this big trailer camp. The search for a sufficient number of trailers is already underway."
Front page of the first Bradford Witness paper after the Holland Marsh flood due to Hurricane Hazel on October 15, 1954. See Related Descriptions below for individual stories of this edition.
"After visiting the scene of the marshland flood here on Monday, attending an organization meeting and promising $100,00 to start the work of clearing and rebuilding, the Premier returned again yesterday, this time accompanied by Ontario Minister of Agriculture Thomas. ..."
"Immediate credit, to the extent of $100,000 by the Provincial Government, was promised by Premier Leslie Frost within a matter of minutes after his arrival by car to attend a meeting with the Holland Marsh Emergency Relief Committee, held in the Township of West GWillimbury municipal office on Monday. ..."
"Holland Marsh residents and everyone living in this district will always remember "Hurrican [sic] Hazel" and the worst storm in Ontario's history, a storm which inundated the rich Holland Marsh gardens, ruining all crops yet to be harvested, sweeping buildings away in the water currents, and submerging some of the most beautiful homes of the district under feet of dirty water. ..."