WOODLAWN – Woodlawn is fast becoming home to West Carleton’s sandbags. But it’s only temporary.

Coun. Eli El-Chantiry said the city’s Public Works yard at 1444 Kinburn Side Rd., just south of Woodlawn, is being used as a processing site for the nearly one million sandbags used during spring flooding (click here for the most comprehensive coverage of the 2019 West Carleton spring flood available anywhere).

“Over the next week, weather permitting, staff alongside our contractor will begin to process the sandbags that were exposed to the flood waters,” El-Chantiry released in a statement today (June 18). “Staff will be separating the sand from the bags with the appropriate shredding and screening equipment. This process (will take) approximately two to three weeks.”

El-Chantiry says the separated sand will then be stored in neat piles on site and “within the next four weeks or so” the sand will be put through a final separation process preparing it for future winter material use.

“Residents should see a gradual reduction in the pile of used sandbags later this week and any likelihood of critters or bugs is quite low as staff will be constantly working on the piles,” El-Chantiry said. “Please be patient and remember we are still in there cleaning up phase.”