Work is being done to keep the Dragon Boat Festival in Stratford.
The drainage of Lake Victoria after a big storm that led to blockages of the Orr dam presented a road block but the river continues to fill-up, albeit slower than hoped.
Festival chair Robert Ritz said they would either fill up the Avon River artificially to keep the event in Stratford or move it to the Wildwood Conservation Area.
Related: Dragon Boat Festival may have to move to a new body of water – My Stratford Now
Ritz said an engineer from the Rotary Club of Stratford is reviewing the possibility of taking water out of a gravel pit three kilometres east of Stratford and putting it into the Avon River so it’s ready for race day.
Ritz said a permit application was sent to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks and they “expect issuance Tuesday or Wednesday.”
“The pump and hoses will arrive and be setup at the gravel pit and tested on Tuesday. Within minutes of receiving the permit, the pump will be turned on, putting up to 8,000 litres per minute into the river, raising it about three inches per day.”
Ritz has reached out to local companies that rent pumps, including Denham Construction.
Denham told Ritz that they’d be able to help with setting up the pump and hoses and managing them during what could end up being two weeks of run time.
Ritz adds he’s finalizing details with other companies that rent pumps.
“We are also pursuing a past in-kind sponsor, Core Fuels, to provide the diesel required to operate the pump,” said Ritz.
He adds it’s been a real team effort to make sure the event can run again in Stratford on September 13.
