The recent ice storm that swept through Simcoe County was one for the books — and not in a good way. Like much of the region, our private road was hit hard. The weight of the ice brought down dozens of trees and branches, completely blocking access for our 50-home community.

As reported in Simcoe.com, the storm left much of Barrie, Orillia, and surrounding areas encased in ice. CTV News and BarrieToday also covered the extent of the damage and the significant response efforts underway.

For us, the immediate priority was safety and access. With the road completely blocked, we brought in a tree service crew to cut and clear a path. It’s not beautiful — but it’s passable. This emergency work was necessary to ensure residents and emergency vehicles could move safely.

The Board is currently reviewing the cost of this work and is discussing the possibility of a special levy to cover the expense. More details will be shared with residents soon.

The initial cleanup effort was focused entirely on creating safe access to and from our road. That meant cutting and clearing just enough to make the road passable — not perfect, but functional. It’s not pretty, and there’s still a lot of brush and debris along the sides. We expect that cleanup will continue through the spring as weather permits and resources allow.

In the meantime, we want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who pitched in, checked on neighbours, and showed patience and community spirit during the disruption. It was truly a team effort.

And of course, three cheers to Karen, our Road Manager, for being boots on the ground throughout the storm response. Coordinating contractors, walking the road, and making quick decisions — we’re grateful for your leadership in a tough moment.