Taken on Sarah's commute home via canoe on Essex Road/Hooterville Trail on Thursday, May 19, 2022.
Earlier this month, the City of Kenora issued an evacuation order to residents living along a number of roads north of the Kenora by-pass.
Floodwaters overtook low-lying roadways and residents had a tough choice to make.
Stay in their homes and be cut off from town or leave their homes behind to stay with family, friends or at the Evacuation Centre set up at the Kenora Recreation Centre.
Sarah Hicks and her husband, who live on Essex Road, made the decision to stay.
"When the evacuation was ordered last Friday we began to panic," said Hicks in an email to KenoraOnline.
"We have 2 large dogs, 1 very old, so finding accommodations and transporting him would be incredibly difficult and at our own expense."
The decision was made to stay and they knew that driving through two flooded areas on East Mellick Road wasn't an option.
"While we could, last Wednesday I believe, we got out SUV to the other side and parked it near Hootetville trail."
"Today, we are waking up about 45 minutes earlier to walk or take the side by side (water is too high for it too) to the flood zone, about 2km from our house."
"We then walk or canoe the approximately 500 m through the swamp and water-covered road. It's freezing and unpleasant in the cold. We must get in and out of the canoe at shallower sections."
The City of Kenora hopes to have the intersection of East Melick Road and Essex Road built up and open by this evening.
When this intersection opens, residents who live along East Melick Road between the Portier bridge and the Essex Road intersection (this includes Victoria Crescent, Decemvir Dr, Bell Point Road and Aube Dr) should have access back to their homes.