'It's what we do': Wheatley residents come out in droves to support explosion rebuild
A fundraiser fish fry event held Sunday had a line-up within minutes of getting underway.
“Its what we do,” says Mike Renwick, organizer of the event in a village which is the largest fresh water commercial fishing port in the world.
The event was organized in a matter of days, following the Aug. 26 hydrogen sulphide explosion at the “four corners” in the heart of Wheatley.
It levelled one building, heavily damaged dozens of others and two blocks remain evacuated 17 days later.
Even though his restaurant is evacuated, Renwick says he needed to do something to support his community.
“I’ve been in business in town for nine and a half years and you know, the towns supported me. So hey, you know what, let me use my skills.”
Renwick says the entire meal - fish, fries, onion rings, salad and a drink - were all donated by other businesses in Chatham-Kent.
“We hope to feed 500 people tonight.”
The money will be used to help the community rebuild, although its not clear when that can begin.
As of Sunday, Renwick says they haven’t been given any timelines from emergency officials for when the evacuation order will be lifted.
A large section of the core remains part of the evacuation area, forcing dozens of people from their homes and businesses.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.