Boats, docks break loose in Oakville after heavy rainfall

Michael Little has never seen it this bad before.

The member for Oakville Powerboat Club arrived at the club shortly after 2 p.m. and notice dozens of boats floating loose on Sixten Mile Creek after a noon downpour that left several streets and businesses flooded in Oakville and around the GTHA on Tuesday (July 16).

“The docks broke through at the Navy Flats (Park),” said the Oakville resident, who took to social media as soon as he could to make other boat owners aware.

Little says there were at least 30 to 35 boats that had broken loose after the flash flood.

“I don’t think I’ve seen the river this bad before,” Little told INhalton.com.

“We’re pretty much here all the time on our boat,” he added. My grandpa has owned the boat for 24 or 25 years. We’ve been with the club for 27 years.

“The only thing comparable for water height, because it was maybe five feet higher than normal, was maybe the flood of 2017 and 2019.”

Emergency crews from the Town of Oakville arrived and are still on the scene helping people bring in their boats.

“The marine unit and TOWARF are out there helping owners collect their boats,” said Little, who took the photo below and several others. “They’re towing boats out, anchoring some. They’re probably towing some out to Bronte.”

Halton Regional Police told INhalton.com they received reports around 1:30 p.m. of a section of the dock and roughly 12 boats that had broken away from their moorings on 16 Mile Creek due to the heavy flow of water on the river.

“Our marine unit attended and was able to secure the boats,” said Halton police PC Jeff Dillon.

No injuries were reported and no one was on board the boats, added Dillon.

Little didn’t waste time letting others know what was going on when he first found out the boats had broken though the Navy Flats. He reached out to some people by phone and went to a Facebook group to post and get the word out.

“I know a few people who are friends with the owners of the boats, so I got a hold of them and they’ve told the people they know that own the boats out there,” he said. “Some of them are aware of it, and I went to Facebook for the rest.”

That’s two straight days of torrential downpours and flooding. For Little, the weather just seems to get crazier and crazier.

Toronto had a record rainfall, with more rain in span of three hours than they had in a month.

“The Don Valley Parkway (in Toronto) right now has basically shut down,” he said. “It’s basically a lake.”

For Little, it’s important at times like this when freak storms occur and emergencies arise, that people help one another.

“I’ll I have to say is just keep an eye on everyone’s boat and take care of yourself, take care of your neighbour, and be safe around the water,” he said.