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Lake Ontario shore community still reeling from damage

Posted at 7:54 PM, Jun 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-28 19:54:29-04

Jamie Moxham lives on Ontario Street in the Town of Wilson. Her home sits right along the Lake Ontario shore and she says the water is still three feet above normal.

“When the storms came and they came from the northeast that was the worst," she explained. “These waves and the force of this water is so destructive.”

There is still the lingering danger of any potential wind storms going forward. The water levels aren't expected to recede to normal levels until September or October, according to Niagara County Legislator David Godfrey. That means any new storm could lead to another erosion event.

Moxham still isn't sure the exact scope or cost of the damage to her home from the original series of storms. Her deck is separating from the foundation, many of the rocks providing protection from the waves were washed away and she fears there may be serious problems structurally with her home.

"We’re all up in the air right now and it’s not a good feeling,” Moxham said. She said it is the same story for her neighbors along the shore.

Several shops along the harbor are still closed, never having opened for the season. The boardwalk in front of some storefronts is still under several inches of water.

But the Wilson Boathouse Restaurant is open and the general manager says they're still seeing good crowds, despite the high water levels.

"Certainly being a boathouse we’re not affected by that," Michael Olszewski explained. "We still get a lot of customers coming in 7 days a week.”