Pocono News Section

Buildings Ruined in 2006 Flood Finally Torn Down

Buildings Ruined in 2006 Flood Finally Torn Down - Monday, October 26, 2009 at 5:45PM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Monday, Oct 26, 2009 @ 05:45pm EDT
MONROE TWP., WYOMING COUNTY -- More than three years after being damaged by flood waters. Several properties are being torn down. 11 buildings in Wyoming County are being demolished.

This demolition is a sight that people living along Meyers Lane in Monroe Township have been waiting years for. Several properties damaged in the flood of 2006 are finally coming down.

Neighbor Bill Skickerman said, ÒI think itÕs great because we've been over-run with skunks and rats since nobody's been around there. ItÕs just terrible."

Neighbor Harry Gulick says many of the homes have recently become the target of thieves. He hopes the demolition will increase property values. You see people going over there and you don't know if they belong over there. A lot of people were eyeing up the outdoor furnace on that house over there and people were taking firewood," he said.

County leaders hope to have all of the homes demolished within a week. The land will then be cleared and then turned over to Monroe Township.

The demolition project was made possible by $2.5-million in federal money. Congressman Chris Carney admits itÕs taken awhile. ÒItÕs a resource problem actually. The federal government and FEMA has to make sure the resources get out the door, sort of, in a bureaucratic manner. We made sure we stayed on top of that," he told Eyewitness News.

When all of the work is finished supervisors will have to determine what to do with the land. Among the options is a public park. Monroe Township Supervisor Bill Patton said, ÒIt is a beautiful area, next to Bowman Creek it fronts on. We're happy to have the land forever for the municipality."

ÒA park would be nice. A place for kids to hang out. As long as someone takes care of it," added Gulick.

Most of the properties being demolished were damaged when bowman creek went over its banks. All of the homeowners were compensated for their losses.