Memorial Field Heavily Damaged by Irene

Memorial Field, perhaps best known as the site of The Collinsville Volunteer Fire Department Inc.'s annual jamboree, sustained heavy damage from Irene Sunday.

"All of our hard work and our recent expenditures are just basically washed away," said Willi Matava, president of the independent association, which supports the town of Canton Volunteer Fire and EMS Department. "We have to start all over again."

Two of three inhabitable buildings at the site were destroyed, he said. A third, up on pillions, was knocked off but should be salvageable. However, the many items stored in it are ruined or washed away down the Farmington River, Matava said.

The waters also washed away a recently completed parking lot, part of the $50,000 in improvements the associated recently completed. Between damage to the the buildings, equipment, supplies, parking lot, fencing and other areas, he estimated by Monday afternoon that the damage could be close to $150,000. 

The water was so powerful it washed away 13 stainless steel, very heavy picnic tables. Matava said 11 of them were found in the area and some are repairable.

The powerful water also knocked off the propane tanks chained to a concrete platform. They were discovered to be leaking Monday morning and firefighters closed the area until the gas company came to stop the leak and disconnect the tanks.

Matava said he knows the area is in a flood plain but was still disheartened how quickly it was all destroyed.

"We just spent $50,000 in improvements this past year just to have it washed away in one flood," he said.

Playing fields owned by the association at the site only sustained minimal damage, Matava added.