Park in Ayr, Ont. remains closed following tornado

Debris litters the community soccer field in Ayr, Ont. on August 19, 2024.

A park in Ayr, Ont. will remain closed for an indefinite period of time as crews continue to clean up following a tornado.

An EF1 tornado touched down in the Greenfield Drive and Northumberland Street area of Ayr on Saturday, leaving behind a 5.23 km trail of damage.

In a news release, the Township of North Dumfries said Public Works crews are still trying to clean up the mess left behind, and Cowan Park will remain closed for the time being. The township believes it will take approximately a week to restore the park.

The North Dumfries Community Complex has reopened, but the dog park, community garden and beach volleyball courts are still closed. The township plans to use a rolling magnet to scour the area for nails and other metal debris that may be a hazard. Workers will also be trying to remove any glass that may have been broken by the storm. There is no timeline to reopen the dog park, garden, or volleyball courts.

The township is asking drivers to avoid the Greenfield Road area between Northumberland Street and Trussler Road unless necessary. They said increased traffic is affecting the clean up efforts.