Residents doubt the end is near
By Stephanie Coombs
In less than a year, the world will be ringing in a new millennium, but instead of planning to celebrate, one Centretown group is predicting doom and gloom.
“We’ve relied on technology too much,” says Jean-Louis Dubé, a volunteer with the Y2K Centretown Preparedness Group. “We all have to work together, or else we can just go back to the year 1900 and haul water with buckets or drive horses and buggies.”
The group is scared the Y2K problem — the glitch in computers that might cause them to read the date 2000 as 1900, or not at all — is going to leave people without food, water and power, and cause chaos with banks, businesses and the government.
“People think it’s just a question of changing one computer, but it’s much, much more than that,” says Dubé.
The group is so concerned the public isn’t prepared that they held an information meeting in mid-January to discuss the issue and teach them survival skills. About 50 people from around the region trudged through the snow to attend the meeting at McNabb Community Centre.
One of the handouts available claimed that for many people, coming to terms with the Y2K problem was similar
to dealing with a terminal illness. It stated people go through five stages: denial, anger, fear, depression/panic, and acceptance.
To help get residents to that last stage, the group suggests digging a hole in the backyard in early fall — before the ground freezes — in case toilets stop working and to begin stockpiling enough food for a month.
Reactions were mixed.
“Some of these people are just too concerned,” said Centretown resident John Georgaras who went to the meeting because he has three sons in the computer business. “I might get some of the practical stuff like candles or flashlights.but some of it is just stupid things.
“Imagine everyone in the world filling their bathtubs with water on Dec. 31, in case they don’t have any after midnight. Then we’d really have no water,” he jokes.
Another Centretown resident, Danielle Dupont, says people should be concerned.
“It’s hard to say whether [the group is] overreacting. Maybe they are, but we don’t have hindsight. We were lucky here in Centretown during the ice storm, but we might not be so lucky next year. I’m actually terrified if we lose power in the winter with weather like this.”
According to Ottawa Hydro, that’s not likely to happen.
“The issue of 2000 arriving and suddenly all these things crashing is just not going to happen,”says Dan Ralph, manager of customer relations.
As for stocking up on food, some say that isn’t needed. According to Wayne Beaudoin, the store director for the Booth Street Loeb, people won’t have any problems getting food.
The region, which looks after things such as water, sewage, police and the 911 service, also says it has the computer problem under control.
Still, the group remains cautious. “I’ve learned to be very careful about the words that I’m hearing,” says Dubé of the announcements by government and businesses that they are Y2K compliant.
When Jan. 1, 2000 rolls around, he hopes most people will be prepared.
“Is this all I’ll need?” he quipped at the meeting, holding up a flashlight and two bags of chips. “Is this it? Am I prepared? I don’t think so.”