MrGoose
Active Member
But since the eastern part of the line is not grade separated, you still need operators, so you couldn’t have full train automation and you are still subject to the whims of bad drivers who might affect the operations out east.
Toronto Eglinton Line 5 Crosstown West Extension | ?m | ?s | Metrolinx
- Thread starter W. K. Lis
- Start date
goodcitywhenfinished
Active Member
Are there any planned land use changes for eglinton flats? It seems absolutely absurd to have 2 grade separated stations next to tennis courts and soccer pitches.
nfitz
Superstar
I suppose they could add some pickleball courts.
What do you suggest they build in that floodplain?
What do you suggest they build in that floodplain?
asey20
New Member
A hockey rink would be pretty fitting for a city in Canada. Perhaps it could be a swimming pool in the summer.
goodcitywhenfinished
Active Member
Calgary and Edmonton both have significant residential neighbourhoods on floodplains, in the case of Calgary the entire downtown core and surrounding neighbourhoods are on a floodplain yet engineering work has been done to mitigate risk in those communities. Why can't the same be done here and develop select areas for housing?
T3G
Senior Member
Should I interpret this post as saying that Edmonton has not done engineering work to mitigate the risk of flooding, yet you cite it as an example of a city in whose footsteps we should follow?
goodcitywhenfinished
Active Member
There have been some improvements made but not as extreme as those done in Calgary. There is a public realm project in the works to enhance pedestrian access to the river valley in Edmonton and construct flood mitigation measures at the same time.
With regards to Eglinton flats, there could be some parcels along the higher elevation sections of Jane to the north and south of where the station will sit that could possibly be developed without needing an engineering overhaul of the banks of the Humber.
goodcitywhenfinished
Active Member
I'm just saying there are serious people (certain MPPs) proposing more absurd things here like burying the line through the flats
T3G
Senior Member
Noted.
My follow up question is: why should there be anything built on the flats? It's a big green space, surely valuable in that sense, too. Not every empty patch of land in the city needs to be built over.
Burying the line through the area would have been dumb, but the elevated line will also be a visual abomination. They should've copied what they did on the eastern portion of the line.
My follow up question is: why should there be anything built on the flats? It's a big green space, surely valuable in that sense, too. Not every empty patch of land in the city needs to be built over.
Burying the line through the area would have been dumb, but the elevated line will also be a visual abomination. They should've copied what they did on the eastern portion of the line.
goodcitywhenfinished
Active Member
My thinking is: the land is owned by the city already and would be a good opportunity to create affordable housing through CreateTO. I'm not advocating for developing all of the land here, just creating some parcels along the higher elevation sections of Jane would be a net positive for attainable housing stock in the city.
nfitz
Superstar
One might do something for historical communities. But build NEW communities in flood plains?
Ignoring the obvious reasons, and the new twist of insurers ending the practice of insuring homes in flood plains, there's other reasons. One is that it then increases flooding on the same river downstream.
At the same time, Toronto is building one new community on a flood plain, with mitigation. Look at the work on the Lower Don. Now, there's other factors, such as creating new flood plain and creating Villiers Island. And extending the river itself.
But I look at the map of Edmonton. I see a LOT of undeveloped flood plain along the North Saskatchewan River. Where are they building new communities on flood plains?
goodcitywhenfinished
Active Member
West Rossdale is being proposed as a new mixed-use community in the floodplain https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/communities_neighbourhoods/west-rossdale-river-crossing
nfitz
Superstar
I can't find a good map of the development, but as far as I can see from the website, it's the block bounded by 105 St NW, 96 Ave NW, and 104 St NW. I've highlighted below on the 100-year flood mapping from https://floods.alberta.ca/.
It's about 200 metres north of the 100-year flood plain. And a good job too, given there's a water treatment plant AND an old power plant between the site, and the river (again, both above the 100-year flood level).
I've highlighted that block below. I feel I'm missing something, as that's only one block. Is there more to this? Is there another example in Edmonton - or Calgary?
Also, it looks like brownfield lands. Not greenfield like the Eglinton Flats.
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allengeorge
Senior Member
We shouldn’t be building lands on flood plains - mitigation or not.
First, from an environmental perspective, flood plains provide an important mitigation and prevent flooding downstream. Second, the mitigation is likely costly, and I suspect there are a lot better places to intensify in the city.
First, from an environmental perspective, flood plains provide an important mitigation and prevent flooding downstream. Second, the mitigation is likely costly, and I suspect there are a lot better places to intensify in the city.
nfitz
Superstar
I'm not sure it's that simple. That would end the Portlands; most of which is (or at least was) in the 100- year floodplain.
Certainly true in Eglinton though!