Don River Flooding

[wopchop]

There are still a number of older sloping driveways in East York, but no new ones. I believe this is the reason you now see lots of new infill with the 'main floor' actually not at grade, with an attached at-grade garage with a level driveway in East York. Very car-centric suburban -- the idea of not having a car/garage is definitely not part of the culture. Amazing the number of hairy eyeballs I got riding the bus in a suit!

Yes, old ones are grandfathered in. They can't make you demolish them. But the by-law (and space constraints) are exactly the reason why you now see ground floor garages and main floor above that. Every new townhome here in South Etobicoke is built exactly how you describe.

I believe this measure was finally (it should have happened decades ago) adopted about 4-5 years ago. It was a major city liability issue due to flooding concerns from city water or sewage infrastructure.

East York definitely has a lot of them. Rogers Rd & Oakwood is another area where they are pretty common.

 

[Memph]

According to this, there has in fact been a significant increase in impermeable cover/decrease in permeable surfaces in the Don River watershed.
https://ericvery.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/learning-from-july-8th-2013/

It looks like the headwaters of the Don River are in York Region, where all that development between Bathurst and Weston Rd is taking place.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Those "bioswales" would have been of some, maybe not great, but some help this past wet weekend.

 

[ehlow]

I think I read after the last flood that it was due to suburban development in the 905, because all the extra roads and parking lots lead to more water running into the ravines, or something like that?

 

[wopchop]

Yes, the headwaters of the Don extend into southern Richmond Hill - basically the area of Bathurst & Rutherford east to Leslie & 7.

A large part of this area has been developed in the last 30 years, so an increase in impermeable cover and increase in water flowing into the Don itself is not surprising.

The East & West Beaver Creek business parks probably add a significant amount of runoff to the watershed.

 

[karyn klaire koski]

What of the existing "older" reverse slope driveways, does the City check on them periodically?

So just because New reverse slope driveways are prohibited ~ what happens to older ones?

 

[W. K. Lis]

Here's something that's been around, apparently, for years. Haven't seen it here. Wonder if it would be cheaper than flooding?

Not good if you want to create an ice rink. Also, freezing water would expand and damage the concrete, so not practical in Canada... for now.

 

[Goldie]

hawc said (2015):
I've lived in Toronto for over 40 years and the constant flooding we get around the lower Don River after a big thunderstorm is a relatively recent phenomenon.
Why is this? Does the river need to be dredged? Is there a blockage somewhere? Why is nobody on top of this?

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Maybe we need some inexpensive labour.........like the 1890s.

 

[hawc]

It was a simpler time.