Tag Archives: TRCA

Not much progress

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There seems to be little going on at the retaining wall site these days. It may have to do with negotiations ongoing with the owner at the north end of the wall. If the owner withholds permission for the wall to be completed on the end property, plans will need to be adjusted.

Old retaining wall blocks are stacked along the opposite shore.

Old retaining wall blocks are stacked along the opposite shore.

Part of the

The old retaining wall is being removed in preparation for a newer taller model.

Incidentally, the storm sewer pipe that is visible in the second image is one of hundreds that flow into the Humber. The structure above it may serve to prevent slope erosion.

Some Questions Answered

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Work has resumed on the retaining wall and the mystery of the rope stretched across the river has been solved.

It's a lifeline.

It’s a lifeline.

It’s simply something to hang onto if a worker slips into the water accidentally.

Another question answered is what they are going to do with the old retaining wall. Answer: remove it. This week the southerly end of the old wall is being removed and workers are digging  to the bedrock to make a secure foundation for the new blocks.

Digging down to the bedrock for a solid foundation.

Digging down to the bedrock for a solid foundation.

Material being removed from the foundation of the new retaining wall.

Material being removed from the foundation of the new retaining wall.

According to a worker on the site, the work was delayed while trout were spawning but TRCA has given the project the go-ahead and construction has re-started. Apparently when the original wall was constructed, the same company simply accessed the far bank directly and never had to take all the precautions expected of projects on the river nowadays.

Another interesting item; the new wall may not extend to the northernmost point planned as the landowner above that section of wall is worried that the removal of the old blocks and subsequent digging may trigger further landslides. Since the resident in question has riparian rights which go down to the water, they have the right to withdraw consent to construct that last section of wall.

The worker allowed that the project may take until October to complete.

Retaining Wall Update April 18

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At first glance nothing much seems to have changed from last week.

At first glance nothing much seems to have changed from last week.

Last week, the project took a major step forward with construction of the wall foundation to the south of the bridge. An equal length of foundation will be constructed upstream and then the wall will be added on top of that.

The retaining wall foundation stretches along its southern length.

The retaining wall foundation stretching along its southern length.

At least the question of what to do with the existing blocks is answered. They will simply be kept in place behind the new wall. With the narrowing of the existing riverbed, I wonder what the erosion implications will be on the western bank.

Retaining Wall Update March 30

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Another week has gone by and progress has been made in the form of the long awaited bridge. We are now at the point (end of March) where the work was estimated to have been completed. As I have pointed out before, this is a huge undertaking. The scale of the materials and work needed to upgrade this relatively short section of retaining wall is staggering. The hard part is gaining access a long way from any roads and from the opposite bank of the river.

Panoramic shot of the bridge abutments.

A panoramic shot of the bridge abutments. The bags of gravel are to help protect the near abutment from the strong spring current.

 

The bridge with decking newly installed.

The bridge with decking newly installed. According to the orange paint, the capacity of the bridge is 27,000 lbs. I’m surprised they are still working in pounds.

 

Looking across the bridge.

A view of the bridge deck and western abutment. On the far bank, a distinct geological layer change can be seen, about a third of the way from the top. The lower grey shale layer is from the time Weston was covered by a tropical sea.

A view of the bridge from the south.

A view of the bridge from the south.

This is literally a ‘bridge to nowhere’ as the span is there to provide access to the opposite bank for the crane rather than to cross the river. Now the actual work of building the retaining wall can begin. It will be interesting to see how they go about removing the existing wall while stabilizing the slope.

Retaining Wall Update March 23

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Materials are still being amassed on the staging area and while it looks as if the blocks are all set to go, the bridge decking has arrived along with large amounts of limestone rubble and bagged gravel. Actual construction shouldn’t be long in coming.

Limestone rubble at the south end of the site.

Limestone rubble at the south end of the site.

 

Limestone rubble stored by the blocks at the north end of the site.

Limestone rubble stored by the blocks at the north end of the site.

 

Blocks with limestone rubble.

Blocks with limestone rubble behind the forklift.

 

Bags of gravel.

Bags of gravel.

 

Bags of gravel stored by the staging area entrance.

More bags of gravel stored by the staging area entrance.

 

Steel plates that will form the decking of the bridge.

Steel plates that will form the decking of the bridge.

 

Another view with the bridge decking in the foreground.

Another view of the site with the bridge decking in the foreground.

Retaining Wall Update March 16.

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Work continues unabated at the site and the size and scope of the job is becoming apparent. More and more blocks are piling up in the staging area and the components for a temporary bridge that will straddle the river have arrived. The bridge will be placed across the river and support the crane that will build the retaining wall. Each block is labelled with its weight which is vital knowledge for the crane operator. The bridge will be re-positioned along the banks as required.

The project was originally scheduled for completion for the end of March but clearly there is still a massive task ahead.

Interestingly, the second photo was taken on February 29th and in the top right of the image can be seen the very small amount of ice pushed ashore during the thaw. This is the smallest amount of ice I have seen in years and quickly melted.

Blocks are piling up awaiting placement.

Blocks are piled up awaiting placement.

 

Each block is labelled with its weight.

Each block is labelled with its weight. Notice the small amount of ice freshly deposited as a result of the thaw.

 

The bridge.

Girders that will be used to make a bridge to straddle the river.

 

The bridge and blocks in the background.

The bridge girders and limestone blocks in the background.

 

The bridge platform.

What looks like the beginnings of an abutment on which the bridge will rest.

Off-Leash Area Update

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Raymore-Proposed-Leash-Free-Zone

The proposed area may have grown (probably northwards) by a small amount because of the addition of a separate small dog section. There was some discussion as to the nature of the surface of the area which apparently will be 4-6″ of pea gravel on top of a mesh filter which will help with drainage. As mentioned, plans are to divide the area into two parts for small and large dogs so there will be two gates and two paved pathways from the Pan-Am Trail for access. The small dog area would be for dogs 20 lbs and under. Regardless, all dogs should be under the owner’s control at all times. Dangerous dogs should not use the area. See Code of Conduct below.*

Fencing will be post and paddle, 1.5 m tall and made of northern pine. It will be reinforced with wire mesh 4-6″ deep to deter dogs that dig. Benches will be installed for owners.

There will be a delay in the opening of the area because of work currently ongoing on the retaining wall. This is taking longer than expected. There is only one entrance to the park and so the retaining wall and another job – an upgrade to the path will be done first; after that, sewer work will be ongoing. The reckoning is that the area will take about a month to set up and will be open by ‘Thanksgiving at the latest’.

One piece of good news is that TRCA has plans to plant trees along the north end of the area and between the area and the ravine slope. This will provide storm runoff relief and shade for the area (and perhaps some sound mitigation for nearby homes).

Hours of operation: 7 am – 9 pm but locals will be able to access the area at any time. The parking lot will continue to be locked at 9:30pm daily and re-open at 8:00am and will be closed for the Winter between November 1st and April 30.

There was a reminder to residents that the area will be self-policing and that they should supervise and pick up after their pets. There was confusion as to where to put dog waste – in the garbage or the recycling. This will be cleared up later (the location not the waste).

Sadly there is still no link on the City website to the plans or even the current state of off-leash parks.

*Code of Conduct for Off Leash Area

Municipal Code Chapter #608

  1. Comply with all signs and boundaries.
  2. Dog(s) must be on leash at all times except when in the designated off-leash area.
  3. All dog(s) must have a visible municipal license affixed to the dog(s).
  4. Dog(s) must remain in off-leash area so as not to trample or endanger plant material and other park resources.
  5. Dog(s) excluded from off-leash areas include:
    1. Pit Bulls or other dangerous animal
    2. Female dogs in heat
    3. Any dog(s) that has been issued a muzzle order by the Medical Officer of Health.
  6. Dogs shall not chase wildlife.
  7. Pick up after your dog(s) and place waste in receptacle or take home for disposal.
  8. Keep dogs in sight and under control at all times.
  9. Do not leave dog(s) unattended while in off-leash area.
  10. Repair holes dug by the dog(s) under your control.

Violation of Bylaws are punishable by fines.

Retaining Wall Update: Blocks Arrive

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The official diagram showing the working area of the project.

Truck after truck of old brick rubble came trundling into the park last week to consolidate the staging / stockpiling area. All of this material will eventually have to be scraped up and carted off again; probably late next month. No doubt this will have added substantially to the cost. Meanwhile, big blocks that will form the new retaining wall have arrived.

Mild weather has brought new problems, this time for pedestrians and cyclists; mud. This mud is unavoidable for anyone wishing to travel past the construction. It might be helpful if the construction crew – ever vigilant for pedestrians (wishing to stay clean) straying through the paved area – could spread some wood chips to make life easier and cleaner for people.

Large machinery resting on the base.

Large machinery resting on the base.

 

A close-up of the base.

A close-up of the base.

 

Blocks for the retaining wall are waiting to be installed. The fence is about 6' high.

Blocks for the retaining wall are ready to be installed. The fence is about 6′ high.

 

The blocks are natural stone.

The blocks are natural stone and should last a few years!

 

This is the treacherous route for people moving past the construction.

This is the slippery quagmire for pedestrians and cyclists. Wood chips will help greatly here.

 

Cyclists have obviously made their mark.

Cyclists are making their mark.

Update: Wood chips were quickly applied to the quagmire making things easier for the pedestrians who must pass through.

Humber Bank Stabilization Update

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All last week, trucks rumbled into Raymore Park delivering old bricks and concrete blocks (clean fill).

I braved the bitter cold this afternoon to find out what was going on. Rather than building a stable roadway along which trucks can approach the river, the whole of the fenced off land is being laid with about 40cm of clean fill to create a working area that stretches to the river’s edge from which the retaining wall can be constructed.

Topsoil scraped from the area can be seen (right) and brick rubble ready to be spread over the remainder of the land is on the left. To get an idea of the scale of  this endeavour, there’s a person standing by the orange fencing (far left).

The depth and size of the rubble layer can also be seen here.

Apparently the plan is for the rubble to be carted away again and the topsoil replaced after the job is completed.

Bricks waiting to be spread over the park surface.

A closer look at the brick rubble and (eventually) the old topsoil waiting to be spread over the park surface.

One permanent change that may have been made; the old basement depressions from homes swept away during Hurricane Hazel are probably gone.

Work begins on Humber bank stabilization and sewer rehabilitation.

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More than a decade ago, the owner of a house on Sykes Avenue in Weston suddenly lost several feet off the back end of their property. The house overlooks a sharp curve of the Humber River as it turns to the south. During April rains in 2004, the rear of the property abruptly vanished along with several mature trees and other vegetation. Luckily nobody was standing near the edge.

Shortly after the landslide in April 2004.

Shortly after the landslide in April 2004.

Panorama view of the bank as it looks today.

A panorama view of the bank as it looks today. Note the current retaining wall and the precarious position of the tree on the right.

That summer, the fallen trees actually went into leaf and remained in place for most of the season but were eventually washed down the Humber. What caused the erosion? Who knows; it probably didn’t help that each autumn, the owner at the time drained the pool over the top and into the river. The likely explanation is that the slope was simply too steep to withstand the shearing forces and nature adjusted the angle. TRCA is responsible for erosion control and has a handy guide for those ‘living on the edge’. It must have been painful to update the property deeds to reflect the new reality. After this event, the owner put in some vegetation and other stabilization measures but by then the rot had started and moved downstream taking chunks of other back yards into the river.

A retaining wall of sorts is already in place, built in 1981 and it has been high enough to provide ‘toe protection’ for most flood events. Unfortunately it wasn’t tall enough to cope with major events such as the storm of July 2013.

After extensive study, TRCA has decided that in order to stabilize this stretch of the Humber, a 6.5 metre tall ‘replacement armourstone wall’ and stabilization measures need to be put in place on 170 metres of the east bank before more land disappears downstream.

Raymore Park entrance.

Raymore Park entrance. Notice that the pathway and direct footbridge access is blocked to pedestrians. This could have been avoided by fencing off a narrow gap on the left.

Looking south from the parking lot.

Looking south from the parking lot. The trail resumes further down.

Since construction from the top of the east side is impossible, the plan is to access the wall through Raymore Park.

Unfortunately the solid winter ground from the bike path to the river expected by the construction crew has failed to materialize (so far) and a steady stream of trucks has been offloading fill onto the site in order to construct a stable road down to the river.

Sadly dozens of native trees that were planted several years ago have been removed from a surprisingly large area. Presumably these will be replaced but this will delay the expected native canopy planned for this section of the park.

The new road under construction leading to the river. Notice the clearance of all trees and shrubs.

The new road under construction leading to the river. Notice the clearance of all trees and shrubs.

Another view showing the extent of the clearance.

Another view showing the extent of the clearance.

In the meantime, pedestrians are having a messy time getting access to the footbridge from Raymore Drive, the continuation of the path further down the park and there are questions regarding the replacement of trees and shrubs lost when the land was cleared.

According to the leaflet delivered to homes in the area, the work is scheduled to be completed by the end of March and restoration of the land will take place in the fall. Projected cost: up to a maximum of $250,000.

At the same time, more sewer rehabilitation work is ongoing along the Humber that will necessitate further tree clearance along the path of the sewer line between now and the end of March and this will extend along the river between Raymore Drive to well past Eglinton. The City of Toronto has more information here.

Later this spring will begin the construction (if given final approval) of the proposed leash free zone (Many dog owners seem to have declared Raymore Park leash free already). This will bring even more heavy equipment through the park. A final meeting is scheduled for February 25th at 6:30pm in Westmount Junior School, 95 Chapman Rd. Councillor Rob Ford will be in attendance.