City officials are re-examining drainage infrastructure after a heavy downpour Wednesday night flooded several Toronto streets.
The heavy rain closed parts of the Don Valley Parkway shortly after 10 p.m. due to flooding.
The DVP reopened at 6 a.m. Thursday after road crews worked overnight to clear water and debris from the northbound and southbound lanes.
The on and off ramps to Bayview Avenue were closed until 9 a.m. while floodwater and debris was removed from the street.
This is the third time floods have shut down the parkway in less than a year. In addition to the most recent storm, the parkway was also shut down on May 29, and on July 8, 2013.
The frequency of flooding was discussed Thursday afternoon at City Hall, but one councillor told CTV Toronto he's not sure what the city's options are, if any.
"There are only certain things that we can do to deal with Mother Nature," Denzil Minnan-Wong, chair of Public Works and Infrastructure, told said Thursday morning.
"There may not be enough capacity when there's too much water in the river. There may be very little you can do about that. That's what we have to explore," he said.
One proposed solution is to install new valves to help force sewer waters out of other inlets instead of just the river. Another possible option is to physically raise the road by a few inches.
Stephen Buckley, Toronto’s transportation services general manager, said the city will investigate all possible options to help reduce the risk of the flooding on the DVP.
“Changing the profile of a major freeway can be disruptive and we want to make sure that it id does cost a significant amount of money, that it is indeed going to reduce the risk of events,” Buckley told CTV Toronto.
Lou Di Gironimo, head of Toronto Water, argues that water accumulating on roads may not necessarily be a bad thing as it prevents flooding on private property.
He says he’s not surprised that the DVP was hit with the brunt of the flooding, noting that the roadway was built in a river valley that is used to funnel rainfall down into the lake.
“The rest of the city if draining and the Don River drains essentially the centre core of the city, that is the natural topography, that is the natural drainage system,” Di Gironimo told CTV Toronto.
The city is likely years away from implementing any possible solution since a project of this magnitude could cost up to $500-million.
Environment Canada said that 52.88 millimetres of rain fell near Dufferin and Finch Wednesday evening, while 21.6 millimetres fell at Pearson International Airport.
Flooding was also reported in the Jane Street and Wilson Avenue area, and in the Black Creek Drive and Eglinton Avenue West area.
Transit delays due to floods
The rain and subsequent flooding forced GO Transit to cancel several trains out of Richmond Hill due to damage.
The Union Station-bound Richmond Hill trains at 6:25 and 9:20 a.m. were cancelled as a result of the water damage. GO provided buses to accommodate commuters who depend on the 9:20 train.
There was no train service from the Old Cummer and Oriole GO stations this morning. Trains only stopped at Richmond Hill and Langstaff stations. Shuttle buses were sent to replace the trains, delaying the trip by 30 to 45 minutes.
Toronto Transit Commission subway trains had to bypass Lawrence Station when the station flooded at around 9 p.m. Shuttle buses were operating between York Mills and Eglinton stations until about 11 p.m.
Rescues in the west and east
A female kayaker was rescued from the Humber River, a firefighter told CP24. One of the people she was with managed to get to the river bank and call for help at a nearby building while the woman clung to a tree from the water until rescue workers could reach her.
Some drivers were stuck in Serena Gundy Park at Leslie Street and Eglinton Avenue East when their vehicles were partially submerged. Emergency crews brought inflatable boats to the park to rescue those trapped during the storm.
Warning still in place
The Toronto Region and Conservation Authority issued a flood warning overnight.
On Thursday, the TRCA warned GTA residents that flows and water levels in creeks and rivers remain high, so conditions are still unsafe. Officials urged residents to be cautious around all bodies of water, and to warn children that water can be dangerous.
With a report from CTV Toronto’s Natalie Johnson
