Mississauga’s Waterfront Suffered Millions of Dollars of Damage

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Published July 5, 2017 at 5:42 am

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The unseasonably wet spring has done quite a number on a few of Mississauga’s parks and waterfront areas.

The excessive rain has left water levels high and parts of major parks unsafe for public access. While residents are still being advised to avoid certain waterfront areas, the city is working to secure funding to repair parks that have suffered damage as a result of the seriously inclement weather.

At a recent General Committee meeting, the city received a report that recommended capital reserve funding to the tune of $2.3 million to cover shoreline damage repair and restoration.

According to the report, the affected waterfront parks and shorelines received significant damage between April 30 and May 30, and water levels are still at unprecedented highs in Lake Ontario.

The St. Lawrence Park lower promenade remains closed and requires repairs to safely open to the public, while portions of J.C. Saddington, J.J. Plaus and Marina Park remain inaccessible at this time. The Marina Park boat launch, charter boat docks, and portions of the gravel and asphalt parking lot are also inaccessible.

As you may recall, there were two significant storm events–one on April 30 and another on May 5–with intense wind and precipitation that exceeded the 100-year design water level. It’s been estimated that the wave height during the April 30 storm reached three metres (approximately 10 feet).

In April 2017, Lake Ontario rose by 44 centimetres (17 inches) followed by an additional 25 centimetres (10 inches) in the first nine days of May.

The Credit Valley Conservation Flood Watch reports that Lake Ontario is at the highest level it has been since reliable recording began in 1918. As of June 1, the lake was 82 centimetres (32 inches) above its long-term average level for this time of year (though it has remained relatively stable since mid-May, despite additional rainfall).

As for other affected areas, the city says other impacted shorelines include Lakefront Promenade Park, Adamson Estate, Helen Molasy Park, Tall Oaks Park, Harding Estate, Jack Darling Park, Rhododendron Gardens, Lakeside Park, Richards Memorial and Watersedge Park.

Naturally, the damage has hurt some coffers.

The report says the high water conditions have had an impact on the Charter Fishermen businesses that operate out of Marina Park and that revenue has also been impacted at recreational boat slips and the LFPM fuel dock. In terms of hard numbers, the marinas have lost $140,000 as of June 7–a 20 per cent drop.

Another local business-the famed Snug Harbour restaurant–was also impacted by high waters. In late May, the iconic waterfront hotspot was forced to shutter its doors temporarily due to flooding.

It has since reopened.

As far as safety goes, temporary fencing has been installed to ensure no one can access the compromised areas. Sandbag structures have also been placed at various locations to prevent further damage.

While water levels remain high, the repair work is slated to commence as soon as possible.

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