Description

Ongoing issue with poor drainage system installed during roadway reconstruction.
This readers personal written correspondence is included herein.

Well Thomas,
it’s the evening of September 5th and it’s raining. The new final surface has been laid and... guess what?!
Water running... No, RUSHING down and across the street, building nicely in my drive, my neighbours drive and running unimpeded down the edge of the street. Entering our driveways is akin to fording a small creek, I kid you not!
This is the third letter written and the umpteenth vocalization about the POOOOR design of the drainage (so called) system used at this end of the street and likely it’s entirety. I invite you to review one of my earlier letters included with this correspondence, warning of the impending problem.
Who in hell came up with this idea???!!! This flawed design has been in question by the citizenry since it was presented at preliminary public meetings years ago. Now in practice, it IS demonstrating it’s flaws. I’ve been given verbal assurances that all will be fine. Bollocks!
I cannot abide this issue becoming a political football being passed from one department or individual to another. I realize that it is most difficult to admit failures within the political system or the civil service but somebody has allowed an expensive screw-up to pass unimpeded. I think some accountability is called for here.
I want to cut to the chase. This error must be remedied PROPERLY, no band-aid solutions like driveway humps or dams. In warm weather, water cannot properly be absorbed by the soil and system used and I AGAIN remind you of the problems winter snow and freezing temperatures will bring.
For what it’s cost, WE SHOULDN’T HAVE TO BE DEALING WITH THIS “IMPROVEMENT”!
When can we, the residents expect this to be fixed... really?

Impatiently yours,

Glen Campbell

On 11-08-14 2:31 PM, "Thomas Yeung" wrote:

Good afternoon Mr. Campbell,

Al had attempted to contact you on last Friday morning and he will come to visit you this afternoon.

Myself, engineer and Al will be on site tomorrow afternoon to review the overall construction as compared to the design. Tomorrow is calling for rain and we can review the drainage pattern by then.

Thank you for your patience on this matter.


>>> "G. Campbell" 08/11/2014 1:47 PM >>>
Gary,
Thanks for your reply.
I've attached photos of the site, showing the problem. The first grouping taken following a brief but heavy rainfall. Note the sediment layer on the drive. The second, showing the water trail, following the watering of boulevard grass using a conventional lawn sprinkler.
You may well say after looking at the first series of pics that construction was still in progress. Let me assure you that the sediment trail returned in the same pattern after crews watered the installed sod. The area north of my drive remained bog-like for several days... a good indicator of poor/ slow drainage.
It troubles me that the final surface paving is scheduled for this coming Thursday yet the drainage issue has not, to my mind been properly addressed. I've not yet had any reply from other involved parties addressed in this conversation. Is time not of the essence here?
Should the drainage design not be adequately improved, I'd like to know what provision will be made for property damage claims should the winter snow and spring runoff prove to be the disaster I envision?

Regards, Glen

On 07-08-14 4:16 PM, "Councillor Crawford" > wrote:

Glen,

Thank you for your email.

I was actually down on Chine Drive doing a walk through to check out the new sidewalks. It looks like the project is going according to plan.

Thomas and Al,

Could you please provide reassurance on the points that Mr. Campbell has brought up in his email. I would appreciate the information you can provide.

Thank you all,

Gary Crawford
Councillor, Ward 36
Scarborough Southwest

City Hall: 416-392-4052
Constituency: 416-396-7703

NOTICE: If you are scheduling a meeting with Councillor Crawford or a member of his staff, you may be required to register as a lobbyist. Please check: www.toronto.ca/lobbying for more information.

>>> "G. Campbell" 07/08/2014 2:27 PM >>>
Greetings all,
I am writing today as the Chine Drive reconstruction project (contract 14SC-01RD) draws to a close, to again express my VERY great concerns over surface water drainage. I have in past received verbal assurances that all will be fine based on the engineering. The system that was designed is DEFINITELY not suitable for the extreme south-west portion of the street. A visual inspection is good enough to reveal that the road is pitched from north of the Public School, including the school driveway 'skirt' toward the properties south west of the school. Runoff from recent heavy rains have shown this with the resulting erosion, pooling and silt trails covering the driveway(s). Given that we have not yet had a snow accumulation and a freeze/ thaw period releasing surface water onto frozen soil, I can only image the results. bring your skates!
My neighbours and I have already seen flooding of gardens and driveways lying below the new street grade over the construction period.
Original ditches and culverts or at least swales have prevented this in years past. Anecdotally, conversations with construction crews have revealed their similar concerns about the drainage solution for this as well as other areas of the street. Apparently their voice of concern went unheeded. The general consensus is that the use of ditches of some sort would be best in this short section. Driveway humps and 'band-aid' solutions just won't cut it for practical reasons I won't go into here.
Sad as it is that a project must be completed before being remediated at cost, I really must insist that a better solution be instituted for the southerly most section of the street BEFORE freeze-up.
Please reply to this e-mail outlining next steps.

Sincerely,
Glen Campbell
48 Chine Drive

p.s.
I would like to commend the Miwell crews in general for their courtesy and workman-like manner during this difficult project.