Toronto Lower Don Lands Redevelopment | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto

[Traycer]

What are the chances of the lemon and orange bridges actually getting their matching twins? I can’t see how they would be installed.

I'm not aware of any plans to twin the South Cherry St bridge, and the second Commissioners St bridge is "years away". Heck, it might take years before the first streetcar runs down the existing North Cherry St transit bridge. Incidentally, that's also the reason why there isn't a south sidewalk on the Commissioners bridge.

 

[Traycer]

^^^ Ha! Amazing. Wow it's even filthier in the daylight!!! Is it actually cleaning anything, or just smearing the mud around?

The spinny brush thing at that back does pick up a lot of debris. Of course, it won't be 100%, so what you see left on the road is a lot better than what it would have looked without sweeping. I imagine without it, we would have much larger chunks of dirt, not to mention pebbles and rocks and tree debris. The difference between swept and unswept areas is more apparent once things dry out.

 

[hawc]

^^^ Is that the before or after picture?

 

[hawc]

Question, how CLEAN is this river/pond?

Like on a normal day (like not after a huge storm) can people walk into it (down the steps provided in some pictures) or flaot around in it the way peopel do at Ashbridges Bay Beach and Sunnyside Beach? Or is the Don still a bit of a disaster and basically just capturing all the run off from the surrouding area, including dog poo/pee, road oil etc, etc...Like how clean is this little river going to be?

 

[allengeorge]

Question, how CLEAN is this river/pond?

Like on a normal day (like not after a huge storm) can people walk into it (down the steps provided in some pictures) or flaot around in it the way peopel do at Ashbridges Bay Beach and Sunnyside Beach? Or is the Don still a bit of a disaster and basically just capturing all the run off from the surrouding area, including dog poo/pee, road oil etc, etc...Like how clean is this little river going to be?

Isn’t that at least partially determined by these two (unfunded) tunnels being built? (The Coxwell tunnel is under construction).

Don River and Central Waterfront Wet Weather Flow System & Connected Projects - Project List

www.toronto.ca

EDIT: I’m sorry - you said “normal day”. These tunnels will only help during overflow events. My bad.

 

[Northern Light]

Question, how CLEAN is this river/pond?

Not.

Like on a normal day (like not after a huge storm) can people walk into it (down the steps provided in some pictures) or flaot around in it the way peopel do at Ashbridges Bay Beach and Sunnyside Beach? Or is the Don still a bit of a disaster and basically just capturing all the run off from the surrouding area, including dog poo/pee, road oil etc, etc...Like how clean is this little river going to be?

I wouldn't say 'disaster'; it's improved by leaps and bounds from its nadir when it was all but an open sewer.

But as at 2021, ecoli levels were still unacceptably high even in dry weather conditions.

There are other contaminants as well (heavy metal leachate from old landfills, for instance), but that (ecoli) tends to be the most consistent marker for human safety.

IF you're feeling sciency, yes, I'm declaring that a word, LOL, Here's an academic paper on the water quality in the area from 2021:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0380133020302070

Now, every year the TRCA holds Paddle the Don. as part of that event, people often spend a bit of time in the river, wading/out of the canoes, or sometimes tipping over. The risk to your health from brief exposure is not something that would keep me up at night. But I wouldn't suggest swimming in it, drinking it, or eating fish caught in it. If you do take an unexpected dip, I would suggest washing off at the earliest opportunity, and for sure washing your hands before eating anything.

****

As to the future, the river will get cleaner, in part, because of the tunnels noted by @allengeorge above. A great deal of the fecal contamination arrives during wet weather, when sewers overflow directly into the river, its tributaries, and the harbour.

A good deal flows through, into the Lake and dissipates 2-3 days after the overflow has stopped; but some hangs around. But once overflows are largely a thing of the past, there will be a meaningful improvement in water quality.

New wetlands, and programs to shade the river and its tributaries will also help, as warmth in water elevates microbial growth.

Pristine, I would not hold your breath for; but if we were to deliver all of the above, a road salt mitigation plan, and increased permeability (banning impermeable pavement for driveways, parking lots and low volume streets); maybe, it will be clean'ish by 2040.

 

[DSC]

The spinny brush thing at that back does pick up a lot of debris. Of course, it won't be 100%, so what you see left on the road is a lot better than what it would have looked without sweeping. I imagine without it, we would have much larger chunks of dirt, not to mention pebbles and rocks and tree debris. The difference between swept and unswept areas is more apparent once things dry out.

View attachment 539254

Though it really is a mess, the photo is of the stretch of Commissioners immediately east of the Lower Don construction area. (just west of Saulter). They are also working on clearing up the area immediately beside it. You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs, and all that.

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

Now, every year the TRCA holds Paddle the Don. as part of that event, people often spend a bit of time in the river, wading/out of the canoes, or sometimes tipping over. The risk to your health from brief exposure is not something that would keep me up at night. But I wouldn't suggest swimming in it, drinking it, or eating fish caught in it. If you do take an unexpected dip, I would suggest washing off at the earliest opportunity, and for sure washing your hands before eating anything.

So you wouldn't necessarily turn into something like that villain did in RoboCop when he fell into that vat of chemicals?

 

[evandyk]

The Ontario government says you can eat fish caught in the Don River up to 16 times a month, even if you're pregnant, so it can't be that bad!

Fish consumption advisory

The advisory tables provide fish consumption advice based on the level of contaminants found in fish according to their location, species and length.

www.ontario.ca

 

[Northern Light]

The Ontario government says you can eat fish caught in the Don River up to 16 times a month, even if you're pregnant, so it can't be that bad!

Fish consumption advisory

The advisory tables provide fish consumption advice based on the level of contaminants found in fish according to their location, species and length.

www.ontario.ca

Yes, it can.

You didn't read the study.

Remember, those are maximums, not suggested eating.

But saying, this probably won't cause you serious illness, or death is not the same as saying 'highly recommended'

 

[Northern Light]

For those interesting in consuming fish caught in Toronto waters, and the relative rates of contamination, a more fulsome page on that can be found here:

https://torontorap.ca/app/uploads/2023/12/ESFCards_Toronto_2022_Web.pdf

The number of yellows and reds (caution or avoid eating entirely) are indicative of much progress still to be made.

Though it's worth saying, that this is tracking in the right direction, on that point there is no question.

 

[Mr.Tang]

It is something of a positive that there are fish you could catch and eat in this river isnt it? At least compared to where the river's ecosystem was at one point.

 

[evandyk]

Yes, it can.

You didn't read the study.

Remember, those are maximums, not suggested eating.

But saying, this probably won't cause you serious illness, or death is not the same as saying 'highly recommended'

That's why I said "up to"! But I personally wouldn't eat any, and I can't imagine it would taste good, even if it won't poison you.

 

[drum118]

I'm not aware of any plans to twin the South Cherry St bridge, and the second Commissioners St bridge is "years away". Heck, it might take years before the first streetcar runs down the existing North Cherry St transit bridge. Incidentally, that's also the reason why there isn't a south sidewalk on the Commissioners bridge.

You may be able to ride a streetcar over the Cherry St bridge by 2035, but for Commissioner, bridge it will be round 2055-75 since there is no money for going back to when the Commissioner St Road bridge was being built. Same for the south Cherry bridge.

 

[DSC]

You may be able to ride a streetcar over the Cherry St bridge by 2035, but for Commissioner, bridge it will be round 2055-75 since there is no money for going back to when the Commissioner St Road bridge was being built. Same for the south Cherry bridge.

Yes, I think your dates are probably about right, there are at least some discussions on bringing a streetcar line along Commissioners to Leslie but there is total silence about anything going south of Commissioners - in addition to the south Cherry Bridge, any streetcar would also need to cross the Ship Channel. I strongly doubt it will ever happen.