Now I'm a little curious. The fix for that, I wonder how much it cost? And how long was it fixed before the whole things was just totally ripped out. Not that it wasn't worth it, just wondering.
It was NOT fixed and the bridge never had another erection - which is why the Villiers Channel has not been dredged for 4-5 years.
This from City Council Report
In 2018 Ports Toronto withdrew financial support for dredging activities, citing that they did not have an interest in maintaining the Keating Channel's design/maintenance depth as it was no longer navigable to large vessels due to the inclusion of new fixed bridges across the Keating Channel as part of Port Lands Flood Protection. Dredging operations were further hampered by the malfunction of the existing Cherry Street lift bridge in the summer of 2019, which resulted in it being permanently fixed in a down position. This prevented dredging equipment (tugs and barges) from entering the Keating Channel, which decreased efficiency and increased dredging costs. Despite these challenges, Waterfront Toronto, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the City, and Ports Toronto worked together through some cost-sharing to complete limited dredging activities to address short-term flood risks in the fall of 2019 and 2021.One-Time Backlog Keating Channel Dredging Program Based on recent surveys, the current backlog of sediment in the Keating Channel is estimated to be approximately 120,000 cubic metres in-situ (in water). Combined with the continued annual sediment deposition it is estimated that there will be between180,000 to 220,000 cubic metres in-situ of excess sediment that must be removed from the Keating Channel to achieve the goal of flood protection. Accordingly, City staff, in consultation with Waterfront Toronto, Ports Toronto, and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, developed a one-time dredging program to be implemented within Keating Channel starting in 2023. The dredging program includes two phases. The first phase will be primarily coordinated by Waterfront Toronto and will focus on areas that require dredging to facilitate Port Lands Flood Protection construction which will involve some sediment removal and side casting (moving sediment from one area of the channel to another) in an area around the Lake Shore East Bridge and on the southside of Keating Channel. The cost per cubic metre remains high as the Cherry Street lift bridge over the Keating Channel remains locked in a lowered position, impeding the navigation of equipment and resulting in additional handling requirements. Phase one will also be designed to allow for dredging activities to continue through2023 weather permitting, including after the Cherry Street lift bridge is removed in fall2023, in order to remove further amounts of the accumulated backlog. Together phase one is anticipated to have a total cost of approximately $10 million. City staff recommend that City Council approve phase one with dredging work in 2023 which will be funded upfront by Waterfront Toronto and/or other parties and is to be reimbursed by the City in 2024 and, if required, in 2025, subject to budget approvals. The second phase of the one-time dredging program will be led by the City with support from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and will focus on the remaining areas and amounts subject to budget approval. An early estimate of the total cost to remove the backlog was $24 million, with further work to be done to finalize cost estimates. The total cost and the final City share will be dependent on further analysis of volumes, environmental monitoring, and cost-sharing by other governments and other parties. The plan to remove the backlog depends on external factors such as water levels, weather, and limitations concerning fish spawning season. The amount dredged in the short-term will seek to ensure alignment with Port Lands Flood Protection goals, with any remaining amounts dredged thereafter. With further work to be done to finalize the amount of sediment to be removed, the potential phasing of work, and market testing, it is recommended that City Council approve phase two of the removal program in principle, subject to budget approval in 2024.
SEE:
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2023/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-236007.pdf See Pages 28+ and page 42.
