Dirt-filled drain creates pool of trouble
When a weed sprouts from dirt packed into a catch basin, there is zero chance that water can drain into it.
Few people take notice of storm drains until they stop doing what they’re supposed to, which is to whisk away runoff from rain and melting snow that pools in the curb at the edges of the road.
Areader says that water pools during wet weather along the curb near apedestrian crosswalk at the northeast corner of Laird Dr. and Commercial Rd., due to a plugged storm drain. The catch basin “is almost completely full of dirt, leading to a very large puddle whenever it rains,” said the reader, adding that “there is actually a weed growing out of the dirt.”
We found two drains side by side, one of which is packed to the top of the grate with dirt, along with a small but healthy weed poking out.
The second drain also has a lot of dirt in it, but isn’t nearly as plugged as its neighbour and provides the only drainage at the corner, which must be a slow process. STATUS: Andrea Gonsalves, who deals with media for Toronto Water, which is responsible for storm drains, has asked a maintenance crew to check it out and arrange to have them cleared. UPDATE: Regarding the Sept. 26 column on construction signs left on a sidewalk near Coxwell and Gerrard, Joe Spataro of transportation services emailed to say the TTC’s signs were removed. Wherever you are in Greater Toronto, we want to know. To email us, go to www.thestar.com/thefixer and click on the “submit a problem” link. Call us at 416-869-4823. To read our blog, click on “blogs” at the top of thestar.com’s home page, or go to thestar.blogs.com/thefixer/. Twitter us at TOStarFixer