London has been given $10-million from the federal government to help protect homes and businesses along the Thames River from future flooding.
Marco Mendicino, MP and parliamentary secretary to Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, announced the funding Wednesday to complete the final nine phases of the West London Dyke reconstruction project.
"This is a transformational project because it is going to protect up to 1,600 residents who live along the Thames River and we know from past experience as well as from the evidence that floods are a severe weather event, which are increasing with greater intensity and more frequency," said Mendicino. "What we are trying to do is minimize the impact of those weather events as much as possible."
The dyke reconstruction will be completed by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority over the next ten years at a cost of $25-million. The dyke itself will be heightened and strengthened from Blackfriars Bridge north to Oxford Street and from the Forks of the Thames west to Cavendish Park.
"Once complete this project will improve the city's capacity to mitigate the effects of storm and flooding events," added Mendicino. "It will reduce disruptions to essential public services, and ensure that main transportation arteries remain open through downtown. It will also protect the integrity of the drinking water of the city, the city's sewer services, ensuring the health and well-being of your residents."
The first four phases of the West London Dyke reconstruction project began in 2007 and were completed last year.
David Charles, the conservation authority's supervisor of water control structures, called the multi-million dollar funding boost "huge."
"Instead of piecemealing together single year funding, like we have done in the past for the first four phases, it allows us to award larger contracts over more years. So it definitely helps us with the management of the construction project," said Charles.
He went on to explain the improved dyke also enhances the city's pathway system.
"It kind of fits into the city's plan to bring the public more access to the river itself. There are new lights and benches that are part of the restoration activities," said Charles.
The West London Dyke was first constructed in the late 1880s. Since then it has been strengthened and raised several times by the city. The continued effort to build up the dyke comes a year after heavy rain and rapidly melting snow caused the Thames to swell over its banks, leading to the worst flooding the area has seen since 1977.
