Anyone who has driven in the Holland Marsh just west of Highway 400 and south of Canal Road knows that the area is prone to flooding, both in the spring and after heavy rainfall.
Back in August of 2018, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury petitioned for relief of flooding in the vicinity of River Road and Hillsview Road, under the Drainage Act. The Holland Marsh Drainage System Joint Municipal Services Board approved the request, and in March of 2019 retained K. Smart Associates to prepare the Engineering Report for a new “River Road Drain.”
Under the guidance of Professional Engineer Kenn Smart, there were on-site meetings and reviews, discussions with landowners, surveys, and the preparation of profiles and a design.
The report, which was filed last September, proposes a preferred design for a complex of drainage works – including a combination of 750 mm (30”) closed drain and open channel along Hillsview, from the Central River to River Road.
The drain then has two branches – the River Road North Branch, consisting mostly of an open channel on the west side of the road; and the River Road South Branch, a closed 525 mm pipe with branching “Hickenbottom” drains collecting water from the adjacent low-lying fields.
Most of the work will benefit local farms, in particular Carron Farms/Hillside Gardens. Culverts will allow access to fields and to hydro poles along River Road; existing pumps and ‘pump crocks’ will also be protected, and incorporated into the design.
A branch drain was proposed to deal with flooding on the unopened road allowance of Hillsview, west of River Road. As well, there are two residential properties – the Petherick property at the corner of River Road and Canal Road, and the Beckett property at River Road and Hillsview – that will also see significant flood relief as a result of the proposed works.
Smart presented the Engineering Report in the Nov. 4 virtual meeting of Bradford West Gwillimbury Council.
“This project was actually initiated as a result of serious flooding west of River Road,” noted Smart, as he described each section of the drainage work in detail.
Overall, the new River Road Drain will have a drainage area of 70.29 hectares (173.7 acres), and include 1,097 metres of open channel, 1,065 metres of closed drains, 91 m. of curb and gutter installation at Canal Road and River Road, 5 Hickenbottom drains, and a number of culverts.
Overall cost of construction was estimated at $609,410, but with “allowances” the cost was increased to $759,910. Under the Drainage Act, costs are assessed to the “benefitting landowners” within the drainage area.
Smart explained that approximately 50 percent will be assessed “to properties owned by Hillside Gardens,” and 50 percent to Roads – in particular, River Road and Hillsview, both of which are owned by the Town of BWG.
The Petherick and Beckett property owners will also pay a share.
Some of the landowners will receive “allowances,” offsetting a portion of the cost of the drainage works. Eligible agricultural operations receive a 33.3 percent grant from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Other allowances include “monetary sums to owners that have work done on their property,” Smart explained – including a sum for loss of land for a Right of Way, as well as loss of crop revenues.
Assessments levied ranged $57, to a total of $143,376 for properties owned by Hillside Gardens and $144,239 for Carron Farms. The town will pay a total of $372,740 in assessment on its roads.
Smart was asked if the landowners were in support of the project. Noting that there had been several meetings, the engineer replied, “I think they recognize the need for the project.”
“It’s quite a large area, quite an impressive project when you look at it,” said Deputy Mayor James Leduc, supporting the project. “There is a lot of flooding in that area."
Council provisionally adopted the Engineering Report, giving First and Second reading to a By-law “to provide for drainage works of the River Road Drain, pursuant to section 4 of the Drainage Act.” The next step is an appeal period, and the opportunity to challenge the assessments to the Court of Revision, which will hold its first sitting on Tues., Dec. 1 of this year, in a virtual meeting.
“Appeals must be filed with the town clerk 10 days before the first sitting of the Court of Revision,” Council was told. “No late appeals will be heard.”
Council also approved the make-up of the Court of Revision, being Dan Sopuch, Dave Munshaw, and Deputy Mayor Leduc.
Only after the appeals period can the by-law be given third and final reading, and work on the drain begin.
The new drain system will flow into the Central River, and the design includes steps to stabilize the river bank at the new outlet. Once completed, the River Road Drain system will be maintained by the town, with costs assessed to benefiting landowners.
