Across Toronto, a vast network of hidden waterways sprawls beneath the city’s sidewalks, buildings, and parks. These waterways, once flowing freely, were gradually covered up and diverted due to concerns over sewage and water-borne diseases in the early days of Canada’s cities.
Today, as Toronto faces the challenges of climate change and urban heat, city planners are reconsidering the benefits these hidden waterways could provide. Daylighting, the process of removing the cover from buried creeks and allowing daylight in, has emerged as a potential solution.
Helen Mills, a long-time advocate for Toronto’s lost rivers, has been tracking and sharing their locations for decades. She believes that daylighting these waterways could bring numerous benefits to the city, including creating natural cooling areas and reducing the urban heat island effect.
The city of Toronto has recently commissioned a study to assess the potential for daylighting historical watercourses. Senior planner Jeff Thompson says that daylighting could be a valuable tool in adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts. While the city is still in the early stages of exploring daylighting, Mills is encouraged by the recent progress and believes that uncovering Toronto’s hidden waterways could have a transformative impact on the city.
