Mayor John Tory toured part of Woodbine Beach to survey the damage caused after two days of heavy rain in the city.
“It’s Mother Nature at work,” Tory told reporters as he walked along the beach. “The good news here is there is really no safety risk to anybody and there’s not much risk to property.”
Environment Canada has ended its rainfall warning for the city and the surrounding GTA. According to the agency, there was a total of 52.9 millimetres of rainfall between Thursday and Friday.
The mayor said the city got lucky with the rain not being as heavy as was expected.
READ MORE: Flood watch: Heavy rainfall in Toronto continues into the weekend
But the damage to the Beaches has little to do with rainfall and more to do with lake levels, which are expected to continue rising over the next month. Due to the increasing levels, a temporary fix to reclaim the lost parts of the Beaches is next to impossible.
Many volleyball courts are currently under water and Tory warned the upcoming fireworks on Victoria Day weekend may be in jeopardy.
There is no set timetable, but the mayor is confident the Beaches will be able to be fully restored.
“Bottom line is whatever it costs, it will be done,” Tory said.
James Dann, the city’s manager of Waterfront Parks, told reporters they are unsure of the costs but that there is an emergency fund in place.
“We’re not focused on the cost, but are focused on the solution to get the beaches back and the island safe again,” Dan said.
No further concern for the DVP
Tory said he doesn’t anticipate anymore issues Saturday for the Don Valley Parkway, as the level of the river has stayed the same as Friday.
The city was concerned it would have to shut down the DVP during rush hour Friday afternoon but made the decision to keep it open as the precipitation wasn’t as intense as had originally been predicted.
The DVP is monitored around the clock seven days a week, with sensors keeping an eye on water levels.
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