Mountain Making
It might be hard to believe, but slowly, ever so slowly, the city is removing the snow. I never really thought about where it all goes until I was driving around the west end yesterday and stumbled upon a mountain, a literal mountain - eight-stories high and at least the size of 5 football fields - of snow.
A supervisor at the site (South East corner of Kipling Ave and Bloor St) told me the site has been adding about 60 truck-loads of snow each hour, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week for the past couple weeks.
Photo slideshow after the break.
I couldn't get over the childhood excitement of seeing all the trucks and bulldozers and big-scoop thingys that pick stuff up... I forget what they are called.
It did cross my mind however that the neighbors can't be too happy, and what the hell is going to happen when all the snow starts to melt?
It's really something to check out though, if you're a fan of the snow or if you absolutely hate it. I'm thinking it could soon surpass the size of Centennial Hill if we have just one more small snow.
Not big enough, or not working on your browser? Check out the fullscreen slideshow on Flickr.
Photos by joseph michael
Comments (17)
Kind of reminds me of the one in Winnipeg (where I used to live). Although I think Winnipeg's is a bit bigger.
Come to think of it, the one in Winnipeg runs along one of most highly trafficked roads in the city, and about 2 years ago when the snow had very little dirt in it, someone had spray painted a big penis on the side of it. It was actually pretty funny.
Can someone please post the link to the fullscreen slideshow? I can never see the embedded ones, they always tell me "no such photos found."
Fullscreen slideshow link added :)
I think the "no such photos" error occurs when Flickr is having bottlenecks/downtime, but I'm not sure.
I think the most important question here is right in the middle of this post: what happens when all the snow starts to melt? Good grief.
I noticed this on Saturday. The sheer size is staggering - so large you can't comprehend what you're seeing. I think most drivers on Bloor just assume it's yet another snow-topped hill being turned into a condo.
It also helps that it's in a no-man's land sandwiched between the railroad and the Bloor overpass; its true majesty is only visible from certain angles.
There's another one growing between the Don Valley Parkway and the Don River - along the offramp between the DVP and the Bayview extenstion, across from one the stations where they keep a mountain of sand/salt. I drive by it every day and also wonder what will happen when it melts. I heard someone say that they don't dump the snow into the lake because it's too full of garbage, etc. but if it all melts into the Don RIver, won't it end up in the lake anyways?
The Snow is full of contaminants. Most of all, oodles and oodles of road salt, but also grit, motor oil, cigarette butts, whatever you might expect to find on a road.
As this melts it will have serious environmental consequences. Environmentalists have been trying to get the snow dumps in the valley areas closed for years.
One such dump located across the river from the Beechwood wetland (Beechwood Drive) left the land so contaminated its in need of a major remediation project (and virtually nothing grows there, it left the land black!)
Snow removal should rarely be done, and if it must be, it ought to be brought to a specialized facility which can treat the melt water, before it goes in to the sewers or the lakes.
***
As a side note, for those now enjoying more snow-bank free roads....
You know this operation (snow removal) is costing the city $20,000,000 (million)?
That's enough to build 4 elementary schools, or cut rec. user fees by a 1/3, or build a sparkling new rec. ctr in a needy community or provide universal primary education through most of Central America!
Anyone else not think this is the best use of $20,000,000?
There's also another one of this mountains by the Allen Rd, north of wilson (downsview park).
When i saw it i was happy i didn't have to drive to collingwood anymore to do some snowboarding :P
It's crazy how much they spend of these operations, at least you see the taxes working on something, if it was Central America that money would go to the pockets of those in power (I grew up in Mexico)
Snow removal should rarely be done, and if it must be....
You know this operation (snow removal) is costing the city $20,000,000 (million)?
I don't understand. You think that the streets should be left full of snow? And you believe there are short-term economic reasons that support this?
No really - what will happen when suddenly there will be high temperature rise? As far as I know it happens quite regurarly in Toronto...
By the way - why they do not dump it do the lake?
James - it would be helpful if you put the number into some sort of context. Is that 20 mil for the whole winter? Per snowfall? Now, I don't drive, but the way this city shuts down before the snow gets cleared makes me think this is an utterly essential service. Just listen to the incessant wail of sirens downtown the first few hours after a storm.
Also, beautiful photos. Watching those rigs at work reminds me of being a kid, playing with Tonka Trucks.
If you are wondering where all the pot holes came from this winter.... we found our answer! Just wait to see how much Ashphalt and pieces of the road will be ALL OVER downsview! Not to mention IMPORTFEST will be VERY WET in May!
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