Sewer History: Photos and Graphics

Exploring Canada's Underground Infrastructure
(Click on thumbnails to enlarge image)

Toronto and other Canadian cities adopted the European model of large sewers meant to allow human travel for maintenance and repair. The early sewers shown here are largely combined sewer/storm water system, requiring large pipes and storage chambers to deal with occasional heavy flow. These photos of sewers and drains in Toronto, Hamilton, and other Canadian cities are courtesy of Michael Cook of Vanishing Point.

Note: Photography in sewers is hazardous and should only be performed by trained personnel with proper equipment and permission.

Toronto

In 1954, Metro Toronto government assumed responsibility for wastewater treatment throughout the area that has now been amalgamated as the current city, and moved to close the outer borough's smaller treatment plants, build new sanitary trunk sewers up the city's river systems, and centralize operations at large plants along the waterfront.

Combined Sewers - Garrison Creek Sewer

There are two distinct pipes that together bear the title "Garrison Creek Sewer." The first, or "old" sewer, buried the Garrison Creek in 1884-1885, and was built by A.W. Godson and Alan J. Browne for the City of Toronto. Parts of this first sewer still carry the creek and the area's sewage, while other parts are semi-abandoned or have been repurposed as an overflow sewer. The second, "new" Garrison sewer was installed c. 1910-1912 as part of a wider programme of sewer improvements tied in with the construction of the city's first interceptor system.

See Garrison Creek Sewer and Burying the Garrison Creek: A History on Michael Cooks' Vanishing Point website. All photos and descriptions are courtesy of Michael Cook.

View of the crossing Brockton-Beaconsfield tributary sewer as it crosses the Garrison Relief Sewer and heads into Trinity-Bellwoods to connect with the Garrison sewer. In the foreground, a small storm sewer connection.

Junction at Barton Avenue.

Beneath the (buried) bridge at Harbord Street.

Modern junctions beneath Bloor Street.

Garrison Creek Sewer.

Detail from P.A. Gross' Lithographic Bird's Eye View of Toronto (1876), showing the Garrison Creek a decade before it was buried.

Beneath Christie Pits.

Overflow junction between New and Old Garrison Sewers.

Brockton-Beaconsfield sewer overflow chamber. When this local tributary sewer is running strongly, sewage will overflow from the open trough down through the ducts at right into the Garrison Relief Sewer.

Old Garrison Sewer, northernmost extent.

Modern concrete duct installed to facility the construction of the Bloor Subway, the Bickford Centre, or both.

Sunday Washing.

Garrison Creek Sewer, near College Street.

Diagrams of Toronto sewers. Note that top centre, the "Garrison Creek Storm Sewer" is the Garrison Creek Relief Sewer, while top right, the "Garrison Creek Storm Sewer" is the new Garrison Creek Sewer, a combined sewer.

Combined Sewers - High Park Trunk Sewer

The High Park Trunk Sewer was installed on the northern border of High Park in 1914 as part of a programme of ravine filling and service provision to pave the way for residential development.

See High Park Trunk Sewer on Michael Cooks' Vanishing Point website. All photos and descriptions are courtesy of Michael Cook.

The large amount of warm sewage flooding this sewer from the massive apartment tower complex around Pacific Avenue seems to always fog the lens. This was the best image I captured from my first trip into the tunnel.

Diversion chamber for the High Park Trunk Sewer. A drain below the ladder rungs in the centre of the photograph diverts the flow of the sewer to the High-Level Interceptor. The drop beyond the right wall leads to the Parkside Drive Relief Sewer.

High Park Trunk Sewer near Pacific Avenue.

The main, brick pipe is the Parkside Drive Relief Sewer. The concrete conduit on the right is a more modern addition, providing an overflow connection for the High Park Trunk Sewer (which previously connected to the Parkside Stand-by Tanks).

In the High Park Trunk Sewer.