Wednesday’s massive storm left its mark across Toronto, bringing damaging winds and torrential rain that flooded roads, knocked down trees and left tens of thousands of people without power at its peak. In all, the city received more than 1,100 storm-related service requests as crews responded to flooding and other hazards.
As of Thursday morning, the skies have cleared, but if you’re planning to spend some time at a beach or park, you still might run into a few storm-related disruptions. Some city-run rec facilities remain closed or affected, and while Toronto’s 10 supervised beaches were expected to reopen at 10 a.m., some are still experiencing flooding impacts.
The city recommends waiting 48 hours after heavy rainfall before going for a swim (this is because runoff can carry bacteria and other pollutants from roads and surrounding areas into waterways). Before you dive into the water in the coming days, make sure to check the City’s current beach water quality.
Some outdoor pools are affected, too. Northwoods and Ledbury outdoor pools won’t open Thursday because of excessive debris, while Lawrence Heights and North Toronto are scheduled for noon openings. High Park’s outdoor pool is still being assessed as of the latest update, while Driftwood Outdoor Pool is closed because of an unrelated mechanical issue (all other outdoor pools are currently unaffected by the storm).
At High Park, as of publication, there’s currently no vehicle access due to a downed tree, although the City hasn’t announced that the park itself is closed to pedestrians. Humber Valley Golf Course remains closed because of fallen trees and downed power lines (officials are hoping to reopen part of the course Thursday afternoon). Scarlett Woods Golf Course is also closed due to flooding.
The good news for anyone heading to the Toronto Islands is that ferry service has returned to normal, including routes to Ward’s Island, Centre Island and Hanlan’s Point!
If you’re getting around by transit, all TTC service is running as scheduled (let’s just hope that buses and subway cars wont be flooded again), although some major roads remain closed as crews continue flood cleanup.
The City says conditions and closures could continue to change as cleanup progresses, so just check its storm response page before heading out.