I found a couple of good graphics for this:

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From: https://www.researchgate.net/figure...ne-layers-of-sodic-soils-after_fig1_283969475

1597027449557.png
 
I learn a _ton_ from @Northern Light about trees (thank you!) But also, a ton that makes me frustrated at the city’s management of parks/urban forestry :(

You're welcome. If it's any consolation, the City is getting better at Urban Forestry, at least at the design/spec level.

The deficiencies tend to come in the form of execution/project management; and insufficient expertise and time in some staff charged w/overseeing same.

Salt management is in the hands of Transportation for the most part, rather than Parks, Forestry and Recreation; and while they too are improving, they need to be more ambitious.
 
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You're welcome. It it's any consolation, the City is getting better at Urban Forestry, at least at the design/spec level.

The deficiencies tend to come in the form of execution/project management; and insufficient expertise and time in some staff charged w/overseeing same.

Salt management is in the hands of Transportation for the most part, rather than Parks, Forestry and Recreation; and while they too are improving, they need to be more ambitious.
That is part of the expansion of QQE that will be look at as well types of trees.
 
I wonder when the remaining wooden hydro poles will be replaced.

Pictures from Rees and York.

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This is yet another example of Toronto Hydro's foot-dragging and inability to keep to schedules. The last excuse I saw was a year or so ago stating that they needed to get the new Rees transformer station up and running before these customers could move to shiny new underground wires but ..... Sigh.
 
This is yet another example of Toronto Hydro's foot-dragging and inability to keep to schedules. The last excuse I saw was a year or so ago stating that they needed to get the new Rees transformer station up and running before these customers could move to shiny new underground wires but ..... Sigh.

I've come to a conclusion.

There is only one way to deal w/Hydro properly; we need to get you on their Board!
 
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I've come to a conclusion.

There is only one way to deal w/Hydro properly; we need to get you on their Board!
I thought we were chums! I now see you do not have my best interests at heart. :->

To be fair to Toronto Hydro they do have very real (external) constraints; they run a regulated business (supplying hydro) where the regulator (or their government overseer) is not keen to see rate rises but they DO need to upgrade their network and it certainly needs to be expanded as Toronto grows. Then there are the streetlights where the City forced Hydro to set up an unregulated division (TH Street Lighting) and take over a vast network of VERY poorly maintained street lights that should also be updated. (I very much liked David Miller as Mayor but this was a dreadful decision!) However, the City no longer owns the streetlights and will not pay TH to do any upgrading and only wants to pay for 'regular' maintenance and the actual hydro cost. THSL would like to convert all streetlights to LED and probably rewire and replace most of what they inherited. They cannot use 'regulated profits' from the electricity side to do anything with streetlights and the City does not want to take lower dividends from the company (or pay more for streetlighting) so there are no $$ available.
 
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I thought we were chums! I now see you do not have my best interests at heart. :->

I don't know about that!

Aside from any direct benefit to your 'hood........

Retirees can sometimes use a little extra pocket change.............

Toronto Hydro – Board Governance Structure
Remuneration Citizen Chair: $75,000 annual retainer (no meeting fees).
Citizen Directors (other than the Chair): maximum aggregate remuneration of $30,000 based on:
$12,500 annual retainer; plus
$1,000 for each meeting of the Board attended;
$1,000 for each meeting of the board of a subsidiary attended, provided the meeting is other than on a day when there is a meeting of the Board;
$1,000 for each meeting of a committee of the Board attended, provided the meeting is other than on a day when there is a meeting of the Board
and subject to an aggregate annual maximum of $5,000 for meetings of committees of the Board.

You're welcome. LOL
 
Waterfront Toronto today tweeted about their next Queens Quay projects: bridges over the slips from Portland to Parliament and a boardwalk along the East Bayfront, the Sugar Beach segment in front of Corus, George Brown and Sherbourne Common:

Here’s a blog post from January with more details: http://blog.waterfrontoronto.ca/nbe...her-Step-Towards-a-Continuous-Waterfront-Walk

From the sounds of it, the bridges are still in design but the boardwalk is starting construction later this year.

It appears they've settled on the designs for the timber footbridges but no date for when construction will start.

 
I remember, as a kid, seeing old railway ties being used in landscaping. No longer because of the danger.

What Are the Dangers of Treated Railroad Ties?

From link.

It's (was) common to see old railroad ties used in landscaping as retaining walls, landscape edging or raised planter beds, but are there dangers of treated railroad ties you should consider? Railroad ties are treated with chemical preservatives, such as creosote and chromated copper arsenate. Both of these chemicals are banned for residential use, and they're potentially harmful to humans and plants. Make sure you understand the risks of using creosote railroad ties in your landscaping.

Danger to Bare Skin
Studies show skin exposure to creosote-treated products like railroad ties can cause skin blistering or peeling. Humans shouldn't use creosote-treated railroad ties where frequent or prolonged contact with bare skin can occur. Long-term, direct skin exposure to the coal tar creosote in railroad ties, as with all forms of creosote, has been linked to cancer of the skin and scrotum. While railroad ties have weathered by the time they are retired by the railroads, it's recommended to wear long sleeves, pants and work gloves when handling them and washing these separately from other clothing.

Treated Railroad Ties: Inhalation Dangers
Another one of the dangers of treated railroad ties is inhalation. If you have old railroad ties on your property that you want to get rid of, you should never burn them. Burning can release toxins in the air, which can be dangerous to respiratory health. You should also avoid inhaling sawdust from creosote treated wood.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are among 300 chemicals in creosote. PAHs are the same carcinogens contained in cigarette smoke, a known carcinogen. You should avoid inhaling creosote vapors, which can be released by heat. The vapors of creosote tars can build up, as in chimneys. Railroad ties should never be burned in fireplaces or outdoors.
So what should you do if you want to dispose of old creosote-treated wood? The EPA creosote disposal guidelines state that the treated wood can usually go into the regular trash collection stream, such as municipal solid waste. You should check on local and state regulations, though. Some areas may have restrictions on throwing away wood treated with creosote.

Water Contamination Dangers
The dangers of treated railroad ties aren't limited to you and your family. Railroad ties can leach creosote into soil and water systems. Eating food or drinking water with high levels of creosote may cause burning in the mouth and throat, stomach pains, severe skin irritation, convulsions, and kidney and liver problems in humans.
If the creosote leaches into the groundwater, it can adversely affect the ecosystem and the water quality. Sealing creosote-treated wood may help a little, but the chemicals may still find their way into the soil and groundwater. Railroad ties that are oozing creosote or smell strongly aren't safe to use.

Gardens With Creosote Railroad Ties
Railroad ties seem like an inexpensive way to build raised beds or garden borders, but the dangers of treated railroad ties can outweigh the cost savings. The chemicals can seep into the ground and cause issues, especially if you see creosote leaking out of the wood. Contamination of the ground can cause the plants to die. Growing vegetables in a creosote planting bed is particularly dangerous because the chemicals could make their way into the food you eat.
It's best to go the safe route and choose a wood that isn't treated with dangerous chemicals. While older railroad ties that no longer have a strong smell or ooze creosote should be safe, it's still a risk, especially if you're using the wood in garden areas or where people will come into contact with the wood.
 
Oh I'm sure they'll get to it, at some point in time. Eventually. Whenever.

Toronto will be a nice place when it's finished.

The only thing that's ever 'finished' can be found in a museum, even what's buried in a cemetery.........ummm.....evolves.
 

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