The April 30, 2025, Infrastructure & Community Investment Committee meeting agenda included consideration of a motion to approve funding for this project, and Open Delegations concerning the feasibility of establishing parkland from Mulcaster Street to the border of Sam Cancilla Park at the same time, including a legal review.
▶️ Watch the meeting & open delegation
The following motion was adopted at the May 14 City Council meeting:
- That a new capital project be approved to decommission the Bayview Park Reservoir and complete the removal of its associated Booster Pumping Station at Sam Cancilla Park with a budget of $2,565,000 to be funded 100% from the Water Capital Reserve, subject to the return of $2,565,000 from other Water Capital Reserve funded projects in the 2025 Capital Status Report.
- That Capital Project 001251 - Sam Cancilla Master Plan and implementation be approved and moved up to commence in 2025 simultaneously with the Bayview Park Reservoir Project and as part of this project staff review the design concept presented by Mr. M. Hassey at the Infrastructure and Community Investment Committee Meeting of April 30, 2025 and staff engage with the property owner at Dunlop Street and Mulcaster Street.
About the Reservoir & Pumping Station
The project includes the decommissioning of the underground reservoir and complete removal of its booster pumping station located at Sam Cancilla Park (157 Dunlop Street East).
The reservoir and pumping station were removed from operation 20 years ago. This infrastructure is not required to be connected to the drinking water system in the future. Due to the structure’s age (built in the 1950’s) and physical location beneath a public park, a structural condition assessment of the site was carried out on April 9, 2024. The assessment was to understand associated risks present and focused on identifying structural deficiencies, testing the structural components, and conducting a desktop structural analysis to determine load capacity of the reservoir roof.
The pumping station is attached on the east side of the reservoir, with a portion constructed on top of it. Although a condition assessment and structural analyses were not completed on the pumping station, visual signs of deterioration are present.
Project Features
To ensure public safety at Sam Cancilla Park and allow for daily park operations to restart, including landscaping maintenance activities, the following is required:
- Partial demolition the reservoir roof system
- Filling of the empty reservoir with granular material
- Demolition and removal of the pumping station and its pipeline connections
- Decommissioning of the overflow pipe connected from the pumping station to Lake Simcoe
- Landscape improvements to the area