Thu, November 1, 2007
Thousands of workers forced out of downtown, big bucks in business lost after watermain break, sinkhole and power outage
An old watermain finally gave out yesterday at Dundas and Wellington streets. Power was out for more than 10 hours in the area of Dufferin, Ridout, York and Colbourne streets. (MORRIS LAMONT Sun Media)
The power was still out and there was a gaping sinkhole in the heart of London, but already the fingerpointing had begun.
As the head of the city's chamber of commerce estimated the loss in business yesterday from the downtown sinkhole and subsequent power blackout in the hundreds of thousands -- if not millions -- of dollars, the mayor blamed the provincial and federal governments for neglecting cities, leaving them without help in dealing with the crumbling services.
"We need support from other levels of government," said Mayor Anne Marie DeCicco-Best.
"We have designated resources to get a head start on that (infrastructure renewal). (But) it would make a more significant impact if other levels of government realized without their help, these types of situations will occur."
Said Gerry Macartney, head of the London Chamber of Commerce: "These are the prices we pay as a city, as a province, as a country for largely ignoring the infrastructure needs all these many years."
A 12-inch watermain, at least 60 years old, burst beneath the northeast Wellington-Dundas streets intersection in the pre-dawn hours yesterday, ultimately collapsing a huge section of the road and leading to the cutting of power to scores of businesses.
Onlookers were stunned at the size of the sinkhole: It was as big and deep as a large backyard swimming pool.
It was the fourth large downtown blackout in the last year and it underscored concerns about the state of the city's infrastructure.
And the interruption it brought to businesses may have long-term implications, business leaders warned.
"This happens too frequently," said Macartney. "You could create some investment jitters where people say 'Do I really want to establish my business there?'
"The problem is if it keeps reoccurring."
Infrastructure replacement has long been on city council's radar: Council has approved a plan to double the annual budget for replacing it to $20 million, over 20 years. But other aging pipes could break down before being replaced, city officials admit.
"We could possibly see it again. Hopefully it doesn't happen in this sensitive an area but we can't predict that," said city engineer Pete Steblin.
"Just like every older city, the City of London has infrastructure challenges."
"You can't replace them all at once," Steblin said.
Other blackouts in the last year:
- Last Oct. 14, 20,000 customers were without power because of an equipment malfunction.
- On Jan. 12, three downtown office towers, the same ones affected yesterday, were darkened due to equipment failure.
- On May 7, 11,000 homes and businesses were affected when a cable blew in a downtown transformer.
Even with London's plan to increase spending on things such as watermains and roads, it's tough to keep ahead of breakdowns.
"This is a very good method of keeping pace," Steblin said. "You can't replace them all at once and you have to avoid boom and bust. You can't spend $100 million one year and none the next."
About 1,400 kilometres of watermain pipes snake beneath the city, and between 150 and 200 of them burst each year. Most aren't under major intersections and adjacent to hydro vaults -- the factors that complicated things yesterday.
City hall was among the buildings shut down in the blackout. And the timing wasn't lost on board of control, which was about to table the water and sewage budgets, nor other councillors.
"(It) brings home in a pretty practical way that we've got to pay attention to our water and sewers," Coun. Susan Eagle said in a darkened city hall. "We're being reminded how important that part of our budget is."
While Macartney suggested some chamber members are irked by the business interruption, one Dundas Street merchant was in a forgiving mood.
"(They city's) doing exactly what I want them to do. They're going to work on it until it's done," said Carol Bennett, whose arcade, Head 2 Head Games, was plunged into darkness.
"I'm sure you'll find a lot of people who are upset, but it's nobody's fault. It's just life."
DeCicco-Best, however, suggested Queen's Park and Ottawa could go a long way to helping London avoid any such future troubles.
"Every city across this country can give you a list of infrastructure needs that are very significant," she said.
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