What are these?

[Lukey]

Hi all,

I know this isn`t directly Hamilton related, but seeing as I was a former resident of the city until a new job had me move I was hoping someone might be able to help me out.

I recently moved to London and have now begun my search for a home. I think I may have found one but there some concerns I have. I`ve attempted to contact the city planning department but seem to get someone who isn`t `sure` they are providing the correct answer.

This development is in Westmount, just south of Commissioners. When I drive through the subdivision, I see these
The screenshot is from 502 Crestwood and there are a number of them throughout the subdivision, but I don`t see them anywhere else in London.

When talking with the realtor in charge of sales, he mentioned that it`s a new requirement by the city to prevent pipes from breaking, in that if the water pressure underground gets too great, then water will come out of these `hooks`.

I`m hoping that someone can anyone confirm this, or know exactly what they are, why they are there. I`ve taken a drive through other new subdivisions and don`t see them at all, so I`m not quite sure what to think....

[bornagainbiking]

I am not sure but something is coming up here. First is there any odour coming from them. I seem to recall that they may be vent pipes for methane gas or possible underground pressure. What was under your subdivision before, was it an old landfill?
As for the water idea any water shooting out of the pipe downward would just blast a hole in the soft soil around the pipe and considering the volume and pressure you could have just as much flooding in the immediate area. like your yard and basement. maybe if it was a concern they would have a run off or flood plain.

[urban_planner]

The only time I have ever seen pipes like this was for ventalation for covered over landfills.

Definatly don't think this is the case here but I am also now curious to find out.

[thistleclub]

The schools to the west opened in the late '50s and the surrounding subdivisions (nearby streets like Oakley, Floresta, Manitou Way) date to the late 50s, early '60s, with some variation -- streets like Crestwood and Cumming are maybe late '60s, early '70s, while Amberly and its tributaries were laid in the 80s. Even so, I doubt that a noxious landfill was dropped into the middle of the neighbourhood. Ancaster's long-time town dump was out on Jerseyville Road west of Shaver (now remediated into soccer pitches). It's maybe a wetland that was filled in. Look at the name: Crestwood. My guess is that the development displaced nature.

Edited to add: I really need coffee. I'm using the wrong map. Even so, I think that the name could be a tell.

[holymoly]

I poked around Google to try to figure it out. Funnily, the closest I got was an art piece by Beth Krebs.

"Ceci n'est pas une pipe, 2007, is an outdoor sound sculpture. The "decoy" pipes, made from paper mache, mimic the curved pipes that sit on the sidewalk next to buildings, and whose purpose is to provide an escape for gases in the plumbing lines. As people walked by, the pipes emitted belching sounds."
Maybe your pipes do the same (without the belching!)

If you're curious, a video of the piece in action is here.