Raymore Drive
Encyclopedia
Raymore Drive is a mostly residential street in the Weston neighbourhood of Toronto
in the Canad
ian province of Ontario
. It runs next to the Humber River
. On October 15, 1954, the area was severely affected
by Hurricane Hazel
. When the Humber River burst its banks and tore away a footbridge
, the waters of the Humber were redirected through the neighbourhood. The flood killed 35 residents and washed away 39 percent of the street. Altogether, Hazel was responsible for 81 deaths in Canada. Subsequent residential development in that area was prohibited. The properties were expropriated and made into Raymore Park.
family, the namesake for Scarlett Road, until the mid-1850s. In 1857, Rowland Burr, a local businessman, proposed to build a canal between Lake Ontario
and Georgian Bay
on Lake Huron
, which would have used part of the Humber River
where it passes Raymore Drive. This project was not completed, and instead the Trent Canal, which links Lake Huron at Severn
to Lake Ontario at Trenton
, roughly 150 km (93.2 mi) to the northeast, was built to serve the purpose.
The area instead became residential, and by the mid-1950s, Raymore Drive was home to a mix of retirees and blue-collar workers. Near the intersection of Raymore Drive and Gilhaven Avenue, a footbridge was built over the Humber to facilitate travel to Weston's main commercial area. At the time, Raymore Drive went from Scarlett Road, mostly along the Humber River, passing Brownlea Avenue, Waterton Road, Tilden Crescent, and Gilhaven Avenue. Raymore continued to follow the Humber on its right bank, and curved back to end at Gilhaven. Before the street curved south, only the south side of Raymore Drive had houses, while when the streets went north to south, homes lined both sides of the street.
was a powerful hurricane which gained strength in the Caribbean Sea
and made landfall near the Carolinas' border in the United States. Defying meteorologists' prediction, the storm quickly traveled north towards Canada, and merged with a cold front
around Pennsylvania
. Hazel lost its tropical characteristics, but, contrary to the predictions again, it did not lose its strength.
When it arrived in Toronto on October 15, 1954, the situation was exacerbated by a multitude of factors. Firstly, the region had received above-average rainfall, with more than six weeks' worth received in the previous 16 days. As a result, the water table
was saturated and as much as 90 percent of up to 200 mm (7.9 in) of the storm rainfall went directly into the waterways, such as the Humber River. Secondly, Raymore Drive and the rest of the neighbourhood were partially located in the floodplain of the Humber River and were consequently very vulnerable if the water level rose substantially. Finally, Torontonians were not familiar with hurricanes nor heavy flooding, which led to complacency or confusion. In one case, a long-time resident believed that the water would not rise high enough to endanger lives, which led others to stay, despite warnings to the contrary from the many other residents. Some later waded through cold nose-deep waters to alert and rescue neighbours.
The narrow Humber River became overfull, and water could not be contained at Raymore Drive. At first, the Humber was causing slow flooding, which allowed some residents to evacuate. However, as the water rose, the footbridge became unstable, and was eventually torn off one abutment, but it was not immediately swept away. Due to the size of the river, the bridge was big enough to substantially redirect debris and water onto Raymore Drive and into the neighbourhood. The water rose by over 6 metres (19.7 ft) in a flood that suddenly became violent. The Humber's waters eventually seized the bridge, which became akin to a battering ram and caused property damage.
Aided by the severed bridge, the water swept entire homes away.The massive flood destroyed 366 metres (1,200.8 ft) (39 percent) of the road as well as 14 homes, many with their occupants inside. Some areas were fully submerged by the river, while where the heavy flood had started to recede, it only left mud in its wake. Many victims' bodies were never recovered. The worst-hit home was located at 148 Raymore Drive, which was shared by the Edwards and Neil families. Nine inhabitants died—three adults and six children; the bodies of two-year old Frank and three-month old John Edwards were never recovered.
The rise of the river was unprecedented and some residents did not evacuate, which led to the high death toll. The Army
was called in to assist in the cleanup. The flood damage was so severe that the area that was flooded along Raymore Drive ceased to be a residential area
and became a park because of the risk of a similar flood happening again. In contrast, some homes on the street that were a little higher and farther away from the river's bend escaped with as little as minor flooding in the basement. Of the 81 Canadian casualties as a result of Hurricane Hazel, 35 lived on Raymore Drive.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Hazel, land in heavily flooded areas was expropriated, and residential development on it was prohibited. In the case of Raymore Drive, everything east of Tilden Crescent was turned into a park, which shares its name with the street. The footbridge was rebuilt in 1995 a few metres downstream. An abutment from the old bridge to this day remains in the park after being carried up by the waters, and the other is in the river.
Raymore Drive is a mostly residential street today. Since Hazel, the street until Tilden Crescent has not changed significantly, but after Tilden, it is an access road to Raymore Park. The street ends in a parking lot for visitors, which is located where Gilhaven Avenue previously ran. Raymore Park includes the former residential area between Tilden Crescent and the Humber River, and extends a bit more to the south of the former neighbourhood. The majority of the former residential area was washed away when the river burst its banks. The park has an area of 11.8 ha (29.2 acre) and contains a 1.44 km (0.894776740775722 mi) trail, playground, and baseball diamonds.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in the Canad
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
ian province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It runs next to the Humber River
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
. On October 15, 1954, the area was severely affected
Effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada
The effects of Hurricane Hazel in Canada included 81 deaths and C$137,552,400 in damages. Hazel, the deadliest and costliest storm of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season, reached Toronto, Ontario by the evening of October 15, 1954...
by Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane...
. When the Humber River burst its banks and tore away a footbridge
Footbridge
A footbridge or pedestrian bridge is a bridge designed for pedestrians and in some cases cyclists, animal traffic and horse riders, rather than vehicular traffic. Footbridges complement the landscape and can be used decoratively to visually link two distinct areas or to signal a transaction...
, the waters of the Humber were redirected through the neighbourhood. The flood killed 35 residents and washed away 39 percent of the street. Altogether, Hazel was responsible for 81 deaths in Canada. Subsequent residential development in that area was prohibited. The properties were expropriated and made into Raymore Park.
Early history
Raymore Drive and Raymore Park are located on land which was owned by the ScarlettJohn Scarlett (Toronto)
John Scarlett was an merchant-miller who played a significant role in the development of the part of the historic York Township that later became the Junction neighbourhood of Toronto.- Early Life :...
family, the namesake for Scarlett Road, until the mid-1850s. In 1857, Rowland Burr, a local businessman, proposed to build a canal between Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
and Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay
Georgian Bay is a large bay of Lake Huron, located entirely within Ontario, Canada...
on Lake Huron
Lake Huron
Lake Huron is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Hydrologically, it comprises the larger portion of Lake Michigan-Huron. It is bounded on the east by the Canadian province of Ontario and on the west by the state of Michigan in the United States...
, which would have used part of the Humber River
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
where it passes Raymore Drive. This project was not completed, and instead the Trent Canal, which links Lake Huron at Severn
Severn, Ontario
Severn is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, located between Lake Couchiching, and the Severn River in Simcoe County...
to Lake Ontario at Trenton
Trenton, Ontario
Trenton is a community in Southern Ontario in the municipality of Quinte West, Ontario, Canada. Located on the Bay of Quinte, it is the main population centre in Quinte West....
, roughly 150 km (93.2 mi) to the northeast, was built to serve the purpose.
The area instead became residential, and by the mid-1950s, Raymore Drive was home to a mix of retirees and blue-collar workers. Near the intersection of Raymore Drive and Gilhaven Avenue, a footbridge was built over the Humber to facilitate travel to Weston's main commercial area. At the time, Raymore Drive went from Scarlett Road, mostly along the Humber River, passing Brownlea Avenue, Waterton Road, Tilden Crescent, and Gilhaven Avenue. Raymore continued to follow the Humber on its right bank, and curved back to end at Gilhaven. Before the street curved south, only the south side of Raymore Drive had houses, while when the streets went north to south, homes lined both sides of the street.
Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane HazelHurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane...
was a powerful hurricane which gained strength in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and made landfall near the Carolinas' border in the United States. Defying meteorologists' prediction, the storm quickly traveled north towards Canada, and merged with a cold front
Cold front
A cold front is defined as the leading edge of a cooler mass of air, replacing a warmer mass of air.-Development of cold front:The cooler and denser air wedges under the less-dense warmer air, lifting it...
around Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Hazel lost its tropical characteristics, but, contrary to the predictions again, it did not lose its strength.
When it arrived in Toronto on October 15, 1954, the situation was exacerbated by a multitude of factors. Firstly, the region had received above-average rainfall, with more than six weeks' worth received in the previous 16 days. As a result, the water table
Water table
The water table is the level at which the submarine pressure is far from atmospheric pressure. It may be conveniently visualized as the 'surface' of the subsurface materials that are saturated with groundwater in a given vicinity. However, saturated conditions may extend above the water table as...
was saturated and as much as 90 percent of up to 200 mm (7.9 in) of the storm rainfall went directly into the waterways, such as the Humber River. Secondly, Raymore Drive and the rest of the neighbourhood were partially located in the floodplain of the Humber River and were consequently very vulnerable if the water level rose substantially. Finally, Torontonians were not familiar with hurricanes nor heavy flooding, which led to complacency or confusion. In one case, a long-time resident believed that the water would not rise high enough to endanger lives, which led others to stay, despite warnings to the contrary from the many other residents. Some later waded through cold nose-deep waters to alert and rescue neighbours.
The narrow Humber River became overfull, and water could not be contained at Raymore Drive. At first, the Humber was causing slow flooding, which allowed some residents to evacuate. However, as the water rose, the footbridge became unstable, and was eventually torn off one abutment, but it was not immediately swept away. Due to the size of the river, the bridge was big enough to substantially redirect debris and water onto Raymore Drive and into the neighbourhood. The water rose by over 6 metres (19.7 ft) in a flood that suddenly became violent. The Humber's waters eventually seized the bridge, which became akin to a battering ram and caused property damage.
Aided by the severed bridge, the water swept entire homes away.The massive flood destroyed 366 metres (1,200.8 ft) (39 percent) of the road as well as 14 homes, many with their occupants inside. Some areas were fully submerged by the river, while where the heavy flood had started to recede, it only left mud in its wake. Many victims' bodies were never recovered. The worst-hit home was located at 148 Raymore Drive, which was shared by the Edwards and Neil families. Nine inhabitants died—three adults and six children; the bodies of two-year old Frank and three-month old John Edwards were never recovered.
The rise of the river was unprecedented and some residents did not evacuate, which led to the high death toll. The Army
Canadian Forces Land Force Command
The Canadian Army , previously called Land Force Command, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces. The current size of the Army is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers...
was called in to assist in the cleanup. The flood damage was so severe that the area that was flooded along Raymore Drive ceased to be a residential area
Residential area
A residential area is a land use in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single family housing, multi-family residential, or mobile homes. Zoning for residential use may permit...
and became a park because of the risk of a similar flood happening again. In contrast, some homes on the street that were a little higher and farther away from the river's bend escaped with as little as minor flooding in the basement. Of the 81 Canadian casualties as a result of Hurricane Hazel, 35 lived on Raymore Drive.
After Hazel
Raymore Drive is a mostly residential street today. Since Hazel, the street until Tilden Crescent has not changed significantly, but after Tilden, it is an access road to Raymore Park. The street ends in a parking lot for visitors, which is located where Gilhaven Avenue previously ran. Raymore Park includes the former residential area between Tilden Crescent and the Humber River, and extends a bit more to the south of the former neighbourhood. The majority of the former residential area was washed away when the river burst its banks. The park has an area of 11.8 ha (29.2 acre) and contains a 1.44 km (0.894776740775722 mi) trail, playground, and baseball diamonds.
See also
- History of TorontoHistory of TorontoThe Toronto area was home to a number of First Nations groups who lived on the shore of Lake Ontario. At various times, the Neutral, Seneca, Mohawk and Cayuga nations were living in the vicinity of Toronto. The first permanent European presence was the French trading fort Fort Rouillé, which was...
- Geography and climate of TorontoGeography and climate of TorontoThe city of Toronto, Canada, covers an area of and is bounded by Lake Ontario to the south, Etobicoke Creek and Highway 427 to the west, Steeles Avenue to the north, and the Rouge River to the east. In addition to Etobicoke Creek and the Rouge River, the city is trisected by two minor rivers and...
- List of Toronto parks
External links
- List of Canadian fatalities as a result of Hurricane Hazel from the Canadian Hurricane CentreCanadian Hurricane CentreThe Canadian Hurricane Centre is a division of the Meteorological Service of Canada, an agency of Canada's Department of the Environment, which exists to advise Canadians on the threat of tropical cyclones such as hurricanes and tropical storms...