A water leak from a line leading to a public restroom may have been part of the problem behind soggy conditions at Bridgeview Park.
That according to Manny Baron, the town’s chief administrative officer.
Bear Creek runs through Bridgeview Park, which becomes a flood plan during heavy rain events and spring run off.
But this year, the park had been under water constantly.
The west end of the park had pools of water in the lawn and surrounding the children’s play equipment. Cattails had begun to grow in some areas because of the standing, stagnant water.
Baron says much of the problem lies with a holding pond on the western edge of the conservation area. It collects rainwater from Petrolia Line and is suppose to release it back into the creek. But Baron says the holding pond doesn’t seem to be working as designed and may be causing more problems than it solves.
The conservation authority agreed and has designed a fix for the standing water, however it is waiting for government grants to complete the project.
Baron suggested that after a summer where the park was constantly underwater, the town might consider putting up some of its own funding to get the job done.
While he says that work still needs to be completed, the holding pond is likely not the only source of the water problems.
Town workers recently discovered a water leak at the public washroom while they were trying to repair a water line for the fry truck in the park.
Baron says they dug up the area and found a “small leak” and repaired it. Then, they drained all the standing water around the washroom in the hopes it would stay dry. By press time, the areas were dry and the summer staff had been able to cut and rake up most of the high grass in the area.
Baron is hopeful the fix will ease the problem, but adds he will be watching to see what happens when more rain comes.