Summer maintenance operations update
As the summer continues, the
City of Vaughan’s Public Works team is working hard to provide quality services
to enhance and maintain Vaughan’s parks, forests, streets and rivers, and to keep
the community safe, clean and beautiful. Below are some updates on the summer
maintenance operations so far:
Forestry maintenance
Continued storm cleanup efforts from the May 21 windstorm are in the final stages. General tree removal and maintenance services will resume once the storm damage work has been completed. Your patience is appreciated while this work continues.
Once storm cleanup is complete, regular tree maintenance will operate at full capacity. Approximately 16,000 trees have been pruned so far in 2022. Any hazards that need to be removed, such as trees or branches, are responded to in a priority sequence. The City will also begin removing tree stumps — there are currently 800 stumps and counting on the list.
To help control the spongy moth population, inspections of more than 8,000 City-owned trees began in April throughout heavily infested areas. Staff have effectively removed egg masses from more than 3,000 trees so far this season. In May, the City installed barrier bands on vulnerable trees in street and park locations with a high level of infestation. Also in May, the City began applying Btk sprays (a biological control product that is non-toxic to animals, humans, plants and most other insects). So far, about 100 trees have been sprayed in select parks. Tree Azin™ (a biological control product) injections are also in progress in selected woodlots, with about 400 trees already injected.
Watch this step-by-step video on how to install burlap bands to help protect trees on your private property.
Park litter and debris cleanup
The City’s spring-cleaning blitz began in March with the collection of litter from Vaughan’s parks and open spaces – a total of 2,750 bags of litter have been collected so far. These efforts continue alongside weekly park garbage collection and turf-cutting, which occurs bi-weekly.
Horticulture refresh
Shrub and planting bed maintenance (pruning, mulching, weeding, litter cleanup and watering) continue to run on a regular rotation, while seasonal renovations ramp up. To date, staff have put out 750 hanging baskets, planted 600 planters and installed 50,000 annuals in beds across all five wards.
The City continues its Grow with Vaughan sponsorship program, which aims to support small businesses through a cost-effective and highly visible partnership opportunity. In the program’s second year, there are 13 sponsorship beds and 11 large sponsorship planters at central locations in Vaughan. As well, there are also planters for Pride Week, Indigenous People’s Day and the Thornhill Archive Project – created to beautify Thornhill and add historical nostalgia to the area.
Street sweeping and road maintenance
City crews performed their annual city-wide street sweeping efforts from March to November. More than 2,475 bags of litter and debris have been removed from city boulevards (a total of 130 hectares).
City crews have repaired 3,112 potholes on Vaughan streets this year. The City also inspects more than 1,000 lane-kilometres of sidewalks annually for any defects and will schedule repairs; curb and sidewalk repairs began in May.
Additionally, annual grass cutting launched in May with a total of 13 rotations (where staff cut grass throughout the city 13 different times), each running for two weeks.
Traffic services
So far this summer, the City has replaced 48
streetlight poles and repaired and re-energized a total of 442 streetlights to
enhance safety and visibility for all road users. Additionally, a total of 85
new speed boards have been installed throughout Vaughan to help inform and
promote road safety and obeying speed limits.
Stormwater and wastewater services
Three rounds of litter pickup and grass cutting takes place at the City’s stormwater management ponds — the first round will be completed by the end of this week. Litter pickup is undertaken in all non-aquatic areas prior to grass cutting, which takes place along the perimeter of the pond. Over 1,000 bags of litter and debris have been collected from the City’s stormwater management ponds so far this year.
Water maintenance
In April, the City began its annual inspection of fire hydrants and continues to perform flushing of watermains and valve cycling to keep pipes clean, clear and operational. Staff have inspected 5,475 hydrants and cycled 2,199 valves. Staff also attend water shut off and turn on requests, which typically increase during the spring and summer months. Non-emergency water shut off and turn on requests must be submitted four to six weeks before the shut off or turn on is required.
These maintenance efforts demonstrate how Vaughan’s Public Works professionals continue to go above and beyond to provide essential services that safeguard and enhance the quality of life in this growing city. This work reflects many priorities in the 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan, including Active, Safe and Diverse Communities; Environmental Stewardship; Citizen Experience; and Operational Performance.
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