Why stormwater ponds are not for play

Vaughan has more than 150 stormwater management ponds. These are human-made ponds designed to temporarily hold water before releasing it back into the environment at a controlled rate. In other words, they are not your typical ponds, and they are not meant for recreational use! 

Water constantly flows in and out of stormwater ponds, so water levels are always changing, making any activity in or around them unsafe – including swimming and fishing. Please enjoy the beauty of these ponds from a safe distance.

We’re keeping stormwater ponds in top shape!

City-wide outdoor maintenance operations are underway, and this includes work at all of Vaughan’s stormwater ponds. From May to October, City of Vaughan staff complete three rounds of litter cleanup and grass cutting to ensure we can access each pond for operational purposes. 

As we undergo the work, you may notice some greenery in and around the ponds is left untouched. Here’s why:

Unlike natural bodies of water, stormwater ponds are designed and built to collect rainfall and other runoff. The vegetation growing around them, such as long grass, shrubs and trees, is integral to how the ponds function because they:

• act as safety barriers for pedestrians.
• discourage geese from landing in ponds. 
• improve water quality.
• filter out coarse sediments and pollutants from the water.
• stabilize the ground when water levels fluctuate.

To learn more about Vaughan’s stormwater ponds, visit vaughan.ca/stormwater. 

For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.