Mayor John Tory and Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Ward 25 Scarborough-Rouge Park and the Mayor’s Resilience and Environmental Champion) will officially mark the beginning of tunnel boring for the Coxwell Bypass Tunnel. The project is the first stage of the Don River and Central Waterfront Wet Weather Flow System project – the largest and most significant stormwater management program in the city’s history. With an overall budget of more than $3 billion, this program will greatly improve the water quality in the Lower Don River, Taylor-Massey Creek and along Toronto’s Inner Harbour by keeping combined sewer overflow out of our waterways through the upgrading of technology and capacity to capture, transport and treat it.
Following speeches above ground, media will have the opportunity to descend into the 50-metre deep shaft where the tunnel boring machine is assembled to capture B-roll and do stand-ups by the machine. After the shaft visit, one-on-one interviews will be conducted above ground with Michael D’Andrea, Chief Engineer, Engineering & Construction Services and Lou Di Gironimo, General Manager, Toronto Water on the significance and benefits of the project and the tunnel construction.
Media must comply with the mandatory health and safety requirements for site entry described below.
Date: Saturday, December 14
Time: 10:15 a.m. Mandatory safety briefing
10:35 a.m. Speeches and media availability
11:05 a.m. B-roll and stand-ups inside the shaft where the tunnel boring machine
is located
11:35 p.m. Above-ground, one-on-one interviews with Michael D’Andrea and Lou Di
Gironimo
Location: Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant shaft site. Parking available at 9 Leslie St. (via
North Service Road). Media will be escorted to the shaft site from the security
building next to the plant access gates once vehicles are parked in the lot.
Mandatory requirements for site entry
Media attending the event must participate in the mandatory safety briefing and wear steel-toe boots, a high visibility vest or jacket and a hard hat as personal protective equipment. Media who do not have a high visibility vest and/or hard hat are asked to confirm this in their RSVP (to media contact below) so these items can be provided onsite. Media personnel who are not wearing the required personal protective equipment will not be allowed on site.
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