The city could spend almost $2.8 million by 2032 on two projects to help mitigate water problems behind a dozen Marta Crescent homes in southwest Barrie.
Councillors received a memo about the projects at Wednesday’s infrastructure and community investment committee meeting.
“I believe the two projects … represent a crucial step forward in addressing the longstanding issue of wet backyards on Marta Crescent,” said Coun. Nigussie Nigussie, who represents this part of Barrie.
“While the temporary measures currently in place have provided short-term relief, we are actively working toward a permanent solution, which will take significant time and resources," he added.
Homeowners on Marta Crescent, located near Ferndale and Summerset drives, have been reporting that standing water in the Bear Creek wetland has been rising during the past several years and this is consistent with city staff observations.
Elevated water levels have caused standing water in the backyards of some homes on Marta Crescent, and residents have expressed concerns from aesthetic and safety perspectives.
A city consultant’s assessment is that the main reasons for the wetland changes are deposited sediment carried from Ardagh Bluffs and the increased prevalence of phragmites, which is an invasive, aggressive plant that spreads quickly and out-competes native species for water and nutrients. It releases toxins from its roots into the soil to hinder the growth of and kill surrounding plants.
The build-up of sediment and the phragmites have prevented water from flowing through the Bear Creek tributary, which passes through the wetland behind Marta Crescent, and has inundated the surrounding wetland, causing water levels to rise.
Last year, council approved funding for the capital construction and ongoing maintenance of a dewatering program at Marta Crescent and the Bear Creek wetland. This included $350,000 in 2023 and an additional $400,000 to pay for ongoing operations and maintenance of the dewatering this year.
The interim solution was to build a temporary cofferdam to isolate the backyards from the wetland, then pump the water out of that area.
Construction began in late September 2023 and was substantially completed in November 2023.
“I understand residents’ concerns about the long timeline and agree that a faster resolution would be ideal,” Nigussie said. “For now, the temporary measures have allowed residents to continue using their yards, but we know a permanent solution is needed.
“The city’s approach has considered both the sustainable long-term solution and the need for immediate relief,” he added. “The cofferdam constructed last year and pumped regularly was the quickest way to provide some improvement.”
City staff say the temporary cofferdam has provided some relief to residents in that it has largely removed standing water from their backyards, except for after rainfall.
However, it is an imperfect solution. The construction impacted the existing vegetation, involved the construction of a temporary access road and has made the standing water in the wetland more visible.
The cofferdam and pumping does not address the root cause and still leaves the residents with wet properties. This is not unexpected given that the area is part of the Bear Creek wetland, and caused by erosion and sedimentation in the larger system.
A better solution was always going to be required to provide the permanent long-term solution for the area.
City staff will be recommending two projects to be included in the 2025-2034 capital plan, which will be presented to council later this year.
The first project is regrading the impacted backyards to raise them above the standing water level. This project is forecast to be complete by 2027. It will involve property access agreements with each property owner before being done. The proposed budget for this project in the draft 2025 capital plan is $1,173,000.
The second project is re-establishing the Bear Creek tributary through this part of the wetland, to stabilize the wetland water levels and allow excess water to drain away. This project will begin with an environmental assessment in 2026, then go through design and construction, and is forecast for completion in 2032. Its budget proposed in the draft 2025 capital plan is $1,602,000.
“The backyard regrading will be a major improvement for the property owners and would be completed by 2026 or 2027,” Nigussie said. “Then finally, the channel through the wetland will proceed to establish the long-term solution in 2032.”
Until the regrading of the backyards is complete, the city will continue to operate the cofferdam and pump periodically through the spring, summer and fall.
Staff will speak with residents on Marta Crescent and Kierland Road about the proposed capital projects now that city councillors have seen the memo.
“I know this issue has been ongoing long before my term, and we are finally addressing it,” Nigussie said. “These measures … ensure that the residents of Marta Crescent get the support they need as quickly as possible.”
