"Wednesday's sinkhole, on the north side of Wellesley Street just east of Church Street, was described by Toronto police as being about 2.5 metres long, although CBC Toronto staff on the scene estimated it to be about half that size. Within hours, city crews had patched the hole with asphalt, although that section of Wellesley Street, mainly a bike lane, remained blocked with cones and taped off a day later."
"City staff blame 150-year-old water pipes that run beneath the intersection, combined with sandy soil. When a leak in the aged pipes happens, the surrounding earth can be washed away, causing the road above to collapse, staff say."
"Sereda said traffic disruption in the area caused by the sinkholes is generally minimal. "If it continues to happen, that's certainly something our office is going to explore further," he said."
Seven sinkholes have opened in or near the Church-Wellesley intersection over three years, with two occurring within two weeks. City staff attribute the collapses to 150-year-old water pipes beneath the intersection combined with sandy soil, where leaks can wash away surrounding earth and collapse the road. The most recent sinkhole appeared on the north side of Wellesley Street just east of Church Street and was described with differing size estimates. City crews patched the hole quickly with asphalt, but a bike lane remained blocked. Officials noted only two water main breaks from 2012 to 2022 and said 2025 shows increased deterioration.
Read at www.cbc.ca
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