Hurricane Hazel | Weston Historical

Bulldozers brought in to shore up the earth

Martin Proctor writes: “The negative was undated, but the image was likely taken by Edgar Parsons on the 17th or 18th of October 1954. Efforts to reconnect Weston with the bridge are rapidly underway, with bulldozers brought in to shore up the earth and rebuild the approach to the bridge. The view is taken from Little Avenue, facing west towards the bridge on Lawrence linking Weston with Etobicoke.”

Bridge had survived the deluge relatively undamaged

Martin Proctor writes: “While the Wadsworth Arch Bridge had survived the deluge relatively undamaged, the raised earth and roadway that formed the western approach to the bridge was washed away with a great deal of earth in the river basin. The raised objects beyond the bridge are part of the sewer system that usually would have been mostly below ground level.

As with the damage at Lawrence Avenue, the floodwaters followed the line of least resistance, carving through the earth used to fill in the old mill races along the river. In this instance, the old Weston Mills (AKA The Wadsworth Mills) was situated on the west bank of the Humber, slightly north of this location. The Holley Saw Mill also was situated in this general region, but on the east side of the River.

This image was likely taken by Edgar Parsons on the 17th or 18th of October 1954.”

Reinforcing the earth

Martin Proctor writes: “Here is another photo taken by Edgar Parsons on the 17th or 18th of October 1954. The view is taken from slightly further up along Little Avenue as bulldozers continue reinforcing the earth around the new approach to the bridge on Lawrence Avenue West. Some debris is visibly strewn across the break wall in Cruickshank Park.”

The bridge at Lawrence withstood the floodwaters

Martin Proctor writes: “Lawrence Avenue West, looking towards Etobicoke. The bridge at Lawrence withstood the floodwaters, but the approach on the Weston side of the river was washed away. The land that was washed away was a landfill over one of the old mill races for the Weston Woolen Mills. The same thing happened with the Wadsworth Arch Bridge, which was up the river with the earth that was filled in over the former mill race, giving way when the floodwaters struck. Photo by Edgar Parsons.”

Clearly illustrates just how high the floodwaters were

Martin Proctor writes: “Edgar Parsons took this photo on the 16th of October 1954 looking northwest towards the old Wadsworth Arch Bridge and the Weston Golf and Country Club beyond the bridge. The image clearly illustrates just how high the floodwaters were on the Humber River during Hurricane Hazel. ”

It was a big house

Pat Livingston: “The white house was the Slack family’s and it was a big house. They had lots of kids. Gord Haines was a good friend of ours on Dee, and the Collette family were related to my Aunt.”

Chills every time I see this

Pat Livingston writes: “It gives me the chills every time I see this. Yes it is the flats encompassing Cardell and especially Fairglen Cresc.
Those two houses belong to my friends. Mr. Ryan might be one of them. Fairglen extended all along the river bank from Cardell to Dee Ave.
The row of houses along Fairglen all went. We watched this all happening but were powerless to help. My Dad and I drove along Fairglen, asking people to get in our panel truck when the water was about 2 feet deep. They refused and said they had been through this before. We went down Dee across Fairglenn to Cardell and up the hill. A few hours later, all hell broke loose, and we could only watch - all because the current was too strong to launch our neighbour's boat. It started to take it away so it had to be hauled out.”

A lovely couple

Pat Livingston writes: “The little white house was Mr. and Mrs. Bayton’s - a lovely couple. This house was right at the bottom of Maplebush, where we lived. The other 2 were along Faifglen from Dee to Cardell.”

Residents looking on in shock at the floodwaters

Martin Proctor writes: “16th of October 1954. The photographer continued south on Little Avenue for this view of residents looking on in shock at the floodwaters surging past Lawrence Avenue West along the Humber River. The old sign for Weston Arena can seen hanging askew on the south side of Lawrence.”

Flooded approach to the bridge

Martin Proctor writes: “16th of October 1954. The photographer has panned back slightly to view the flooded approach to the bridge.”

Weston Arena

Martin Proctor writes: “16th of October 1954. The photographer has panned southwards again towards Weston Arena, giving a better sense of how far the water had come up to the structure, which at this stage in its history was used by the Toronto Maple Leafs farm team, the Weston Dukes.”

The bridge withstood the flooding

Martin Proctor writes: “Looking north towards the rebuilding work on the approach to the Lawrence Avenue Bridge on the 17th of October 1954. The bridge withstood the flooding, but the approach to the bridge was washed out.

The same thing happened at the old Wadsworth Arch Bridge. In both instances, the land was washed away by the floodwaters, which had formally been mill races, so the land was a landfill. In essence, the floodwaters followed the line of least resistance.”

Hurricane Hazel

Photos curated by WHS archivist Martin Proctor.