Following a recommendation from city staff, London city council has voted to decommission the Springbank Dam.
By a vote of 13-0, council decided to put an end to the debate over whether to fix the dam, which has been inoperable since 2008, or allow the Thames River to continue to freely flow through it's open gates.
The staff recommendation was generated following consultation with the public, stakeholders, as well as Indigenous, First Nations, and Métis communities. In a survey, 70% of those consulted supported an unobstructed river, with 24% in support of repairing and reconstructing the dam. The remaining 6% were in favour of a combination of options, or did not provide a response.
The staff report said not fixing the dam and allowing a free-flowing river would best address the concerns raised in the One River Environmental Assessment (EA), which was presented to the city’s Civic Works Committee in September. The EA spanned from the dam to the Forks of the Thames and Harris Park, and identified the presence of ten at-risk species and endangered marine life.
The busted dam has long divided Londoners. Many rowers, kayakers, and dragonboat racers support the fix, while environmental groups and their allies have pointed to the river’s improved health as a reason for the dam to remain inoperable.
The dam's gates have been locked in the open position since 2008, when bolts snapped during a test. The malfunction left the dam inoperable and prompted the city to launch a $5-million lawsuit against the contractors in April 2009. The lawsuit was settled in the fall of 2015 with the city receiving $3.775-million, while no party admitted to being liable.
-With files from Kirk Dickinson