Toronto Star columnist, Joe Fiorito, and Romero students at Lavender Creek.

Geomatics students were quite pleased to give Toronto Star columnist, Joe Fiorito, a guided tour of Lavender Creek on Friday, December 13, 2002. Mr. Fiorito listened attentively as students expressed their concerns about Lavender Creek’s water quality problems. He witnessed suspicious substances emanating from sewer outfalls along the channelized section of the creek. He was shocked by the condition of the creek as students walked him through the tonnes of garbage that have been illegally dumped on the south bank of the ravine. We look forward to reading his upcoming report in the GTA section of the paper.

City of Toronto tests Lavender Creek
December 11th, 2002

Member from the Works and Emergency Services Department samples Lavender's water.

In response to the letters of concerned students and staff, representatives from the Works and Emergency Services of the City of Toronto conducted a series of water analysis tests today on Lavender Creek. Students from the Geomatics class went along to observe the process. The city tested the Biological Oxygen Demand, the Chemical Oxygen Demand, the total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, performed 6 to 7 metal tests, tested for Phenols (toxic organics), PCBs and determined the pH and chlorine levels. The results of these tests will give us a clear understanding of the water quality of Lavender creek, and help us with our long term goals for the creek. The results should be ready in a few months.