Test

As I move North in the ward I meet more people who have concerns about storm water runoff. One particular couple lives on the corner of Garfield and Zenith. If you are familiar with this area you have noticed that storm water flows down Garfield and Zenith and collects in a culvert of the Northeast corner of the street. During a rain of half an inch or more a pool of standing water forms that covers the portion of this residential yard as it waits to flow through a culvert under the street and out the west side of the Crystal Creek residential park. At the point where the water begins to flow through the culvert the water acts as a whirlpool sucking down anything large enough to fit into the two foot wide culvert.

Residents have become concerned about the possibility of children playing in this pool and becoming caught or swept down the culvert. One resident reports he has called the city four times this summer questioning when repairs will be made and each time he was told, “soon.”

With the summer draught coming to an end and fall rains forecasted for this week residents are aware that their concerns have not been heard. Parents have instructed their children to remain inside and away from the pool during coming rains.

A permanent fix for this problem would be a concrete basin and screen keeping anything smaller than a golf ball from slipping through. This is an immediate fix that must be made for safety and I question why there has been such a delay. I can understand a delay in a cracked sidewalk and even a pothole in a street. This problem has the potential to take a life and ignoring the residents’ concerns is unacceptable.

Shawn