Building Rosehill Reservoir Commemorative Plaque, 2020.
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Resource ID
8215
Access
Open
Address
75 Rosehill Ave, Toronto, ON M4T 1G4
Date of Creation
2020
Historical Themes
Program Category
Time Period
Caption
Building Rosehill Reservoir Commemorative Plaque, 2020.
Description
The Rosehill Reservoir was finished in 1874 after a year of construction. The open-air basin contained about 159 million litres (42 million gallons) of Lake Ontario water piped from the John Street Pumping Station 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) to the south. Initially, the reservoir was filled with untreated lake water. Once the Toronto Island filtration basin was completed in 1875, the city’s water supply was first filtered through layers of sand and gravel before being stored here. The hilltop location of the reservoir pressurized the city’s water system, making water flow from faucets and powering fire hydrants to reach the upper floors of buildings. The reservoir also provided a back-up supply if water could not be drawn from the lake due to broken or blocked pipes, which occurred several times. Because the water was open to the air, plant and animal life thrived, and the reservoir had to be frequently drained and cleaned. The Rosehill Reservoir was built on a naturally elevated plain. The names of Deer Park and Mashquoteh, two nearby colonial estates, referred to the local animals and geography during colonization. In Anishinaabemowin, the language of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, whose Treaty 13 lands include Toronto, mashkode means prairie or open plain.
Marker lat / long: 43.684704, -79.3884 (WGS84)