By DAVE KOSONIC

Next month will mark 66-years since Hurricane Hazel devastated our community leaving many residents dead or homeless.

That fatal day on October 15, 1954, took the lives of 81 people, including five valiant volunteer firemen who were on their way to help others, when their truck was washed away.

My late uncle Ross McConkey was one of many firemen, policemen and citizen volunteers who risked their lives attempting to rescue, and save, stranded people and later recover the remains of those who perished during this ruthless storm.

Some bodies were never located and that haunted Uncle Ross and the many rescuers for years.

My uncle was regarded as a valuable member of the Hurricane Hazel rescue and recovery teams by his peers because of his experiences gained in the nasty high seas.

At the age 18 in 1942, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and was a crew member on a small warship, known as a Corvette, until 1945. During those years Ross learned how to read the treacherous North Atlantic waters and help rescue and recover sailors who had gone overboard.

When Ross returned home in 1945, he was hired by the City of Toronto as a fireman based at the Runnymede Rd., and Annette St., fire hall.  Firemen stationed there worked for about 10-days almost non-stop to deal with the aftermath of Hazel.

Ross returned to his Etobicoke home a couple of times briefly to check up on his family.

He would recall how he and fellow firemen attempted to save, and later recover, the five volunteer firemen who were swept into the raging Humber River.

They were rushing to an emergency call to aid the occupants of a stranded vehicle, when the Lambton-Kingsway volunteer firetruck was incapacitated by the powerful water of the hurricane. Despite a risky rescue attempt by Ross and other firemen, it was too late and the valiant volunteers were swept down the river.

Ross explained that in those days there were fewer fire halls and firemen. The personnel at his station relied heavily on the Lambton-Kingsway volunteers for back-up at emergencies.

He told family members that he and his colleagues were emotionally devastated by the deaths of their volunteer colleagues and never really recovered emotionally as a result.

Ross explained that firemen were expected to be real men and internalize all their thoughts and feelings.

During the years after the hurricane, Ross sometimes drove his sons, Paul and Brian, past locations where the storm had caused massive destruction. Ross would say things like: “That is where the houses and residents were before the storm took them away”.

Unfortunately, Uncle Ross made the decision to take his own life when he was 46-years-old on the verge of him being made a full Captain. Our family members were shocked and saddened but realized Ross may had seen too much death and destruction in his short life.

The new owners of the former Campbell’s Soup plant has filed an application to replace the existing buildings and use the site as a distribution centre, says Councillor Stephen Holyday.

Holyday, in a letter to address concerns in the community, says demolition of the historic 60 Birmingham St. factory and construction of three interconnected buildings are also proposed.

He says many New Toronto residents have reached out to his office about the routing of trucks and possible noise and dust concerns.

“Concerns expressed over the quantity and routing of trucks, and possible noise impacts, have been prevalent,” Holyday writes. “I anticipate that these will be central to the presentation by the applicant in their information session.”

The site is designated in the City’s Official Plan and zoned as Employment and permits a range of uses including; warehousing, cold storage, manufacturing, dry cleaning and laboratories.

“No changes to the existing zoning permissions have been proposed, because a distribution centre is already allowed to operate on the site,” according the Holyday’s letter.

City Planning is reviewing the application to examine the design, technical aspects and to ensure it is attractive and compatible with the surrounding area and contributes to the economic, social and environmental vitality.

Features such as building designs, site access and servicing, waste storage, parking, loading and landscaping are being reviewed.

He notes that the South building will maintain the historical factory façade.

Internally-facing loading areas will be served through the west side and will use the driveway at the northwest corner off of New Toronto St., plans show. The two other driveways and a new driveway off Dwight Ave. is proposed to provide access to employee and visitor parking.

City Planning will consult other departments and work with the owner to make any needed adjustments. Holyday says City Planning has the authority to approve the final site plan. Following this, the owners may apply for permits to construct the buildings and landscaping.

Because of the local interest, the owner, QuadReal Development Group, of B.C., which also also own Cloverdale Mall, intends to host a virtual meeting to keep the community informed.

The former Campbell’s Soup factory existed at 60 Birmingham Street for almost 90 years, and closed in 2018.

Revised plans will be posted to the City’s website as they become available.