This past Sunday, HTO: Toronto’s Water from Lake Iroquois to Lost Rivers to Low-flow Toilets launched at Historic Fort York’s Blue Barracks with moderator Matthew Blackett of Spacing magazine and a panel of contributors ranging from water experts to literary essayists. The collection, published by Coach House Books, examines Toronto’s water: past, present and future–and the “ever-changing interplay between nature and culture.”
HTO explores everything from waste disposal, waterfront reclamation and community watershed initiatives to the founding of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority after Hurricane Hazel, a psychogeographic exploration of High Level Pumping Station and a critical look at the city’s Wet Weather Flow Master Plan. In between, there are descriptions of Toronto’s geological past, the history of Taddle Creek and tales of infiltration of the city’s storm sewers, complete with supporting images.
HTO is available at bookstores around Toronto and from Coach House’s website.