Thames River. (BlackburnNews.com File Photo)Thames River. (BlackburnNews.com File Photo)
London

City Seeks Settlement In Springbank Dam Case

City officials are meeting with mediators this week in the hope of reaching a settlement in the Springbank Dam saga.

The dam in the Thames River was shut down for repairs in 2006 after being damaged during a flood. By the end of the nearly $7-million, two year job, one of the gates failed.

The city and the companies involved have been in a lawsuit since, as the city tries to recoup some of the money spent on repairing the inoperable dam.

During testing earlier this summer, city officials tell BlackburnNews.com two of the gates were operable, with one still stuck.

"The dam serves no purpose other than recreation," says London's Manager of Wastewater and Drainage Engineering Tom Copeland. "A large contingent of the population that does canoeing and kayaking in the river would like to see it back."

Many environmentalists say the health of the river is better off without the dam gates in operation, but city officials say they are focused on finding a fix.

"This is an opportunity for us to mediate a settlement before the actual court date, which is in January of 2016," says Copeland.

The case has been on-going since shortly after the gate failed in 2008.

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