When walking around a big city people generally look straight ahead or perhaps slightly upward to appreciate the built form. But one of Toronto's finer details can be found in our gutters.
In the old city of Toronto boundaries, a row of red bricks often sits between the curb and the road. While these brick gutters play a role in the look and feel of neighbourhoods, they aren't without a functional purpose. According to Toronto Public Works these brick gutters are actually channels that allow rainwater to flow to the nearest catch basin without weakening the pavement. There is a need to use a material that will stay waterproof for the life of the roadway, and bricks have long been an obvious and economical choice in this area.
Today, it's more common to pour the curb and gutter together using the same concrete mix, especially in suburban areas, where curbs and sidewalks are separated by grass. In downtown Toronto, however, the gutter continues to be installed with a separate material. In some cases, it is done simply to preserve the look and feel of the neighbourhood.
Because the city slowly descends to the lake, it is often not necessary for these brick gutters to be placed on north-south streets where the water easily flows to the nearest catch basin. They are standard on almost all east-west streets. Because these roads are flat, it takes longer for water to make its way to nearby sewer grates. The bricks are laid by hand before the asphalt is poured in order to accurately place them at the required elevation.
These bricks are a small brushstroke on the canvas that is Toronto — something that helps differentiate downtown Toronto not only from it suburbs, but also from other cities.