The Town of Tecumseh is putting $5.2 million in unexpected savings toward two new stormwater management ponds in the Manning Road area, a move officials say will reduce flood risk and help speed construction of roughly 4,300 to 6,000 new homes.
The money comes from a completed provincial infrastructure project that was funded through Ontario’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program. The original $15.1 million project came in under budget, and the province and town agreed to use the savings for the ponds.
According to the Town of Tecumseh, the new ponds will help reduce flooding in and around the Manning Road Secondary Planning Area and support construction of up to 6,000 homes in the Tecumseh Hamlet development.
Mayor Gary McNamara said new home construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the first phase including about 1,400 to 1,500 homes. That timeline is five to 10 years earlier than originally planned.
Flood prevention has been a top priority since September 2016, when a massive storm dumped more than 190 millimetres of rain on the area in a few hours. More than 1,300 basements flooded in Tecumseh, and the town declared a state of emergency. Since 2011, Tecumseh has spent over $50 million on flood management upgrades, including pump stations and drainage improvements.
The Tecumseh Hamlet development is bounded by Banwell Road, County Road 22, County Road 42, and the City of Windsor. It is planned as a mixed residential community with commercial areas, parks, and cycling trails.
