EVCco
Senior Member
As I make some room...
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Urban Wilderness!
- Thread starter EVCco
- Start date
EVCco
Senior Member
...on this thread.
EVCco
Senior Member
Morningside Creek - treasure trail
We're all familiar with Toronto's somewhat stereotypical reputation as "such a clean city" - a phrase I'm sure we've all heard numerous times, remarked usually by some visiting American. As someone who's seen his fair share of other towns around the globe, however, I must say I've never found Toronto to be any more, or less "clean" than anywhere else I've been. In fact, after starting this tour of the city's ravine system, I've become inclined to think that if this ever was the case, it may be that all the trash was simply swept away into the discreet concealment of Toronto's wooded valleys.
This situation has produced some interesting findings, though. Each trip always seems to offer up its own strange assortment of flotsam and jetsam, debris and refuse. And this week's journey was no different. Indeed, it actually seemed to offer up even more than usual - a little bit of everything. Picking up, then, from where I first hit the Morningside Creek a month or so back, I head northwest, out of the Zoo grounds and into the cavernous cliffsides of Rouge Park, to find what I might find:
Something of a treasure in its own right, this stunning waterfall/outfall combo just a little north of Casebridge Court:
Past the falls the creek narrows considerably as I continue up to Morningview Trail:
Exploring the secrets of Littles Road Park:
Over Sewells Road and into the wild!:
Pressing north of Old Finch Avenue into Morningside Heights:
Bridge and pond action just south of the Belleville Subdivision:
Pausing for a brief disruption before crossing the tracks:
More pondage to ponder once across:
Past Staines Road, as what was a creek has now become more of a manicured wetland for the rear-views of local residents:
Through the Finch hydro corridor to end at Seasons Drive; saving the remainder for another day:
We're all familiar with Toronto's somewhat stereotypical reputation as "such a clean city" - a phrase I'm sure we've all heard numerous times, remarked usually by some visiting American. As someone who's seen his fair share of other towns around the globe, however, I must say I've never found Toronto to be any more, or less "clean" than anywhere else I've been. In fact, after starting this tour of the city's ravine system, I've become inclined to think that if this ever was the case, it may be that all the trash was simply swept away into the discreet concealment of Toronto's wooded valleys.
This situation has produced some interesting findings, though. Each trip always seems to offer up its own strange assortment of flotsam and jetsam, debris and refuse. And this week's journey was no different. Indeed, it actually seemed to offer up even more than usual - a little bit of everything. Picking up, then, from where I first hit the Morningside Creek a month or so back, I head northwest, out of the Zoo grounds and into the cavernous cliffsides of Rouge Park, to find what I might find:
Something of a treasure in its own right, this stunning waterfall/outfall combo just a little north of Casebridge Court:
Past the falls the creek narrows considerably as I continue up to Morningview Trail:
Exploring the secrets of Littles Road Park:
Over Sewells Road and into the wild!:
Pressing north of Old Finch Avenue into Morningside Heights:
Bridge and pond action just south of the Belleville Subdivision:
Pausing for a brief disruption before crossing the tracks:
More pondage to ponder once across:
Past Staines Road, as what was a creek has now become more of a manicured wetland for the rear-views of local residents:
Through the Finch hydro corridor to end at Seasons Drive; saving the remainder for another day:
EVCco
Senior Member
Rowntree Creek - rexdale repeat, pt. 1
Off to an auspicious start, right off the bat, as I head to the day's first stream I spot a group of 6 or 7 deer in a clearing behind the Thistletown Children's Centre:
Up the Rowntree Creek, now, through Humberview Park:
I might have saved my previous comments about "strange assortments of flotsam and jetsam" for this section between Kipling Ave and Rowntree Road:
Past Kipling and into the area between Annabelle and Strathavon Drives:
A planting program is currently underway which will soon make this last portion of the creek unpassable. Not soon enough to stop me, though!:
Off now, down Silverstone Drive, to the next creek...
Off to an auspicious start, right off the bat, as I head to the day's first stream I spot a group of 6 or 7 deer in a clearing behind the Thistletown Children's Centre:
Up the Rowntree Creek, now, through Humberview Park:
I might have saved my previous comments about "strange assortments of flotsam and jetsam" for this section between Kipling Ave and Rowntree Road:
Past Kipling and into the area between Annabelle and Strathavon Drives:
A planting program is currently underway which will soon make this last portion of the creek unpassable. Not soon enough to stop me, though!:
Off now, down Silverstone Drive, to the next creek...
EVCco
Senior Member
Albion Creek - rexdale repeat, pt. 2
Apparently I've become a bit too accustomed to this year's extended cold weather, as I instinctually left for this day's hike in a full winter jacket. By the time I had reached the re-emergent Albion Creek, at the foot of Silverstone Drive, it must have been around 20 degrees, and I was really starting to feel the heat! Oh well, onwards and upwards - up the stream from where I last left it, heading out from under the Albion Centre and into Highfield Park:
Construction on the Garfella Drive bridge as I make my way into Smithfield Park:
Through Martin Grove Road, and into Colony Park:
Betwixt Bucksburn and Marlebon Roads:
Across a hydro corridor and into an industrial zone:
A little turn north, from Baywood Road to Royalcrest Road:
I'm positively sweltering in my inappropriate parka, now, as I come out from under Royalcrest - only to be taunted by this cruelly surreal landscape of disused swimming pools!:
On the other side of Highway 27 where the creek opens-up into its own little pool at the top of Glendale Memorial Gardens:
The Toronto portion of the Albion ends here, at the tip of Carrier Drive, where it heads underground to re-emerge again near the intersection of the 407 & 427, in Vaughan. A little side-stream, however, channels off along Carrier towards the west:
The stream turns north, past a tall barbed-wired fence, towards the CN Rail tracks, where it continues, unremarkably, a little further on. You'll forgive me that I didn't follow along to it's absolute end. I was just too damned hot at this point.
Apparently I've become a bit too accustomed to this year's extended cold weather, as I instinctually left for this day's hike in a full winter jacket. By the time I had reached the re-emergent Albion Creek, at the foot of Silverstone Drive, it must have been around 20 degrees, and I was really starting to feel the heat! Oh well, onwards and upwards - up the stream from where I last left it, heading out from under the Albion Centre and into Highfield Park:
Construction on the Garfella Drive bridge as I make my way into Smithfield Park:
Through Martin Grove Road, and into Colony Park:
Betwixt Bucksburn and Marlebon Roads:
Across a hydro corridor and into an industrial zone:
A little turn north, from Baywood Road to Royalcrest Road:
I'm positively sweltering in my inappropriate parka, now, as I come out from under Royalcrest - only to be taunted by this cruelly surreal landscape of disused swimming pools!:
On the other side of Highway 27 where the creek opens-up into its own little pool at the top of Glendale Memorial Gardens:
The Toronto portion of the Albion ends here, at the tip of Carrier Drive, where it heads underground to re-emerge again near the intersection of the 407 & 427, in Vaughan. A little side-stream, however, channels off along Carrier towards the west:
The stream turns north, past a tall barbed-wired fence, towards the CN Rail tracks, where it continues, unremarkably, a little further on. You'll forgive me that I didn't follow along to it's absolute end. I was just too damned hot at this point.
datgtatrailsguy
Active Member
Another great series!
EVCco
Senior Member
Thanks again trailsguy!
EVCco
Senior Member
Blah Blah Blah - f@#k it!
If anyone was wondering where I've been the past couple of weeks, I was off working on a big "orphan creek" series (ie. sections of creeks far-removed, or isolated from the rest of their respective systems - seemingly flowing to and from nowhere).
Well, today I got home and discovered that over half the photos I took were somehow erased!?!?!
Whether this was a camera issue, a memory card issue, or what, I haven't determined. But, needless to say, I'm not really in the mood right now to do a typical post - so I'm mailing this one in.
To see what did survive, you can view the first 5 pages of my Panoramio site for pictures of the Adams, Centennial, and North Park creeks:
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2045784
As for the rest - another day...
If anyone was wondering where I've been the past couple of weeks, I was off working on a big "orphan creek" series (ie. sections of creeks far-removed, or isolated from the rest of their respective systems - seemingly flowing to and from nowhere).
Well, today I got home and discovered that over half the photos I took were somehow erased!?!?!
Whether this was a camera issue, a memory card issue, or what, I haven't determined. But, needless to say, I'm not really in the mood right now to do a typical post - so I'm mailing this one in.
To see what did survive, you can view the first 5 pages of my Panoramio site for pictures of the Adams, Centennial, and North Park creeks:
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2045784
As for the rest - another day...
EVCco
Senior Member
West Humber River - taking chances
Still not having discerned what went wrong with my camera, and with the weathermen forecasting thunderstorms all day, I was taking a bit of a chance heading up to the other end of the city yesterday for potentially nothing. But, after last week, I suppose I figured my luck couldn't get any worse, so I rolled the dice - and I'm glad that I did! My camera remained in working order (such as that is), and, although the skies stayed dreary and overcast, I managed to keep dry and see some interesting sites along the way. So let's start west of Kipling Avenue and head further west along the West Humber River, as it winds between Ester Lorrie and Garland Parks:
My last trip found me in Scarborough's Rouge Community Park (though really more a giant swamp than a "park") - and on this trip, once past Martin Grove Road, I find myself entering the West Humber Community Forest (though really more of your typical park than a "forest"):
Some art of varying degrees of quality under Highway 27:
Just past the Highway, a scenic little oxbow pond materializes which seems very popular with the area's geese:
Back on the West Humber Trail, through Garfield Weston Valley Gardens:
Over the bridge and into the Humber Arboretum where my chance-taking really starts to pay-off. This area must have some of the tamest, most acclimatized wildlife in the city, with groundhogs posing for pictures and deer so close to the pathway you can almost pet them - all while joggers, bikers, and rollerbladers whiz by. I suspect this may be due, in part, to a man I notice along the way constantly heading back and forth to feed the animals some sort of trail mix. I reckon it must be pretty good stuff, whatever it was - I nearly tried some myself:
Continuing on through Humberline Park:
From Humberwood Boulevard to Finch Avenue, now, with even more wildlife along the way:
The luxury of a paved trail ends shortly after Finch. From there you're on your own in reaching the 427:
Dam!:
Ending at the immense Claireville Reservoir and surrounding Conservation Area:
Still not having discerned what went wrong with my camera, and with the weathermen forecasting thunderstorms all day, I was taking a bit of a chance heading up to the other end of the city yesterday for potentially nothing. But, after last week, I suppose I figured my luck couldn't get any worse, so I rolled the dice - and I'm glad that I did! My camera remained in working order (such as that is), and, although the skies stayed dreary and overcast, I managed to keep dry and see some interesting sites along the way. So let's start west of Kipling Avenue and head further west along the West Humber River, as it winds between Ester Lorrie and Garland Parks:
My last trip found me in Scarborough's Rouge Community Park (though really more a giant swamp than a "park") - and on this trip, once past Martin Grove Road, I find myself entering the West Humber Community Forest (though really more of your typical park than a "forest"):
Some art of varying degrees of quality under Highway 27:
Just past the Highway, a scenic little oxbow pond materializes which seems very popular with the area's geese:
Back on the West Humber Trail, through Garfield Weston Valley Gardens:
Over the bridge and into the Humber Arboretum where my chance-taking really starts to pay-off. This area must have some of the tamest, most acclimatized wildlife in the city, with groundhogs posing for pictures and deer so close to the pathway you can almost pet them - all while joggers, bikers, and rollerbladers whiz by. I suspect this may be due, in part, to a man I notice along the way constantly heading back and forth to feed the animals some sort of trail mix. I reckon it must be pretty good stuff, whatever it was - I nearly tried some myself:
Continuing on through Humberline Park:
From Humberwood Boulevard to Finch Avenue, now, with even more wildlife along the way:
The luxury of a paved trail ends shortly after Finch. From there you're on your own in reaching the 427:
Dam!:
Ending at the immense Claireville Reservoir and surrounding Conservation Area:
datgtatrailsguy
Active Member
I plan on visiting the Humber Arboretum soon and look forward to it. A co-worker of mine shoots there quite often and says the same, that the wildlife is quite accomodating for picture taking Thanks for these sets.
Thanks for these sets.
EVCco
Senior Member
I plan on visiting the Humber Arboretum soon and look forward to it. A co-worker of mine shoots there quite often and says the same, that the wildlife is quite accomodating for picture taking
Definitely worth a visit - and be sure to explore it fully as you can. I stuck mainly to the trail along the river, but there's tons of other trails heading up into the surrounding woods, too, that I wish I had the time to see.
Uncle Teddy
Senior Member
Did it flood like the Don River yesterday?
EVCco
Senior Member
Good question...
I suspect they would have more control over water levels in that area due to the near-by dam.
I suspect they would have more control over water levels in that area due to the near-by dam.
EVCco
Senior Member
Blah Blah Blah - all over again
Well, it seems the third time's a charm with regards to finishing off the Danzig/Beechgrove Creek. As some will recall, the first time I tried to complete this creek, about a year ago, something flew into my eye, sending back home prematurely - and then, a couple weeks back, all my pictures of it were mysteriously erased. So I headed back, early this morning, and took care of it all over again, along with the last section of the Centennial Creek between Bonacres and Meadowvale. In the spirit of my previous annoyance I'll simply direct those interested to the first few pages of my Panoramio site (which recently topped 7,000 pics):
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2045784
Hopefully I'll be able to do another, proper update this weekend, providing the weather co-operates...
Well, it seems the third time's a charm with regards to finishing off the Danzig/Beechgrove Creek. As some will recall, the first time I tried to complete this creek, about a year ago, something flew into my eye, sending back home prematurely - and then, a couple weeks back, all my pictures of it were mysteriously erased. So I headed back, early this morning, and took care of it all over again, along with the last section of the Centennial Creek between Bonacres and Meadowvale. In the spirit of my previous annoyance I'll simply direct those interested to the first few pages of my Panoramio site (which recently topped 7,000 pics):
http://www.panoramio.com/user/2045784
Hopefully I'll be able to do another, proper update this weekend, providing the weather co-operates...
EVCco
Senior Member
As promised, another update coming, momentarily...