Get Revived on Route 45

Signpost on Lower Don Trail at Riverdale Park footbridge

Not as poetic as Get Your Kicks on Route 66, but the Lower Don Trail does take you to some interesting places. The city placed these signs along the trail in 2004 as part of a city wide bicycle trail initiative.

However, as reported on Dodgeville, they don't always get it right. In addition, construction projects in the past year have caused some of the signs to misdirect the unwary.

Some people have been asking about what's happening with the trail closure south of Queen. The trail was closed last year to perform some critical flood protection work on the railway span across the Don (see my post from December 2006).

Since then they have been hard at work. Even though the signs on the trail say "Reopening May 2007" delays in construction and scheduling have meant that this will be pushed back to sometime in July. I was forwarded a message from Ken Dion, TRCA site manager for the project, dated April 5, 2007. Here's what he had to say:

The underground high voltage cables were relocated into their new alignment west of the new bridge abutment approximately 1 month ago. The southern half of the new railway abutment was completed towards the end of March. As of 5:30 this morning [April 5] the last of the bridge girders were put in place on the south side of the railway bridge over the Don. Structurally, for all intensive [sic] purposes, we now have the main features of the bridge construction completed on both the northern and southern sides of the bridge (new abutment, new deck transformation of old abutment into a pier).

Over the next 3 months, construction will continue on shoring up the new riverbank, excavating the new river channel and placing the finishing engineering touches on the structure. Construction on the eastern half of the Bala Underpass is scheduled to start later in April. We anticipate that the Don Watershed Trail will be opened sometime in July though it is likely that the final revegetation in the area will not be completed until some time in the Fall.

I don't know whether they will be having a reopening ceremony at the time, but I will certainly keep you posted about any new developments when I hear about them.

Unusual Plant

Glossy leaved plant (click to expand)

I was cycling through Sherwood Park's forested area this week when I came across this plant which I couldn't identify. In cases like this I usually take a picture and try to identify it later. My initial thought was Poison Ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) but the leaf arrangement is wrong and the poison ivy flowers appear in the leaf axil. Here the flowers or fruits appear to be on a separate stalk.

One of my friends suggested Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) but this doesn't match either. So I am posting it on my blog in the hope that someone out there recognizes it. If you do recognize it post a comment or send me an email.


Possible seed or flower pods

Update on this plant - I received an email from a reader who suggested it might be Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis). I looked it up in my Peterson's "Field Guide to Wildflowers" and it looks like a match. The description clearly shows that the flowers appear in a cluster of three on a separate stalk. The flowers are a creamy-white and appear between May and July.

I guess I was confused because this plant hasn't yet flowered so looks unusual. A. nudicaulis is native to Ontario and grows in dry open woods which is the type of forest in Sherwood Park. Thanks to A. Lynch for the identification.

Water Testing on the Don

Water testing station beside the Don River

Just south of Pottery Road is a nondescript little hut beside the Don River. This little building which is covered with graffiti actually performs a valuable scientific function. It is used to collect water samples from the river for water quality testing.

I was passing by last week when I noticed a vehicle parked nearby and someone busy inside working some equipment. I stopped to look and had an interesting chat with the occupant. He turned out to be with the Ministry of the Environment and was collecting water samples. Apparently they do this periodically. The water samples are analyzed for various chemicals and dissolved minerals. In addition the amount of sediment gives an indication of how much suspended material is carried by the water. The station is also used to monitor base water flow and water flow during a storm surge.

All this data is compiled and collated along with data from the other watersheds in Toronto. The data will end up in a report that will be used for Toronto's Remedial Action Plan. The RAP program is used throughout the Great Lakes to work towards restoring environmentally degraded areas. The RAP program was started in 1987 and monitors 42 places in and around the Great Lakes. To date only two Areas of Concern (Collingwood Harbour and Severn Sound) have been completed and delisted.


Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes (Environment Canada, 2007)

Toronto's RAP is not the worst in the list but it is unlikely to be delisted anytime soon. Stormwater is still the biggest problem. This is being dealt with by the Wet Weather Flow Management Plan. While implementation started in 2002 it will take 25 years to complete. Even when it is completed in 2027 there is no guarantee that Toronto's water pollution problem will be completely solved. But at least there is a plan and it is being worked on.

Until that time, water samples will continue to be collected from the river. Let's hope that the trends indicate some improvement.



MOE scientist collecting water samples


Taking a live sample


Destined for the lab

Wilket Creek/Burke Brook Hike

Route of Saturday's Hike, click to expand (map courtesy of Bikely.com)

I led a hike on Saturday that explored the open sections of Wilket Creek and Burke Brook, two tributaries of the west branch of the Don River. I recently became a hike leader for the Toronto Bruce Trail Club. My goal was to lead moderately challenging hikes in the Don Valley in order to see parts of the ravine system that are not regularly visited.

This hike started at Bayview Ave. and York Mills. The first leg on Wilket Creek passed through Windfields Park, Edwards Gardens, and Wilket Creek Park. We then walked through Serena Gundy Park and Sunnybrook Park beside the Don River to get to the mouth of Burke Brook.

We then followed this upstream through Sherwood Park, Blythwood Ravine, Chatsworth Ravine, and ended up in Brookedale Park near Avenue Rd and Lawrence Ave. West. The hike was a little over 11 km long and took 3.5 hours which is a pretty good pace. I received good reviews from the 22 attendees. The sunny day and cool temperatures also helped as it was perfect hiking weather. I liked this hike myself and intend on repeating it next year.

I've posted a few pictures of the hike for anyone who didn't make it.


Walking through the Toronto Botanical Gardens


Negotiating a tricky bit in Serena Gundy Park


Single file on the trail


Hike leader giving directions in Sunnybrook Park

Baseball in Riverdale Park

Another sign of spring: baseball!

Riverdale Park with its wide flat bottomland is a great place to play sports including baseball. There are five diamonds, three west and two east, although I have seen more games played unofficially with just a hat or a piece of cardboard marking the locations of the bases.

This picture shows a mens league playing overhand fastball with a standard baseball. I sometimes find watching this more interesting than what you might get at the Skydome (I've heard that a 12 ounce plastic container of beer is now 7 bucks!) especially now when the Toronto Blue Jays are playing so badly. Better to come down to Riverdale Park where the game is just as interesting and much cheaper.

Events for May 12-13

Saturday, May 12

Tree Planting, Cedarvale Park, 10 AM - 12 Noon
Meet at the Markdale Avenue entrance. City of Toronto and the Task Force to Bring Back the Don

Bruce Trail/FODE hike, 1 - 5 PM
Walk along the open portions of Wilket Creek and Burke Brook. Meet at the SE corner of Bayview and York Mills. The intersection is a 5 minute bus ride from York Mills station with buses departing every 5 minutes.