Official Start to Don River Park

Media circus, er... tent

I went down to the official presentation for the construction of the start of the berm. I was not really sure why this is important but I guess it's good to inform the public as to what's going on (I should tell the waterfront guys to just read my blog!).

I listened to a half hour of prepared speeches given by the head honchos and then they each dug a ceremonial shovelful of dirt for the cameras.

The only thing I got out of it was some pictures and cup of free coffee. I'll be back for the official presentation of the opening of the Lower Don Trail. If there isn't one, I'll organize an unofficial one with BikeTO.


A very scruffy model of the park. From this perspective the picture is oriented looking north west.


Cindy Wilkey of the West Don Lands Committee addresses the crowd. In the background, Mark Wilson (WaterfrontTO), David Caplan (Province), and John Baird (Feds) stand askance.


An aerial photo of the site looking south. The Queen St. bridge is in the lower left.

Construction to Start on Berm and Park

View south from Eastern Ave/Front St bridge. Currently not much of anything is happening. Change coming soon?

A media advisory published yesterday says that the official launch of construction of the berm and the Don River Park will commence on Monday June 25. You can participate in the media circus if you get there bright and early at 8:30 AM.

Spring Animal Blogging

There is plenty of wildlife in the Don and I thought I'd pass on a few photos that I took as well as some sent to me by friends. Just from my own journeys this spring, I've seen quite a few rabbits and chipmunks, more so than in previous years. I don't know whether this is a trend or part of a cycle.

I had a brief glimpse of a fox in the Moore Park Ravine and there are at least two families of wood ducks that have taken up residence in the Don. I have also heard of numerous deer sightings.

Marnie over at Beechwood Wetland weblog also has several good pictures of ducks, raccoons, rabbits, chipmunks, and frogs.


An Eastern Cottontail Rabbit hides in the brush near Chester Springs Marsh


I photographed a mouse (not sure what species) beside the trail just north of the viaduct


I found this snake, unfortunately dead, on the pavement of the path. Snakes like to sun themselves on the hot asphalt which makes them targets for fast moving bicycles.


Snapping turtle seen at the dirt jump (DJs) area near Crothers' Woods


This insect landed on a Goldenrod plant and was nice enough to let me take some photos of it. I'm no insect expert so if anyone knows what it is, send me a note.

Route taken on hike (click to enlarge)

I led a hike through Crothers' Woods on Saturday. Starting at Broadview Subway Station, I led about 25 people through Todmorden Mills, and then through Crothers' Woods. The first leg was along a trail known as "The Flats" (the bikers came up with these monikers) which follows the river pretty closely up to the forks of the Don. Then I went on a loop along a trail known as "Party Atmosphere" and the looped back south along another trail known as "Catalyst".

After stopping for lunch in E.T. Seton Park, we went back south along the "Ridge" trail which hugs the slope just below the Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood, around the North Toronto Sewage Treatment Plant and then by Loblaws. My original plan was to cross Bayview Avenue, go through the Brick Works, up the Moore Park Ravine, pass through the Mount Pleasant Cemetery and end at Davisville Subway Station. However it was so hot and sticky that I decided to end the hike early and head back up Pottery Road to Broadview. The remaining hikers (about half the crew dropped out at lunch) didn't complain.

Rather than ending at the Bow and Arrow for a pint, I stopped at Dairy Queen for strawberry sundae. The hike was about 12-13 km long. Not ideal conditions but it was a goodhike and I plan to do it again.

We encountered many bikers on the Flats and the Ridge but none on PA or Catalyst. Most were courteous, said hello, and stopped to let us by although one guy muttered "I thought this was a bike trail." So I think overall it was a good experience for the hikers (and bikers) to see that the trails are share-able.

Japanese Knotweed Sampling

The knotweed patch

Last week, with the help of my stewardship team, I participated in a scientific study that seeks to identify genetic variation in Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) that is growing in North America. I noticed a posting on the Invasive Species Weblog about a study being performed by Jonna Grimsby at the University of Massachusetts. The post says that they were looking for volunteers in the U.S. who could take samples of plants and send them to her. I sent her an email asking her if she wanted a knotweed sample from Canada since we have plenty here as well. She said yes and sent me a sampling kit.

The Beechwood Wetland site used to be covered with the stuff but most of it was removed in the initial restoration phase. However there is still a large patch on the other side of the road so we took a sample from there. I extracted a large leaf from one plant. The instructions said to cut a 4x4 cm patch from the leaf (you don't need much material to get a good DNA sample). I did that and placed it in the sampling tube. It took all of 10 minutes to do the sampling, but I used the time to educate my team about knotweed issues.


Sampled leaf (before)


Sampled leaf (after)


Sampled leaf and sampling tube

Although Jonna sent a return envelope, the pre-paid US postage wasn't very helpful so I went to the post office and paid for the mailing myself. I was somewhat chagrined to learn that my 250 g package was going to cost $6.20 (CAN) to send out! This was because the sampling tube bulged out too much to be sent as lettermail so it was classified as a package. The clerk asked me what the contents were. I didn't think the post office would be too enthused if I told them I was sending a biological sample so I told a little white lie and wrote down plastic pen (the tube is pen-shaped after all, and it is made of plastic; it just uses JK as an ink source).

I haven't heard anything back from Jonna yet but I presume it will take some time to get the results. I'll keep you posted if I hear anything.

P.S. I noticed Bootstrap Analysis also writing about the sampling study.

Spring Flower Blogging

A few miscellaneous shots from Spring rides in the Don.


White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum). From Sherwood Park forest.


Red Trillium (Trillium erectum). Also found in Sherwood Park.


Found in Sherwood Park forest. I am not sure what it is but it was spilling out of a nearby garden so it is likely a garden escapee, rather than a native variety.

Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum). Glendon Forest



Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), just about to flower, in Glendon Forest


Toothwort (Dentaria diphylla), beside Wilket Creek, just south of Edwards Gardens


Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris), also beside Wilket Creek