This Walk Offers a Series of Contrasts. the Walk Begins in Manicured

Visit the newly constructed Alexander Milne fi rst settled in this Toronto Botanical Garden part of the valley in 1827. He built for a brief glimpse into cultivated a three storied mill on this spot, nature at its fi nest. Hopefully you powered by an 18-foot overshot will whet your appetite for a return wheel. Large wheels need a steady to one of Canada’s nest horticultural supply of water to fi ll the buckets displays. Stroll between the and the creek could not provide it. greenhouses and past the restaurant Within three years, he relocated the WILKET CREEK in the barn into a former Estate mill to the east end of his property Th is walk off ers a series of contrasts. Th e walk garden. Follow Evergreen Walkway on the East Don River at Lawrence to the shelter. Imagine the nine-hole Avenue East and the Don Valley begins in manicured gardens, meanders through golf course that Rupert Edwards Parkway. From the 1820s until the an ever-changing and challenged valley, climbs once had here. Down below is 1950s, this area was known as Milne Wilket Creek. In the valley, enjoy Creek when the name was changed the shore of an ancient lake and descends into rhododendrons, fl owering trees in error to Wilket Creek. Continue the wider valley of the West Don River. It follows and shrubs and an extensive to follow the creek. a small watercourse degraded through intense rockery. Today, the creek might appear pressure from rapid urban development. Join the main trail and as a narrow fl ow of clear water. follow Wilket Creek, a However, aft er a heavy rainfall it Public Transit: Getting there; From Eglinton station, take the 51, 54 tributary of the Don, which quietly becomes an angry, boiling torrent or 54A bus to Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue East. enters Edwards Gardens from of muddy silt. Damage along this Enter the Toronto Botanical Garden via the southwest corner. under the Lawrence Avenue culvert watercourse comes from on your right. Th is scene is not uncontrolled storm run off . Heavy Getting home; Follow the road up to your le and catch buses heading always so peaceful, for several times rainfall drains unimpeded into the for Eglinton station, along Eglinton Avenue East or north on Leslie Street. in the past few years, ood waters creek from large paved parking lots at have erased paved walkways, Leslie Street and Lawrence Avenue Parking: Th ere is plenty of parking in the Toronto Botanical Garden destroyed several bridges and caused and from the rapid fl ow on the parking lot accessed via the southwest corner of Lawrence Avenue massive devastation to the creek downhill slopes of Banbury Park, East and Leslie Street. bed and adjacent vegetation. In fact, site of the former IBM Golf and one storm in 2000 actually damaged Country Club. In addition, storm Level of Difficulty: Much of the trail is hard-surfaced and level. the Lawrence Avenue culvert. One sewers discharge an enormous Exceptions are the steep, dirt trail climbing the escarpment. of Toronto’s most beautiful and volume of water from properties For stroller accessibility, avoid the steep climb by proceeding south best-used parks is continually at and roads into the ravine over a the mercy of damaging fl oodwaters very short period. Th e greater along Wilket Creek rejoining the trail at the comfort station. Here the that accumulate between Lawrence intensity of recent storms, combined creek meets the West Don River. Avenue and York Mills Road, with the continuing loss of absorbing two kilometres to the north. surfaces, will lead to further Approximate Time: One-and-a-half to two hours (variable) degradation in the years ahead unless methods of stormwater B Distance: 6.4 kilometres A diversion are put in place. Current as of November 2010 — 1 — Wilket Creek Park, with the Fish population is limited to a few signifi cantly, creating Lake Iroquois. take you down to the Toronto Field Bata Trail running its entire species of minnows and larger chub As glaciers retreated, land levels Naturalists’ log cabin in the parking length, is well known for its mature during breeding season, but salmon slowly rose, water eventually drained lot. Th is organization opened the fi rst coniferous and deciduous forest and trout cannot make it upstream as through the St.Lawrence River valley urban wilderness trail in Canada here communities. Depending on soil they do on the East Don River. and the shoreline receded to its in 1930. To avoid the steps, continue moisture, light and orientation of present location, some 8,000 along the horse trail and travel down the ravine slopes, mature stands of Nature creates and nature years ago. the roadway past the riding stables. Eastern Hemlock, Sugar Maple and reorganizes. Th is portion of Wilket American Beech thrive along the Creek valley undergoes continual Th e Lake Iroquois shoreline is an You are now in the valley of the valley walls, as do several tall Black change. Notice the debris collected easily detected landscape feature with West Don River. Th e West Cherry trees. Moist marshes and along the streambed, the heavy wire- obvious locations of this shoreline Don begins in Vaughan near Keele groundwater owing towards the creek lled baskets of stone twisting into the on the Casa Loma hill, Yonge Street Street and Kirby Road. It fl ows from provide the dampness needed by the creek from the force of water, and south of St. Clair, here in Sunnybrook the Oak Ridges Moraine south by ferns, cattail marshes and wet scrub paths and at areas smothered with Park and the Scarborough Bluff s. way of G. Ross Lord Park with its ood communities along the oodplain. sand from high water levels. In control dam at Finch Avenue, Earl is narrow, winding ravine is home to several places, the large limestone Turn sharply le at the top, Bales Park and the Don Valley Golf a number of wildower plantings and boulders lining the bends of the before the Sunnybrook Park Course south of Sheppard Avenue, natural regeneration projects over creek are toppling inward as signpost, to follow the path along Hoggs Hollow at Yonge Street, the the past decade. Recently, however, stormwater eats into the supporting the brow of the escarpment. Large Rosedale Golf Course, Glendon foreign invasive species such as gravel. Many of the larger, tilted Sugar Maple and Eastern Hemlock Forest behind York University and Garlic Mustard, Himalayan Balsam, trees near the water’s edge started dominate the landscape. Enjoy great Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre Japanese Knotweed and Dog- out at the top of the embankment. scenery here, especially when trees to where you pick it up. strangling Vine have spread beyond Heavy rain and seeping water are without leaves. Keep following control and threaten native species. undercut their footing. Over the around to the right. Trilliums are Cross the road toward the river European Buckthorn and Norway next several years, parts of the abundant here in early spring. and follow the footpath left Maple also compete with native Wilket Creek valley will undergo downstream to a wooden bridge. plants and change the mix of plant major restoration to prevent further Th e path eventually opens Cross it into Serena Gundy Park. life throughout the ravine. deterioration. Studies are currently onto a large, groomed playing Th is heavily wooded parkland hosts underway to determine what is fi eld, site of the fi rst Provincial family picnics and outings most of Several uncommon bird species necessary. Plowing Match in 1913. Welcome the summer. Th e path up to the right visit here as a stop-o point during to Sunnybrook Park, complete leads into Leaside. Stay left on the seasonal migrations. is valley is home Eventually the path meets with a riding track and 12 fi eld-sport paved trail past the comfort station to hundreds of over-wintering robins an all-wooden bridge which pitches. Th e parkland was a favourite and left again to eventually cross the that appear as silent balls of fl uff s on leads towards the Tommy Th ompson campground for Boy Scouts and, high, steel suspension bridge to the branches of shrubs. Listen for the Trail as indicated on the sign. during the Second World War, was parking lot. Proceed to the far end of familiar tapping of the woodpeckers, Turn right here, cross over it and a transit camp for troops preparing the lot and turn right. the challenge of the Red-winged proceed up the steep 24-metre climb to leave for Europe. You can be a Blackbird and the delightful songs ascending the shoreline of Ancient sports spectator in the summer or Th is next comfort station, open of sparrows, orioles and chickadees. Lake Iroquois. When the last a cross-country skier in the winter. year-round, marks the junction Rabbits, Red Fox, White-tailed Deer, glaciers retreated from Toronto— Follow the horse track toward the of Wilket Creek with the West Don. mink, muskrat and coyotes pass between 13,000 and 14,000 years far end, along the south side of the During heavy runoff , this whole area through the ravine or call it home. ago—deep layers of till, silt and clay fi eld until you reach cement steps is ooded; you can see evidence from were left behind. Water levels rose with an iron railing. Th ese steps will the thick layer of silt deposits on the — 2 — lawns along both sides of the road. occasionally hear the traffi c on Leslie Street up the embankment on your South of here is Eglinton Avenue right, enjoy the serenity as you walk East, where the West Don continues through the valley of a wildlife-fi lled Trail Users’ Guide its journey augmented by various natural environment.

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