Lower Bartley Smith Greenway
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LOWER BARTLEY SMITH GREENWAY (Langstaff Road Wato Steeles Avenue West) l This k walk follows the Upper West Don River in the City of Vaughan southwards from Langstaff Park on Langstaff Road (east of Keele Street) to Steeles Avenue West (west of Dufferin Street). The route follows the southern portion of the Bartley Smith Greenway (BSG), an as-yet incomplete trail system through the centre of Vaughan from Teston Road down to Steeles Avenue West. Two main environments are Just west of the parking lot, 2 Note that the start of this walk is at a fenced seasonal sports experienced in this walk. From Langstaff in a separate tree-covered park, field (Langstaff Park) that may be formally closed during the Road to Highway 7, the trail encompasses is a pioneer cemetery dating from winter months. Langstaff EcoPark, a regenerating the founding of the German Episcopal natural area along the West Don river St. Stephen’s Church in 1833. The Public Transit: Getting there: From Downsview subway station, take TTC bus valley flanked on either side by industrial memorial from 1965 incorporates a routes 107 B/C/D/F (Keele North). For 107 C/D/F, dismount on Keele Street at development. Here the trail surface is number of the original tombstones. Langstaff Road and walk east along Langstaff Road (sidewalk on north side) for 400 generally packed crushed limestone, with The park is fenced off and entrance is metres to Planchet Road. Cross at the traffic lights and walk 100 metres along the soft some soft gravel patches and stretches of available only from Langstaff Road. shoulder to Langstaff Park parking lot. For 107 B (which goes west along Langstaff asphalt. South of Glen Shields Avenue, the [There is a soft shoulder but no Road to Keele Street), dismount at Planchet Road. Alternatively, use YRT bus 22A (York route passes through Marita Payne Park, sidewalk along Langstaff Road.] Return University - Newmarket via King City and Oak Ridges), dismount on Keele Street at one of Vaughan’s most beautiful city to the parking lot to access the BSG Langstaff Road, and proceed as above. parks set in an established residential trail via the short spur at the south-west *Public transit routes and schedules are subject to change. Please check with provider. TTC Information: www.ttc.ca or 416-393-4636. YRT Information: www.yrt.ca or 1-866-668-3978. area. This section is hardpaved corner. To your right is a large stand of throughout. Except for a short stretch Phragmites, which looks spectacular in Parking: Ample parking is available at Langstaff Park. Please note that the near the southern end and one other late summer with it purple seed heads. parking lot may be closed during the winter months. street crossing, this walk is completely However, this is regarded as an invasive Level of Difficulty/Accessibility: Much of the trail is hard-surfaced with only off-road. wetland species. At the T-junction, the minor gradients, however there are a few short steep grades and some soft right fork extends westwards for 250 The starting point is at the gravel patches. Stroller and wheelchair accessible. 1 metres, ending at a gate at Langstaff Langstaff Park sports field Road. Currently there is no public trail Approximate Time: 1.5 to 2 hours. parking lot on the south side of Langstaff immediately north of here. Road west of the CN railway tracks and Distance: 6.5 kilometres. east of Keele Street. There is a seasonal Turn left to continue into portable toilet at this location. If access 3 Langstaff EcoPark. This park Caution: Be aware of cyclists and other trail users at all times. is closed, the walk can be started at point was officially opened in June 1997 Use the trails at your own risk. number four, immediately east of the and is the most significant natural railway tracks. regeneration area in the Upper West 1 Current as of July 2018 2 Don subwatershed, despite being Adjacent to the railway crossing with the river. Along this section of the thickets and into the marsh, then through 4 surrounded by the Langstaff industrial- is a memorial plaque to Attilio trail from late summer to early fall you a porous rock weir into the West Don commercial district. The EcoPark is de Gasperis, patriarch of a well-known will see colourful stands of 1.5-metre River. This design serves to maximize the result of a visionary partnership Vaughan land development family, who high golden Woodland Sunflowers and water quality improvements and diversify between Toronto and Region used to farm in this area and whose brilliant mauve Ironweeds and of course wetland habitat. The much greater Conservation (TRCA), the City of valley lands are now part of Langstaff ubiquitous goldenrods. All these flowers volumes of water generated during Vaughan, members of the Vaughan EcoPark. The trail descends southwards produce nectar to attract butterflies, so major rain storms are diverted into the Chamber of Commerce, notably into the valley, crosses the river and there’s a good chance of seeing Sulphur deciduous swamp, designed to hold Quebecor World, and the enters a broad floodplain where the and Monarch butterflies, or even Giant 10 million litres of water over a 24-hour Vaughan Rotary Club. Over 10,000 Vaughan Chamber of Commerce held Swallowtails, the largest butterfly found period. Here the sediments settle out trees, shrubs and aquatic plants an annual tree planting event for several in Canada. and cleaner water seeps back into the have been planted and over 100 years. These trees are now two to four watercourse. The swamp is expected to bird boxes installed in the river valley metres in height. Natural infiltration of Turn right at the fork in the fill with water about four times a year. since 1992. These initiatives have 6 willow trees is now also very evident. trail 150 metres beyond the dramatically enhanced rolling upland In the spring, the many nesting boxes water retention ponds; the left fork The various features of the and lowland meadow habitats, and 7 installed in this area are mostly occupied leads out of the park to Audia Court Keffer Marsh complex can created new wetlands to help stabilize by tree swallows. From here, the trail (another convenient parking location). be observed from three bridges on the watercourse and improve water You are now entering Keffer Marsh, the trail and an observation platform quality downstream. Depending on the climbs briefly into the upland meadow an engineered wetland complex that immediately south of the marsh. season and time of day, it is possible to adjacent to the CN line, bringing some is the highlight of Langstaff EcoPark. A beautiful High Bush Cranberry catch sight of coyotes, foxes, beavers, of the surrounding industrial landscape This two-hectare project, named for specimen, with bright red berries in mink, snakes, turtles, frogs and many into the line of sight, before descending an early settler who farmed this part of fall and winter, is located on the bank species of birds. During late spring through a Staghorn Sumac patch to Vaughan Township in the early 1800s, just to the right of the second bridge. through fall the meadows are also alive cross the West Don River again. Several comprises the marsh itself and a larger A number of interpretive signs have with butterflies, bees, dragonflies and interpretive signs have been installed in other insects, and full of colour from this stretch. deciduous swamp, believed to be the been installed along this section. At wildflowers and flowering shrubs. largest constructed area of its kind in the junction beyond the third bridge, About 150 metres beyond the Ontario. Water is supplied from the take the left-hand fork to look at the The course of the West Don River 5 is dominated by large, mature trees, bridge, the trail passes between east through Westminster Creek, a water control structure. From this particularly Black Willows, Black two stormwater retention ponds (Audia tributary of the West Don River that was point, retrace your steps, then stop at Walnuts and Sugar Maples which help Ponds North & South). These can hold diverted from its original southwards the observation deck for a view over block out the view of the industrial millions of litres of water and provide course in the 1970s to accommodate the marsh. Proceed up the incline and buildings on the surrounding table treatment for stormwater runoff from local development. Westminster Creek cross Rivermede Road with caution. lands. The four-storey birdhouse over 90 hectares of adjacent industrial used to flow into the main branch of the The river flows under the road through a situated at 100 metres from the trail land to the north. These ponds have West Don River south of Steeles Avenue box culvert. junction is intended for Purple Martins, become fully naturalized, and now in G. Ross Lord Park. The residual South of Rivermede Road, the which nest in colonies. contain extensive beds of cattails and stream, locally called Fisherville Creek, 8 Phragmites, both of which are vigorous still exists south of Highway 407, and valley narrows and for 200 The trail soon arcs back towards Langstaff invaders. The wetlands provide largely serves to drain stormwater ponds metres the trail passes through riparian Road. Cross the CN tracks with care additional water filtration as well as collecting runoff from the highway and shrubs and trees such as Black Walnut and immediately turn right. This line is habitat for waterfowl and other wetland surrounding area. and Black Willow before climbing into also used by the Go Transit service to bird species such as Red-winged an upland meadow adjacent to North Barrie, which was reinstated in 2008.