GETTING THERE AND BACK Trace the path of the buried Garrison GARRISON CREEK DISCOVERY WALK HIGHLIGHTS You can reach the suggested starting point on Creek Ravine. Explore parklands, 1 CHRISTIE PITS PARK public transit by taking the BLOOR/DANFORTH traditional neighbourhoods and vibrant Discover the vibrant Christie Pits Park, named subway to Christie Station. 509 QUEENS QUAY main streets. after William Mellis Christie, co-founder of the and 511 BATHURST streetcars serve the vicinity Christie & Brown Cookie Company in the of the suggested tour end point near the Lake THE ROUTES 1860s. Subsequent to entering into the cookie Ontario shoreline. GARRISON CREEK DISCOVERY WALK business, Christie excavated sand, gravel and clay from this site for construction of many of Follow this Garrison Creek Discovery Toronto’s roadways and public buildings. Once Walk along the burried Garrison Creek quarrying was completed in 1909, the site was bed. Although you can start the walk at Enjoy this Discovery Walk at different Garrison named Willowvale Park, but continued use of any location, it is recommended to start at ‘Christie Pits’ led to its renaming in 1983. times of the year. You’ll be surprised how it Christie Pits Park, across the street from the (christiepits.ca/history/history.asp) changes from season to season. Christie Subway Station. You’ll experience a variety of parks and green spaces all the way Creek down to Lake Ontario. 2 TRINITY BELLWOODS PARK One in a series of self-guided walks ACCESSIBLE DISCOVERY WALK Explore the beauty of a landscape that was Working in compliance with AODA once intersected by a owing Garrison Creek (Accessibility for Ontarians with and later lled in with dirt removed from the Disabilities), this Discovery Walk is excavation of the Bloor subway line in the 1950s. shorter in length and follows paved paths with The park houses Toronto’s oldest community no steep changes in elevation. centre, a wonderful arboretum of trees, FOR MORE INFO historical foundations of old Trinity College, as ALTERNATIVE DISCOVERY WALK well as a plethora of recreational activities. While Discovery Walks is a program of self-guided Follow this Garrison Creek Discovery on your journey, keep an eye out for the famous walks that link city ravines, parks, gardens, Walk through a number of different white squirrel that lives in the park! beaches and neighbourhoods. For more neighbourhoods. Experience the shops (trinitybellwoods.ca/greenspace/some-park-history.html) information on Discovery Walks, including in Little Italy and Little Portugal, trendy Queen brochures, please call customer service at Street West and Ossington Avenue, and wander 3 FORT YORK 311, or 416-392-CITY (2489) from outside into one of Toronto’s greatest markets - Built in 1793, Fort York National Historic Site City limits. Information can also be found at Kensington Market, East of Bathurst Street. offers a great adventure to bring you back to the toronto.ca/parks/trails/discover.htm. For days when Toronto was founded. The fort saw more information on area history, inquire at GARRISON CREEK action during the Battle of York in the War of the College/Shaw or Sanderson Branches Flowing from St. Clair Avenue down to Lake 1812 and served as the City’s primary harbour of the Toronto Public Library or Fort York Ontario, Garrison Creek once ran deep with defense between the 1790s and the 1880s. For Visitor Centre. sparkling clear water and was famous for its salmon shing. In 1793, the British built more info visit the Fort York Visitor Centre. Fort York at the mouth of the creek to guard (toronto.ca/culture/museums/fort-york.htm) against possible American attempts to invade Harbord Street bridge before burial c. 1910 Canada. As the new town of York grew, City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1231, Item 1917 breweries, abattoirs, market gardens, Trinity WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP College and residential country estates were built along the creek to take advantage of the The City of Toronto would like to thank the clean water. By 1880, development along the Toronto Public Library, Toronto Field Naturalists, ravine had polluted the creek. The City buried Toronto Transit Commission, Heritage Toronto, the creek in an underground sewer where it Toronto Bruce Trail Club, and Toronto Public ows today. Later, the city gradually lled in Health. sections of the ravine and demolished or buried the bridges. Wadsworth & Unwin Map of the City of Toronto Libray and Archives of Canada: NMC25641 Burnfield Ave Melville Ave Vermont Ave Yarmouth Rd Lappin Ave GARRISON CREEK Yarmouth Rd Yarmouth Gdns
Walmer Rd Walmer
Salem Ave Salem Hallam St Palmerston Gdns
Kendal Ave Kendal Garnet Ave Ave Albany
Millicent St Ave Brunswick Bernard Ave Rossmore Rd Rossmore Manchester Ave Olive Ave Fernbank Ave Wells St Armstrong Ave DISCOVERY WALKEssex St MAP Essex St Follis Ave
DISCOVERY WALK approx. 4.8 kilometres CHRISTIE Barton Ave PITS Christie
Leeds St Delaware Ave Delaware
Howland Ave Howland
Pits St Clinton
ACCESSIBLE WALK Christie St approx. 2.7 kilometres Park London St
Brunswick Ave Brunswick 1 Ave Albany 2 2 2 2 DUFFERIN 2 OSSINGTON CHRISTIE BATHURST SPADINA ALTERNATE WALK approx. 4.7 kilometres Bloor St W Bloor St W THE ANNEX
Lennox St
Connecting Route Ave Manning Sussex Ave Hepbourne St Herrick St Steep Incline Rd Roxton Bickford
Crawford St Crawford
Montrose Ave Montrose
Rusholme Rd Rusholme Park
Dovercourt Rd Dovercourt Spadina Ave Spadina Telephone Harbord St Du erin Grove Washroom Park
Concord Ave Concord
Delaware Ave Delaware Palmerston Blvd Palmerston Dewson St Seasonal Washroom Ulster St
Ossington Ave Ossington
Clinton St Clinton
Major St Robert St Robert Dewson St St Borden Flower Garden
Grace Grace St
Community Centre St Havelock
Beatrice St Euclid Ave Euclid
College St St Bathurst 2 Subway Station St Lippincott
Shannon St LITTLE ITALY Streetcar Route Fred College St Hamilton Park George Churchill Ave Ben Oxford St
Park Mansfield Ave St Markham
Shaw St Shaw
Beatrice St Beatrice Nassau St
Dundas St W Harrison St Ave Montrose Augusta Ave Augusta Coolmine Rd Coolmine Baldwin St LITTLE KENSINGTON PORTUGAL MARKET Dundas St W Wales Ave
Rolyat St Ave Spadina Palmerston Ave Palmerston
Lisgar St
Afton Ave Grove Ave Halton St Foxley St Alexandra
Gladstone Ave Gladstone Manning Ave Manning
Gore Vale Ave Vale Gore Park Trinity Ave Bellwoods Argyle St Bellwoods TRINITY Lobb Ave Park Dovercourt Rd Dovercourt Humbert St BELLWOODS Carr St
Givins St Denison Ave Denison Lisgar St Lisgar 2 Robinson St
Northcote Ave Northcote Beaconsfield Ave Beaconsfield
Wolseley St Cameron St Cameron
Fennings St Queen St W
Joe Shuster Way Richmond St W
Massey St Massey
Sudbury St Adelaide St W Adelaide St W
Gwynne Ave
Shank St St Sta ord Stanley Park Walnut Ave King St W Douro St Allan A. Canni St Stewart St Lamport Du erin St Stadium LIBERTY
VILLAGE Wellington St W Tecumseth St Tecumseth
Niagara St St Portland
Hanna Ave
Tyndall Ave Tyndall Mowat Ave Mowat East Liberty St Front St W
Fraser Ave
Je erson Ave Je erson
Strachan Ave Strachan FORT Garrison 3 YORK Common Gardiner Expressway Manitoba Dr Fort York Blvd Canoe Fleet St Landing
Nunavut Rd Quebec St Park British Columbia Rd Gardiner Expressway
Princes Blvd 1 CHRISTIE PITS PARK Lake Shore Blvd W Coronation Queens Quay W Toronto Music Garden Park TRINITY BELLWOODS PARK Stadium Rd 2 Eireann Quay Little 3 FORT YORK NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE Norway Ireland Park Park 0 225 450 900 Metres LAKE ONTARIO
WALKING TIPS THE HIKER’S CODE REMEMBER This walk is approximately 4.8 km long with an • Stay on the trails • All walks involve stairs and/or slopes estimated walking time of 2 hours. The • Do not disturb wildlife • Walking surfaces vary and can include: hard Alternative and Accessible walks are usually • Keep dogs on a leash pavement, woodchips, grass, limestone nes, shorter and easier to walk. • Be cautious when crossing roads sand, and/or bare earth • Leave owers and plants for others to enjoy • Steps and paths are not lighted and not cleared Walk into health. Use a pedometer to track your • Wear suitable clothing and appropriate walking/ of ice and snow steps and keep you motivated on your Discovery hiking shoes • Use at your own risk Walk. • Walk with someone - it’s safer and more fun! • Be aware of other trail users Parks, Forestry, and Recreation 2014