WILKET CREEK (Loop from Leslie and Lawrence Ave East) WaThis loop offers a series l of k contrasts. The walk begins in manicured gardens, meanders through an ever-changing and challenged valley, climbs the shore of an ancient lake and descends into the wider valley of the West . It follows a small watercourse degraded through intense pressure from rapid urban development.

Visit the environmentally Down below is Wilket Creek. In the Public Transit: Getting there: From Eglinton subway station, take the 51, 1 sustainable Botanical valley, enjoy rhododendrons, flowering 54, or 54A bus to Leslie Street and East. Enter the Garden for a brief glimpse into trees and shrubs and extensive Toronto Botanical Garden via the southwest corner. cultivated nature at its finest. rockery. Getting home: Follow the road up to your left and catch buses heading Hopefully, the garden will whet your Join the main trail and follow for Eglinton station along Eglinton Avenue East (bus routes 34, 100, 305, appetite for a return to one of Canada’s 2 or 354) or south on Leslie Street (bus routes 51, 54, or 54A). best horticultural displays. Wilket Creek, a tributary of the *Public transit routes and schedules are subject to change. Please check with provider. Don, which quietly enters Edwards TTC Information: www.ttc.ca or 416-393-4636. Take a look at the new parking lot. Gardens from under the Lawrence Prior to its reconstruction in 2011, Avenue culvert on your right. This Parking: There is plenty of parking in the Toronto Botanical Garden rainfall flowed rapidly across the large scene is not always so peaceful. parking lot accessed via the southwest corner of Lawrence Avenue East asphalt surface and into the valley Several times in the past few years, and Leslie Street. below causing flooding and damage. flood waters have erased paved Now, rainwater passes slowly through walkways, destroyed several bridges Level of Difficulty/Accessibility: Much of the trail has a hard surface and is the permeable surface, then through and caused massive devastation level. Exceptions are the steep, dirt trail climbing the escarpment at point 4. a series of drainage pipes and into the to the creek bed and adjacent For stroller and wheelchair accessibility, avoid the steep climb by proceeding green swales where it provides water vegetation. In fact, one storm in 2000 south along Wilket Creek and rejoin the trail at the comfort station at point 9. for the trees. The excess flows slowly actually damaged the Lawrence toward the river below. Avenue culvert. One of Toronto’s most Approximate Time: 1.5 to 2 hours. beautiful and best-used parks is Stroll between the greenhouses and continually at the mercy of damaging Distance: 6.4 kilometres. past the restaurant in the barn into a flood waters that accumulate between garden of the former estate of Rupert Lawrence Avenue and York Mills Edwards. Follow Evergreen Walkway to Caution: Be aware of cyclists and other trail users at all times. Use the trails at Road, two kilometres to the north. the shelter. Imagine the nine-hole golf your own risk. course that Edwards once had here. 1 Current as of July 2018 2 Alexander Milne first settled in this Depending on soil moisture, light and Nature creates and nature levels rose significantly, creating Lake 4 part of the valley in 1827. He built a orientation of the ravine slopes, mature reorganizes. This portion Iroquois. As glaciers retreated, land three-storey mill on this spot, powered stands of eastern hemlock, sugar of Wilket Creek valley undergoes levels slowly rose, water eventually by an 18-foot overshot wheel. Large maple and American beech thrive continual change. Notice the debris drained through the St.Lawrence River wheels need a steady supply of water along the valley walls, as do several tall collected along the streambed, the valley and the shoreline receded to its to fill the buckets and the creek could black cherry trees. Moist marshes and heavy wire-filled gabion baskets of present location some 8,000 years ago. not provide it. Within three years, Milne groundwater flowing towards the creek stone twisting into the creek from the relocated the mill to the east end of his provide the dampness needed by the force of water, and the paths and flat The Lake Iroquois shoreline is an easily property on the East Don River at what ferns, cattail marshes and wet scrub areas smothered with sand from high detected landscape feature. It is obvious is now Lawrence Avenue East and the communities along the floodplain. water levels. In several places, the on the Casa Loma hill, Yonge Street Don Valley Parkway. From the 1820s This narrow, winding ravine is home to large limestone boulders lining the south of St. Clair, here in Sunnybrook until the 1950s, this area was known a number of wildflower plantings and bends of the creek are toppling inward Park and the . as Milne Creek. The name was changed natural regeneration projects over as stormwater eats into the supporting Turn sharply left at the top, (in error) to Wilket Creek circa 1965. the past decade. Recently, however, gravel. Many of the larger, tilted trees 6 before the Continue to follow the creek. foreign invasive species such as garlic near the water’s edge started out at signpost, to follow the path along the mustard, Himalayan balsam, Japanese the top of the embankment. Heavy brow of the escarpment. Large sugar Today, the creek might appear as a knotweed and dog-strangling vine have rain and seeping water undercut their maple and eastern hemlock dominate narrow flow of clear water. However, spread beyond control and threaten footing. the landscape. Enjoy great scenery after a heavy rainfall it becomes an native species. European buckthorn here, especially when trees are angry, boiling torrent of muddy silt. and Norway maple also compete with Near the end of this stretch, you’ll without leaves. Keep following around Damage along this watercourse comes native plants and change the mix of travel over a long steel structure, first to the right. Trilliums are abundant from uncontrolled stormwater runoff. plant life throughout the ravine. a bridge spanning Wilket Creek, then Heavy rainfall drains unimpeded into an elevated walkway over the wetland. here in early spring. the creek from large paved parking Several uncommon bird species visit This was installed in late 2011 after The path eventually opens onto lots at Leslie Street and Lawrence here as a stop-over point during the creek was widened and diverted 7 a large, groomed playing field, Avenue and from the rapid flow on the seasonal migrations. This valley is to protect the steep cliffs from further site of the first Provincial Plowing Match downhill slopes of Banbury Park, site home to hundreds of over-wintering collapse. This major remediation in 1913. Welcome to Sunnybrook Park, of the former IBM Golf and Country robins that appear as silent balls of fluff project should slow the damage, for a recreation area that features a riding Club. In addition, storm sewers on branches of shrubs. Listen for the even after minor storms, Wilket Creek track and 17 sports fields. The parkland discharge an enormous volume of familiar tapping of the woodpeckers, becomes an angry, destructive flow of was a favourite campground for Boy water from properties and roads into the challenge of the red-winged water. Scouts and, during the World War II, the ravine over a very short period. blackbird and the delightful songs of was a transit camp for troops preparing The greater intensity of recent storms, sparrows, orioles and chickadees. Eventually the path meets 5 to leave for Europe. You can be a sports combined with the continuing loss of rabbits, red fox, white-tailed deer, an all-wooden bridge that leads spectator in the summer or a cross- absorbent surfaces, will lead to further mink, muskrat and coyotes pass towards the Tommy Thompson Trail country skier in the winter. Follow the degradation in the years ahead unless through the ravine or call it home. as indicated on the sign. Turn right horse track along the south side of the methods of stormwater diversion are The fish population is limited to a few here, cross over it and proceed up the field toward the far end until you reach put in place. species of minnows and larger chub steep 24-metre climb ascending the cement steps with an iron railing. during breeding season; salmon and shoreline of Ancient Lake Iroquois. These steps will take you down to the Wilket Creek Park, with the trout cannot make it upstream as they When the last glaciers retreated 3 Toronto Field Naturalists’ log cabin in Bata Trail running its entire do on the East Don River. from Toronto, between 13,000 and length, is well known for its mature 14,000 years ago, deep layers of till, the parking lot. This organization opened coniferous and deciduous forests. silt and clay were left behind. Water the first urban wilderness trail in 3 4 Canada here in 1930. To avoid the South of here is Eglinton Avenue East, Trail Users’ Guide steps, continue along the horse trail where the West Don River continues and travel down the roadway past the its journey augmented by various • Be advised that you are responsible for your own safety and wellbeing. riding stables. small tributaries that empty into it. • Be aware of cyclists and other trail users at all times. Three kilometres downstream, just • Walk with others. 8 You are now in the valley of the past where Taylor Massey Creek flows West Don River. The West Don into the East Don River, the rivers • Keep your children in sight at all times. River begins in Vaughan near Keele merge as the Lower Don to flow as • Trails may involve stairs and slopes. Street and Kirby Road. It flows from a single river through the Keating the Oak Ridges Moraine south by way Channel into Lake . • Trails may not be lit or cleared of ice and snow. of G. Ross Lord Park with its flood • Stay on the trails or mown areas; do not leave them at any time. control dam at Finch Avenue. It then Follow the signpost back up Wilket passes through and Creek trail to the start of the walk in • Cross roads only at intersections, lights or crosswalks. the Don Valley Golf Course south of . While you may • Keep your pet on a leash and clean-up after it. , Hoggs Hollow at occasionally hear the traffic on Leslie • Do not pick, damage, or plant any vegetation. Yonge Street, the Rosedale Golf Street up the embankment on your Course, Glendon Forest behind York right, enjoy the serenity of a wildlife- • Beware of poison ivy: “Leaflets of three let it be.” University and Sunnybrook Health filled natural environment as you walk • Respect and do not feed wildlife. Sciences Centre to where you pick it through the valley. • Do not light fires. up here. If you choose not to return • Leave nothing behind. 11 Cross the road toward the to the start, here is an 9 • Remember that washrooms operate seasonally. river and follow the footpath opportunity to leave the trail and left downstream to a wooden bridge. connect with public transit at the • Avoid the trails during and after a storm; water levels can rise suddenly. Cross it into Serena Gundy Park. This intersection of Leslie Street and • Wear footwear for pavement, loose or broken surfaces and bare earth. heavily wooded parkland hosts family Eglinton Avenue East. • Wear clothing to suit the weather and protect against insects. picnics and outings most of the summer. The path up to the right leads to Rykert • Carry drinking water. Crescent in . Stay left on the paved trail past the comfort station and left again to eventually cross the Learn more about the Don River watershed at www.trca.ca high steel suspension bridge to the parking lot. Proceed to the far end of the lot and turn right.

This next comfort station, 10 Prepared by the Don Watershed Regeneration Council & Toronto and Region Conservation Authority open year round, marks the in collaboration with Toronto Botanical Garden junction where Wilket Creek joins the West Don River. During heavy runoff, this whole area floods, leaving thick silt deposits on the lawns along both sides of the road.

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