FORKS of the DON This Walk Begins Along the West Don River

Th e walk begins at the east above which are located several end of the parking lot at industries. Aft er much discussion the north end of E.T. Seton Park. and public consultation, it was Ernest Th ompson Seton (1860-1946) decided that the best action was was an international know author, to divert this short section of the naturalists, conservationist, youth West Don River to reduce erosion leader and lecturer of which much problems in the future. Note that of his life and work focused in the a lot of shrubs and trees have been FORKS OF THE DON Don watershed. Th ere are two paths planted aft er construction work was heading east. Take the path to your completed. Th is walk begins along the West Don River, crosses to the East Don right that goes over a concrete bridge. and then past the Forks of the Don where the two tributaries unite From the bridge, watch the fl ow of Cross a low bridge with a the West Don River. Th e height of wooden fl oor and metal to form the Lower Don River. Th is section of the Don Valley, once the water and its rate of fl ow vary railings. Th e water fl owing beneath it heavily industrialized, now struggles to regain a natural state, oft en with the weather in the past few days. is the West Don River following its hampered by fl ood damage from heavy storms. Th e water will be higher and fl owing new diverted pathway. faster aft er a signifi cant wet weather event. It will also look muddy from Note the name on the sign Public Transit: Getting there; By TTC: Take bus 51, 54, 56 or 100 the disturbed sediment. Th e plants “Lung Cancer Canada Grove”. along Eglinton Ave. E. Get off at the stop at Leslie Street. On the south on both sides of the trail are mainly It almost makes it sound as if we are side of Eglinton Ave. E., take the set of stairs down into a parking lot. Th is invasive species. Th e two most honouring lung cancer. Of course, walk begins at the far (east) end of this parking lot. common ones are Garlic Mustard the sign really means that trees here Getting home; A 10-minute walk east up Pottery Road leads to Broadview and Dog-strangling Vine. Th e former are honouring victims and survivors has stalks with white fl owers in the of this terrible disease. Avenue from where you can take any TTC bus south to the Broadview spring. Th e latter grows into long subway station. vines with tiny maroon fl owers later Th ere’s a large area of mowed in the summer. In the fall you will see grass. Mowed grass is what the Parking: Drive into the fi rst entrance into the park system on the plenty of Goldenrod. Th ere are many public desires because it looks neat west side of Leslie Street just north of Eglinton Avenue. Th e sign says species of Goldenrod and all are and tidy and is wanted for picnics. ‘Wilket Creek and Sunnybrook Parks’. No matter how the road twists and native. In spite of what many people Others see the mowed area as a turns, always keep to your left . You will drive under Eglinton Avenue West think, no species of Goldenrod causes missed opportunity to carry out and enter a parking lot. Th is walk begins at the far (east) end of this parking any form of allergies. Th eir pollen is some forest restoration work. On the lot. Th ere is also a parking lot at the rear of the Todmorden Mills Park very heavy and sticky and attracts right, you will see a clump of across Pottery Road from the end point of the walk. many insects, including bees. Pollen evergreen trees. Th ey are native must be windborne to cause allergies. White Spruce. During the summer, Level of Difficulty: Relatively easy but note the following: Th e trail Examples include Ragweed, Oak look among the branches of these surface varies from pavement to some compacted soil and there are trees and many types of grasses. trees and see many vines with dark also steps/ramps where the trail is not stroller-friendly. Th is walk follows a green leaves and maybe also pale, multi-use trail. Watch for cyclists. Continue walking over a greenish yellow pods. Later in the second concrete bridge. Th is summer and fall, these pods may be Approximate Time: Th ree hours. location indicates the original path beige and might be seen releasing followed by the River. To the right, seeds with fl uff y attachments. Th is B erosion was undercutting the land A Distance: 6.0 kilometres Current as of November 2010 — 1 — plant is Dog-strangling Vine (DSV) Along the trail, you will notice archery range to see if anyone is that can cause signifi cant burning and is a very invasive perennial. plants that have very large practicing his or her skills. Do not sensations when it touches skin. Stay During the winter and early spring, if green leaves. Th is plant is Common enter the fenced area. out of this area and away from the you look among the trees’ branches, or Giant Burdock. It is sometimes railway line. you will see very thin beige threads. referred to as wild rhubarb but is Walk under the hydroelectric Th ese are last year’s dead vines. In the not related to it. Common Burdock lines. Th ere is another brown As you pass under Don spring, new vines sprout from the soil produces only rosettes of these fence on your right. On your left is Mills Road, follow the old, narrow, and climb higher and higher using large leaves in its fi rst year. In the a tree with four trunks and another wooden ramp upwards. Between the last year’s dead vines as ‘ladders’. second year, the plant produces one near it with two trunks. Th ese trees ramp and the railway tracks, there of more tall, branched stalks that plus others in this same grove of trees is more Phragmites - the tall plant To your left , past the White will have spiny green orbs topped are Crack Willows, a common non- with feathery plumes at the top. You Spruces, note a low brown with tiny purple fl owers. When the native species of willow planted years will also notice long vines that have building with a lot of glass. Th is fl owers die, the spiny spheres turn ago along many rivers throughout climbed quite high into the trees structure is the lowest level of the brown and grab onto any clothing southern Ontario. and shrubs. Th ese vines belong to Ontario Science Centre. or fur that touch them. Each of these Dog-strangling Vine (DSV). Th e burrs contains many seeds that are Once you are past the reason the lower tree/shrub branches Look at the slope on the far dispersed when the burrs are torn hydroelectric wires, you will are dead is because the DSV has not side of the River, note an off the clothing or fur and discarded. note a large expansive bridge ahead allowed enough light to reach the abundance of Phragmites, a tall plant Common Burdock only lives for carrying traffi c over the valley on lower leaves of the trees/shrubs. Some with thin leaves and a brownish two years but its abundant seeds Overlea Boulevard. Th ere is a small, of these trees and shrubs are also plume of fl owers and/or seeds. Th ese with their very effi cient dispersal covered picnic shelter. Th ere is also covered in Wild Grape, another vine plants extend a considerable distance mechanism ensure a future fi lled a drinking fountain and washrooms that can cause serious damage to the up the slope. Th e position of these with more and more of these plants. but these operate only seasonally plants on which it grows. plants indicates lots of available (usually June 1 – September 1). water. In the winter, you might be Note the rather old, brown, At the top of the ramp, there able to see a frozen ice-layer directly painted fence on the right. On You will reach a parking are a few wooden stairs to the left that on the slope to confi rm the presence the right, past the end of the painted lot. Stay on the paved path eventually lead to Don Mills Road of ground water discharge or seepage fence, there is a good example of a as it goes through the centre of the and TTC. Take the bridge to your from the slope. snag. Snags are dead trees that oft en parking lot. Th ere are a few picnic right, Bike Route 45 south over the remain standing for years. Snags are tables in this area. Just past another railway tracks. Th e other road with You will come to a fork in a valuable component of any natural parking lot. A sign indicates Bike the heavy traffi c is the Don Valley the trail. Take the trail to the ecosystem. Th ey provide shelter Route 45 south and a wayfi nding Parkway. right. (Taking the left path, you will and/or lookouts for a wide variety sign that mentions Taylor Creek and exit the Valley and reach Don Mills of critters. Many animals also fi nd Victoria Station.

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