Category Archives: Humber River

Metrolinx wants to devastate nearby park.

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Metrolinx loves clearcutting. Their zeal in removing vegetation along rail corridors and ravines is well documented. They also want to chop down several century-old trees downtown on the Osgoode Hall grounds in spite of huge objections and seemingly better alternatives. Apparently Metrolinx knows better than the little people. This is the organization that is two years late in finishing the Eglinton Crosstown Line. Not only that but Metrolinx cannot provide an estimate of when the line will finally open – after more than eleven years of continuing disruption. Closer to home, Metrolinx is up to no good again and this time, they wish to clear-cut a large section of Fergy Brown and Emmet Parks and Ukrainian Canadian Memorial Park (adjoining Raymore Park).

The issue is that the Eglinton Line West Extension to Pearson Airport will be above ground and will parallel Eglinton Avenue and cross the Humber using a 1.5 km elevated track. Vegetation beneath the track will be cut back to avoid shorting out the high-voltage overhead cables that provide the power. Unlike the rest of the line, Metrolinx claims that this section has to be built above ground because they say it’s too expensive to go underground and under the Humber. Instead, an elevated LRT expressway-style bridge will be twinned with the existing road bridge and the precious parkland beneath and its wildlife will be razed. Parkland is far too precious to be destroyed in this manner and future generations will wonder about the barbarians who could do this to our diminishing wildlife and precious tree canopy.

The location of the proposed 1.5 km overhead rail line that will run north of and parallel to Eglinton. From Google maps. Click to enlarge.

Stop the Trains in our Parks is a group of concerned citizens who are fighting this proposal and will be demonstrating outside local MPP Mike Ford‘s office at 1832 Weston Road (350m south of Lawrence) on Thursday, December 15th at 2:00 p.m. They invite all who are concerned about the devastation this line will cause to our local parks to lend support through their presence and/or contacting Mr. Ford.

For more information contact STOP at mailto:stopthetrainsinourparks@gmail.com

Humber Creek Culvert Update

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I am slightly more nimble now and was able to clamber down to the riverbed to take these shots. Water levels are quite low thanks to a lack of rain this summer. Despite that, the newly planted trees are thriving so someone has been keeping them watered.

Looking west under the Humber Trail and Scarlett Road. Click to enlarge.

The culvert seems very sturdy and looks way better than the previous galvanized edition. It should be good for a hundred years or more.

A pair of cyclists ride over the culvert on the Humber Trail. Click to enlarge.

Because of the culvert’s construction, the Humber Trail has been blocked for a year resulting in a huge drop in cyclists and walkers but should open next week along with the two closed lanes of Scarlett Road.

Humber Creek culvert nears completion.

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The culvert work under Scarlett road that brings Humber Creek to the Humber River is almost complete. I was able to get a look at it the other day and the eastern side is ready.

Through the trees…

The old culvert was quite something:

The old culvert during previous sewer repairs in April 2016.

The old outlet was a good couple of metres above the creek which made for a spectacular and powerful jet of water after rainstorms. A deep pool formed as a result. Unfortunately, the height of the culvert made passage along the creek quite difficult for wildlife. The new lower bed has created a corridor that will link Raymore and Chapmen Valley Parks and lower the risk of deer and other animals running across Scarlett Road.

The soon to be linked Chapman Valley and Raymore Parks – From Google.

In addition to linking the parks, the terracing around the culvert has been landscaped. The other side of the culvert is supposed to be completed by this July or August.

Raymore Park clean-up this Sunday.

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On Sunday April 24, there will be a park clean-up organized by Brian MacLean who is also leading a campaign to set up a permanent memorial to the Hurricane Hazel victims, many of whom perished in a community now occupied by Raymore Park.

Please meet by the pedestrian bridge across the Humber between Raymore and Lions parks at 10:00 a.m. Note – the Raymore parking lot is closed to traffic. There is street parking on Tilden Crescent or the Lions Park lot is open – it’s a short walk from there to the footbridge that crosses into Raymore.

Area Map – from Google. Click to enlarge.

For more information contact Brian MacLean at EtobicokeCommunityFutures@gmail.com

‘The Humber’ condos take shape by Raymore Park

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This building under construction at 10 Wilby Crescent on the eastern side of the Humber is by Options For Homes and is expected to be ready for occupancy by next year. Residents on the south-west side will have views looking down the Humber Valley and a rooftop patio is planned for the seventh floor which is on the right where the tower rises above the podium. There is a promise of direct access from the building to the Pan Am Trail leading to Lake Ontario or points north.

The Humber under construction today at 10 Wilby Crescent.

Here’s OFH’s YouTube video on the area’s natural surroundings with Raymore Park in a starring role.

Currently the river is almost completely covered by ice which is thickening rapidly in this frigid weather. There should be some spectacular ice floes when the weather turns milder but no sign of that in the next two weeks at least.

The path has now been plowed down to the dam as part of the Park Path Project.

A crisp day and a plowed path to walk on in Raymore Park.

Raymore Park Cleanup this Sunday

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Toronto Bell Cote Church at 691 Scarlett Road.

Another clean-up is being organized for Raymore Park – this time it’s by the Toronto Bell Cote Heritage Preservation people. They have the beautifully restored church at Kingdom and Scarlett Road.

The event will begin at 1:00 pm on Sunday, June 30th at which time light refreshments will be served. At 1:30 pm, the clean-up will begin, focussing on the riverbanks. Their route map will take them down to Eglinton which seems ambitious. Garbage bags will be provided but participants are asked to bring comfortable shoes and gloves.

  • Meeting Place: 691 Scarlett Road
  • Date: Sunday June 30.
  • Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.

Clean up day removes trash

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I lent a hand to the clean-up of our adjacent green space to the north; Lions Park. I met with Weston Clean Team organizer Ryan Emerson Demchuk along with fellow volunteers Joanne and Bob and we moved along the Humber picking up trash as we went. No pictures to show today but lots of litter was removed. The good news is that much of the trash (that I picked up) was quite old; some pop cans had been there for a long time. The predominant trash seems to be water bottles (the triumph of marketing over need), coffee lids, straws, plastic bags and of course pop cans. Some interesting litter included dozens of dog poop bags at the entrance to the Hickory Tree apartments. Some resident (with a small dog) takes the trouble to gather up their dog’s poop but slings the bag into the bush before leaving the park. Aren’t people wonderful?

I left early but my fellow pickers were hard at it when I left.

To learn more about this Facebook group click here.

One last thing; a large twin-hulled canoe with about six people on board sailed majestically past as we worked the banks of the Humber. It was nice to see some rare boat traffic on the river.

Ice damage in wild area.

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Some spring thaws are rougher than others but this year’s was particularly brutal. Many young trees were planted after recent construction work in the wild area past the curve in the river. Many of these trees have been destroyed by huge chunks of ice and torrents of water.

These trees (along with many others) have lost much of their bark after the annual inundation.

Looking south from above the dam, water and ice has stripped the bark from these young trees.

Sadly, there’s nothing to be done except plant more wisely in the future.

On the plus side, two observations; there’s very little garbage in the wild area and the pond formed in 2013 has survived the construction mess and the latest floods.

The pond and the protruding sewer cover (white – upper centre).

On another topic, the white object sticking out above the newly planted grass in the background is a visible reminder of the sewer relining that took place over the last couple of years. Hans Havermann’s excellent blog has an article complete with extensive photos of this sewer pipe cover and the engineering (or lack of) that has led to its striking prominence, damage and repair this February.

Blocks of ice weighing several tonnes overflow the Humber’s banks almost every year. Anything that protrudes above ground level is at risk.

 

 

 

 

 

Daytime rain brings a quick rise in the Humber.

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There was heavy rain in Toronto last night but unlike the flood events of 1954 and 2013, the overnight rain was relatively local and not spread over the Humber watershed. This morning I took a leisurely stroll in the humid morning air and was surprised to see the relatively low level of the water.

At 8:30 this morning, a relatively low level.

By the afternoon, things had changed. More rain had fallen in the broader catchment area and the river’s quick rise was apparent – not as spectacular as 2013 but impressive nevertheless.

By 5:30 this afternoon, there was a lot more water and sediment.

On July 9th, 2013, this is how the Humber looked from the same vantage point when the water was beginning to subside from the previous day’s rain.

July 9, 2013, 5:45 am. The old footbridge foundation is completely submerged and may have even been shifted by the current.

Incidentally, workers repairs the bridge boards yesterday – many were rotten through. I don’t understand why they don’t replace the wood with metal ‘boards’ that would last much longer.

Bridge boards don’t last long as they’re not chemically treated. This is because preserved wood leaches toxins into the river in wet weather and would harm aquatic life.