Left Foot, Right Foot

A Time for Humber.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 02:51:00 +0000

"Did you say 'Epic Walk'?"

Who does not long for freedom? As children, despite the varying magnitudes of restrictions that are placed upon us by our parents, we are at our most free. We are free within our bodies. Uninhibited in our souls. Our thoughts and imaginations soar without boundaries. Who we are to become is full of such limitless possibilities.

For children of the modern age, where childhood has been deemed as most precious and the domain of play and dreams, the greatest freedom of childhood is Time. It stretches before them vast and infinite, progressing slowly. There is all the Time in the world in which to dream and explore. The particular golden blessing of the modern child is the summer vacation. Sure, it may be filled with camps, play dates, soccer games and museum outings. However, even the most rigidly scheduled child will experience a slowing down, a greater freedom. There is always that sense that there are a million things that can be accomplished before heading back to school and a million years in which to accomplish them all.

As adults, pressured under the constraints of work and family, of obligations and bills, Time, and the freedom it allows, is much more precious. When you are a mom who works full-time, also holds down a part-time job, writes and, for the most part, parents alone, Time and freedom are more rarer and treasured than diamonds and platinum. Time is no longer a freedom but nagging task-master and who we were becomes lost to it’s constant demands.

One of the things I have wanted to do for the last few years was to walk the entire Humber Trail from the top of the City down to the Lake. I have done the whole thing in short two or three hour looped or backtracked segments but never the whole thing at once. It has always seemed something that would have to be put off. As a working mom with little support, my days lie rigidly tied to the confines of the school day and my own odd work hours. My evenings are busy ferrying my children from one activity to another. I also walk dogs during the day. While my own dog is a trooper, my other pals don’t have the kind of endurance to go past a couple of hours. It’s difficult to schedule in that kind of epic adventure with the life that I lead.

A month ago the stars lined up beautifully. My husband had been sent home from his work assignment in Saskatchewan nursing a broken arm and would be around to meet our children after school. None of the other dogs I walk needed to be walked that day. It was cool but sunny, so it likely wouldn’t be too hot for my pup. It was probably my one and only chance this year to give it a go and I grabbed it, even though I had pressing things to do with work and my home. Wanting to try some serious hiking this year, it would be the perfect opportunity to see just how big a hike my dog would be happy to endure and to also gauge how much food and water to pack for him as I’ve never taken a long hike with him before. If I ran into any problems, I live a very short drive from most access points to the trail, so it would be easy to call my husband to pick us up if we needed. A good trial run.

I ended up starting much later than I should have because we did need to wait and see what arrangements my husband could make for some last minute doctors appointments. If I had to be home to meet the kids, the dream would be shelved for another day. I would have preferred to have gotten the show on the road by 8:30 am but he wasn’t able to make confirmations until midmorning.

I packed up, in my better backpack, over a gallon of water, food for both him and me, sunscreen and hat, sunglasses and rain poncho. I loaded up a fanny pack with the dog’s travel water bowl, a water bottle for me and a few small necessities. I decided a pair of yoga pants, T-shirt and comfy sneakers would be the best bet for the day. Yoga pants or splash pants are my pants of choice when dog walking because I don’t care when the dogs jump all over them. When my buddy saw me pull those on, he went gonzo. He knows what walking pants are for.

My husband dropped me off near Kipling and Steeles and I picked up the trail on what seemed to be a service road. Although nearby apartment towers loomed over the tops of the trees I felt incredibly isolated and alone. I walked deep in the dappled shadows of urban forest, the trees themselves only allowing the briefest glimpse of nearby towers. It was green, all the greens of the natural world. The greens I dream of, cool and dappled, as I sit for hours and hours in my grey cubicle in the sky. The crisp gravel beneath my feet, the breeze through the trees and soft birdsong provided a gentle soundtrack to my lonely trek.

From the start, it seemed as though I drifted through a dream...

It was almost an hour before I saw another person. Once I joined up with the main paths at Rowntree Mills Park, it was raucous children and dogwalkers all around. I ran into a young woman and her beautiful dog in one of the parking lots there and she joined me for a while and chatted. I was grateful for her company and she was very informative about the coyote and deer sightings in the area and some of the regular peoples and goings on in the park. I think in all my time of walking in the trail I have never once come across someone so friendly. Usually people might say hello or exchange smiles and a little back and forth about dogs or the weather. It was enjoyable to have a little connection and conversation. Because of safety considerations, I don’t usually listen to music when I am hiking. I prefer to be aware of my surroundings. So usually it is just my lonely inner dialogue and me.

Gentle drifts of purple and white followed me, beckoned me, until I was dashed upon the harsh shores of highway and concrete...

My journey through Rowntree Mills Park is short and, with good and pleasant chatter to speed the time, I was in Blue Haven Park before I knew it. About halfway through the park I was compelled for reasons unknown to look behind me and spied a deer. Soft in shadow as if a dream. We mutually froze on the spot and gave each other a good, long, silent stare, and then, suspecting I wasn’t much of a threat, it meandered up the path and into the trees. I’ve seen deer a few times up this way now and then and it’s always a breathtaking sight. I was lost in a daze for a while after that.

I only remembered my camera when it was too late.

I gradually made my way to Summerlea Park. It’s a big park and It took forever to walk. I haven’t been able to determine the square acreage but I am certain that it is the same size or even bigger than High Park.

Hydro lines slice through the heart of Summerlea

Counting 20 minutes to rest, water up and eat it took roughly two and a half hours to traverse it from end to end. As I passed a retention pond, I could hear hymns drifting over the water, haunting and atmospheric. At first I thought it might be a TV or radio from a nearby apartment tower but it turned out to be a prayer meeting in a recreation building at the back of the park. It was another long walk with hardly another soul in sight, but peaceful and beautiful. One of my favourite go-to walks.

Despite the signs of human life all around, Summerlea is often vacant and unused.

Then it was through Pine Point Park, a short little thing that I have written on before. At the south end of the park, one is forced under the 401 to continue on the trail. Usually there is ample room to manoeuvre under there but the overpass is currently being repaired and foot and bicycle traffic is forced through a very narrow passageway. Twice, in the short span of time that it takes to traverse it, I was almost bowled over by a cyclist going way over the speed limit (and there are extraa signs posted at both entrances even reminding cyclists to slow down). He didn’t even have a bell or bothered to call out to let me know he was behind me. I have encountered this fellow back here before. Most cyclists and pedestrians do their best to share the path, but he’s a bit of a bully. First aggravation of the walk.

A tight squeeze under the 401.

The second frustration came shortly after at the end of Crawford-Jones Park. Here, the trail ends and to pick up the next portion of it you have to walk down Weston Road a short distance. Normally this isn’t too bad, but for the next couple of years this corner is going to be under continued construction as Metrolinx work swings into full gear.

The noise after five hours of isolation was jarring. The exhaust from cars and buses and the dust from all the construction work was choking. The traffic was snarled and angry and impatient with the long waits. My plan had been to walk along Weston and join up with the official entrance at Cruikshank Park but I quickly decided against that. I headed down the stairs at St. Philips Road, not the safest of choices when walking alone, but a far more pleasant alternative that offered a very quick escape and meant not having to endure an attempt of crossing over St. Phillips Road.

Back to green and life.

The path underneath St. Philips is isolated, nothing more than a narrow dirt footpath. The branches of the surrounding trees dip low onto the path and the grass grows tall on either side. It is claustrophobic and eerie. A dead dog or coyote spied in the grass only intensifies my uneasiness.

The type of sight one might expect in a horror film... There be chainsaws and masked men here, I know it.

Another rest in Cruikshank Park made me suddenly aware of how out of shape I really had become after the winter and a prolonged illness. My legs ached. It was there I regretted not bringing another gallon of water (my dog is a little water obsessed), more dog food and a sweater for myself. Ominous clouds had been rolling in over the course of the afternoon and the temperature dropped considerably, chilling my enthusiasm. We lingered a little longer here than at our last break while my dog enjoyed a good stick. This is a short chain of three linked parks but, by this time, I was also feeling a little discouraged as this portion of the trail runs east/west instead of north/south and, after having spent a good portion of the trail in Summerlea going the same direction, I really hadn’t felt like I made much progress during the previous four hours.

Hurricane Hazel Victims memorial at Raymore Park

Raymore Park turns north/south again and the short but steep climb at the South portion of it was a killer given the already five plus hours of walking I had endured.

The river is strong here.

By the time we reached the Ukrainian Canadian Memorial Park I could tell that my poor dog had had it. He was still very perky, but was definitely tiring out. While waiting for the lights to change at Scarlett and Eglinton I gave my husband a call and asked him if he could pick up the dog at James Gardens. This is another frustrating section of the trail which temporarily forces the user to deal with traffic, and by then it was rush hour. I could walk the path further down to James Gardens but decided to get off and cut across Edenbridge Drive and wait at the main entrance to the park. I drive across there all the time but didn’t realize the entrance to the park was so far from the eastern end of the road. This is one of the most pedestrian unfriendly roads in the entire city. Much of the road does not have a sidewalk. The shoulders of the road are very narrow with deep ditches almost immediately next to them. Despite the million dollar price tags of the homes along there, many lawns are unkempt and not conducive to walking. Cars whiz by at speeds much higher than the posted limit. I keep my dog very close and do my best to move as quickly as I can to my destination.

It had been my intention to carry on without the dog and just TTC it home when I was done. By the time I got to James Gardens, though, it was 5:30 p.m. I began to think about some of the more isolated portions I had to walk through further down and the time it had already taken me to walk the distance so far and decided I didn’t want to do it completely alone. Disappointed, I called it a day. The trail isn’t going anywhere, and for the time being, neither am I. It certainly wasn’t a waste of Time, it was an incredible gift of Time. I am immensely grateful for the day of freedom I was given which I have not experienced since I had children. It was recharging. Even now, when I feel a little overwhelmed by the demands of my life, I seek refuge in those rippled greens, dreamy purples, the gauzy soft deer, the feel of a cool breeze on my face, and the fleeting glimpse of the person I had once been all those years ago, when Time was all I had.

Journey's end.

Let’s save it for another day, hopefully another window will open up this year.

The next day I kind of thought that when I put on my walking pants my dog would run hiding, but no, he was totally ready to get back at it, even if it was just around the block this time.

There are a few comments to give a heads up to anyone who may want to attempt a longer walk through here. Bring a buddy. There are a considerable number of isolated stretches that are just not very popular, and it can be a very long time before you see anyone. Meet up with the wrong person and it could quickly turn a pleasant outing upside down. Coyotes are also frequently spotted in many sections of the trail. Be aware and vigilant for them. Be prepared for a serious lack of access to bathroom facilities and fresh water. If there isn’t a facilities building located in a park, there will usually be a port-a-potty, but only in the summer months and they may be located at the main entrance of the park which may not handy or marked from the main trail or easy to miss. Summerlea, in particular, stands out as you would have to leave the trail for a considerable distance before hitting the main entrance. Peeing out in the open in Toronto parks is illegal but I’ve come across volumes of people seeking relief in the bushes on my various treks and it’s easy to understand why. I was also nervous about tying my dog up if I did use one because I did not want people to think I was abandoning my dog and usually there is never anything handy to tie him up to even if I wanted to. The port-a-potties are usually out in the wide open some distance a way from trees or fencing. I have never used one either so I also can’t vouch for the condition or cleanliness. I did not notice one working water fountain the entire trek. If there was one visible from the path I stand corrected. If you’re going to do an extended walk on the trail, pack your own water and pack a lot. There were also very long stretches without a garbage can, so be prepared to tote your garbage and dog waste bags. Again, at the time, Summerlea was by far the worst for lack of garbage cans (this situation has now been somewhat corrected). There are many rules but not much assistance to ensure users don’t break them. Things like this are never too much of a concern if you on a short walk but were issues for me on the longer trek.

In the end it took me over seven hours to walk the stretch that I did. Keep in mind that I am a very short person and my brisk gait is a slow crawl for most people. I was also travelling with a canine companion, which meant frequent breaks to water, eat, rest, pee and poop-and-scoop. It totalled out to roughly 9.7 miles.

Useful Information:

Duration of Walk: Roughly four to seven hours (based on short legs, picture taking and doggy care)
Difficulty: EASY. Relatively flat terrain throughout. A few short steep hills, mostly paved, with some gravel and dirt paths.
Parking: Lots of parking available at various park entrances.
Washrooms: Yes. Facility buildings and Port-a-Potties only at park entrances.
Local Coffee Haunts: No. Really not much of anything. Coffee dies North of Bloor Street.
Safety Factor: Medium-High. Buddies are best. Be watchful for coyotes
Special Gear?: A good pair sneakers, food and water.
Suitable for Dog Walking?: Yes. Dogs must be on leash.

Happy Trails!

Walking Tours

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 03:13:00 +0000

The rain is falling, the temperature is rising, the flowers are growing and Walking Tour season is upon us!

Besides the more tourist oriented tours to be had around the city, there are a number of organizations in Toronto which offer guided walks highlighting history, culture and infrastructure. Best of all they are free! Sadly, I never get to go as they are usually held on the weekends and I have an odd work week that forces me to work on weekends (I really work seven days a week doing various things, but four of them are as a cubicle jockey and I'm pretty much tied down when all the really fun stuff happens). This year I think I can sneak in a couple of walks and am going to try my best to do so. But I thought I would at least pass them along for your walking pleasure.

Coming up in two weeks time, on May 7th & 8th are Jane's Walks. These walks are inspired by and remember Jane Jacobs, who was an urban activist and a huge proponent of walkable cities. She passed away in 2006. There are a number of different guided tours, led by volunteers, which explore different communities and topics. The first weekend was held in 2007 and since then the concept has gone global with Jane's Walks being held in cities around the world. This year there are large number of walks on a variety of themes including pedestrian issues, labyrinths, immigration and history. You don't need to register; just note the walks of interest to you and the times, show up and enjoy.

Jane's Walks

Heritage Toronto offers walks throughout the seasonable months of the year, mostly on weekends. These walks focus on history, architecture and nature, are free and do not require reservations. I like that these are offered over the spring, summer and early fall. Of further interest, there a several downloadable self-guided walking tours available from their website, so even if you can't make an actual guided walk, you can still benefit from what they have to offer.

Heritage Toronto Walks

Happy Trails!

[murmur] Toronto - The Junction

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:25:00 +0000

I had decided to celebrate the first seriously warm day of the year by taking an extended walk with my dog. I have been looking for different ways to explore this City of mine and decided to try my feet on a [murmur] walk. [murmur] is a series of self-guided audio/phone walks that explore the oral histories of a particular neighbourhood from those who have lived or had unique experiences within them. I first noticed a [murmur] sign on a trek through Kensington Market last summer and not having a phone on me at the time to check it out, I visited their website when I got home at the end of the day. [murmur] is set up in a few locations around Toronto and in a few other Canadian cities and international venues as well. It’s completely free and all you need is a good pair of walking shoes and a cell phone. A neighbourhood is chosen and throughout it, at random sites, signs in the form of green ears are posted inviting you to call, enter a pin number (listed on the sign) and hear an account about the specific location where you are standing. There is more than one story with each location and you can choose to listen through all the stories. On the website for each neighbourhood there is a map you can print off, if you choose, and you can also listen to the oral histories directly on the website. You can choose to walk around and listen at each post or just listen randomly as you come across signs. You are also provided an opportunity to provide your own reflections if you have lived or have otherwise been influenced by the areas featured in the tour. I can't think of a more unique way to gain some insight that you might not normally get by reading a historical plaque or browsing through some media source or local archive. This reeks of awesome high school history assignment and I am hoping beyond hope that there are a least a few teachers taking advantage of this fantastic resource. My curiosity on it had been peaked for some time and with the weather finally on my side, I decided to try it out.

Eight Toronto neighbourhoods and the Reference Library are currently featured through [murmur]. I chose to try out The Junction. I live very close to this neighbourhood and often drive through it. Every time, I would think that there were some things I would like to get a closer look at, but it's always been pushed to the back of the priorities list. Now that I have some food allergies, there are some bakeries and restaurants here that can cater to my new diet and provide me with an excuse to visit and hang out here. It was time to get to learn this neat little place intimately.

I printed off the charming hand-drawn map and plotted out my route. Red dots on the map indicated where I would find signs. I chose to start at the corner of Runnymede Road and Dundas St. W., since that was closest to me. The map showed that there was a sign right there, but I couldn't find it. That wasn't a [murmur] issue though, rather it was an issue with my own observational skills. By looking at the map and and having some sense of the distance I would have to cover based on frequent drive-throughs of the neighbourhood I figured it was going to take me some time to cover all the stops, and since I could listen to them on line, I figured I was going to be okay if I had to skip a few or couldn’t find any. I headed straight for the next stop on my route.

I headed north along Runnymede and then turned right at Maria St. making my way eastward. I spied the tell-tale little green “Ear” a little way up the street and made my way towards it. I'm not going to give away too many details about the histories. The folks at [murmur] have done a lot of hard work and fabulous job at putting this together, and I would encourage everyone to give it a try themselves or at least listen to them on the website. Besides, a story is never properly told second hand. I did get a very good taste of the charming anecdotes that were in store for me, many told by life-long residents of the neighbourhood. A fun little tidbit here that I did pick up was the proper pronunciation of this street. It's not Maria, as you would normally pronounce it when spying on the word, but Mariah. I decided to listen to just one story at each stop and then continued on to Gilmour Ave., turning south and back to Dundas.

The Malta Bake Shop is the next stop on the tour. This place is a little bit of a local institution, offering a delight called pastizzi that everyone seems to rave about. I suspect that it's not gluten-free, otherwise I would have tried it and reported back on it. The Junction embraces "Little Malta" within its boundaries. There were a number of waves of Maltese immigrants into Canada from 1826 onwards and the majority of the Toronto newcomers settled here. Upwards of 8,000 Maltese immigrants and their descendants lived within the Junction bounds by the 1980's, but as often happens when a community becomes more integrated with its new country and culture, most have moved on. Traces of their impact and presence can still be found throughout the Junction.

I cross Dundas southwards along Gilmour Ave. and find the next stop at the corner. It caused a little bit of pedestrian impoliteness as, while in the process of dialing the number, I was in the immediate way of someone trying to access the pedestrian light button to request a light change. Oops. A few minutes to listen and then head south along Gilmour to find the Malta Park. This is when I figure out the [murmur] map is really only a rough aid and is not to be taken too literally. The park is actually further east along Dundas than what is indicated on the map.

The tour takes one several blocks eastward along Dundas before there is another stop. As you pass Clendenan Ave., you begin to see the signs of gentrification that have recently hit this neighbourhood. Trendier shops, cafes, restaurants galore, new building and restoration are all making their mark on the neighbourhood, rapidly changing and renewing the urban landscape. One can hope that it doesn't change too much though, there is a certain charm in the crumbling facades that adds a distinct character to this portion of the city.

Two more stops relate experiences of a shop owner in the area and tell a brief history of the Avenue Hotel, now a Dominos Pizza. I turn right at Pacific Ave. and continue further south.

Pacific Avenue is notable for an old racetrack, the Carlton Racecourse, that once existed in the area, which was home to the first Queen’s Plates. A stop here gives a brief run down on the history of the track. Now the two long sides of the track are short residential streets, sided with tract, duplex housing, as is much of the neighbourhood.

The [murmur] map will direct you eastward on Annette St. There is an indication that an “Ear” is to be found near the old Victoria Royce Presbyterian Church, which is now being converted into condos. I did my best to locate it but could not find it. Perhaps it was temporarily relocated because of the condo construction or perhaps it was just my little unobservant self. The church is a beautiful building and I am glad that it is being converted as opposed to being torn down. As you wander along the tour you find a large number of churches and temples reflecting a variety of religions and emphasizing the importance of faith among the members of the community.

The next two signs were on the south side of Annette Street in roughly the same area. I should have crossed the street at Pacific Avenue, where there were street lights, but instead attempted to cross at Medland Ave. That was a risky venture as the traffic volume is surprisingly high, and it is a crossing that takes some careful timing and patience. At Annette St. and Pacific Ave. lies a small Masonic Temple. I haven’t been able to gather a lot of information about it, but it would appear that this Temple is the home of the last pipe organ to be found in a Masonic Temple in Toronto. Also here is the Annette St. public library. This is the second oldest building in the Toronto Public Library system. It’s a very lovely little building with lots of ornate detailing. Continuing further east on Annette St. is featured a short history on Dr. Minerva Reid, founder of the Woman’s College Hospital.

At Keele, I turned north. This stretch between Annette St. and Dundas is primarily service buildings. A college, provincial building, postal distribution centre and firehall all line this small portion of the street. The Mechanics Hall can also be found here. It’s early days saw it as a meeting place and reading hall for African Canadian males, most of whom worked with the rail lines. There was no mention of it at the [murmur] stop vignettes featured here. This hall helped to raise funds and donate books for the Annette Street Library and a historical plaque outside the library commemorates their contribution. Outside the firehall across the street can be found the first fire-alarm bell for the firehall. Well-patinaed, the engraving on the bell is pretty much indecipherable. Another stop at the corner gives a chance to look around. Further evidence of transformational regeneration here is spied in the shape of restorations and construction of residential towers. I wonder at how this community will deal with the large, sudden influx of new residents.

Close to this corner can be found a large Salvation Army building. While no longer offering services from this building, it is still maintained as a church. The Salvation Army has had a presence in this location since at least 1912, although this building is obviously much more modern.

Its is a long stretch eastward to the next stop, which brings us to one of the most crazy intersections to be found in the city. Here converges Dupont St., Dundas St. W., Annette St. and Old Weston Road. The pedestrian crossing on the east side of the intersection is the easiest, although it requires a two stage crossing at the middle of the street with a narrow pedestrian island as there are two separate lights. The west side is for the more adventurous and I am very surprised that it is even allowed. Especially across Dupont, which is merging from a ramp and drivers have a very limited view until they hit the intersection. There is only one [murmur] stop here on the north side of Dundas with vignettes concerning life around the rail industry. Railroads define the Junction; a rough triangle in shape, the Junction is bounded on all sides by rail lines and its very name belies how important the industry was to the the area.

It is a long walk back towards the west. We want to find Hook Ave. and the map indicates that Hook will meet up with Dundas but that’s a little misleading. You’ll actually want to look for Watkinson Ave, following it north for a short block until you reach Hook Ave. Here is yet another quaint street of duplexes, but it is interesting because if most clearly reflects the gentrification of the area, with older duplexes lining the south and new ones on the north. Every available bit of space is used here and houses back right up against the rail lines. Trains still rumble through and whistles blow frequently, a constant reminder of the important industry that defines this community. I was unable to get the code to work at the [murmur] stop here and the website does not yet have any stories posted, but I would still recommend walking through this quiet, cozy little section. Continuing through past Indian Grove Road, I was uncertain at first if I would be able to do the next part of the tour from that direction. New construction was blocking much of the road and I was uncertain if I would be able to navigate it. I pushed through and no one bothered me or prevented my passage.

The tour then encourages you to turn south down Heintzman Ave. A short stop plays a vignette about the Heintzman Piano Company which was formally located here. I had no idea that these pianos were made here. I take piano lessons and all of the uprights at my school are old Heintzmans that were probably all constructed on this street. A couple of Heintzman family members provide reflections on their own family history, the factory and the community.

I followed the tour north on Keele street, turning eastwards on Junction Road. Here I had difficulty following the tour. This is a more industrial area. Even with my dog as companion, I wasn’t exactly feeling comfortable. Despite the small, narrow streets, traffic was heavy. None of the streets are clearly named so I had difficulty determining my next turn off. Then I couldn’t find the next “Ear”. I gave up and decided to continue on, since I could hear the reflections on the website anyway. There is another stop that appears here on the printed map (and there are several others north of here on the website map which don’t appear in the print off) but I know that area well. There are a number of big box hardware stores that I have to pass, including a busy intersection that services them and with my dog in tow, I really didn’t want to bother. I was getting crunched for time as well as I had to head home to greet my children from the school bus. I headed back south along Keele and then turned westward on Dundas.

There are a number of stops along this stretch, highlighting various aspects of life in the Junction including some of its more colourful characters, street life, grocery stores and shopping and theatre. There are a number of cool little shops around here and also Rue Morgue House of Horror, notable for its glossy publication of horror industry news, as well as organizing horror film nights, expos and one of the more popular Halloween parties in the city.

Turning north on Clendenan Ave., I revisited Maria Street, this time to check out the Knesseth Isreal Synagogue, the oldest synagogue built in Ontario still in use for its original purpose. Stately and quiet, it sits unassuming in its neighbourhood and gives an insight into the people who once lived here and shaped this community. I turn south on St. Johns Place and back to Dundas.

Returning to the start, I was able to locate the first [murmur] sign that I had missed when I started the tour. All in all it was an enjoyable outing that not only took me through the more obvious core of the neighbourhood but also along some of the hidden secret treasures that are not so obvious but obscure and otherwise forgotten. The tour reflects not as much the recorded history that can be found on the books but rather utilizes the quiet memory and living history of the individuals who call this unique place home. The Junction was an incredibly friendly neighbourhood. It was obvious to many what I was up to and many made a point to give me lots of room or move out of my way to look at the codes on the signs. I received warm hellos, smiles and polite small talk; my pup was happily greeted. It made for one of the most enjoyable afternoons I have had in a long time, and I will definitely be walking the Junction again. I highly recommend a stroll through the city listening closely for any [murmurs] along the way.

[murmur]

West Toronto Junction Historical Society

Useful Information:

Duration of Walk: It took me about three hours to complete the walk and there was one section that I skipped. There were several places where I had difficulty finding the signs and back-tracked a few times to locate them. I am also very short so I factor that in my walk times as well. Each story is short a couple of minutes long at the most, but I also only listened to one at each location. I took a large volume of pictures as well. I honestly believe that it should take about two hours to complete this walk.
Difficulty: Moderately Easy. There are a few steep hills and also one difficult intersection to negotiate. The section with the hill can be avoided and the intersection at Dundas and Dupont can be approached from the Northside, crossing at Keele and Dundas instead. Otherwise this is fairly flat terrain. It is a long walk so takes some endurance to complete. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants along Dundas if one needs to take a rest. I cannot vouch for accessibility for individual establishments.
Parking/Getting There: There is Green P Parking available at the corner of Dundas and Runnymede and on Pacific Ave. and Keele St. I would recommend parking on Pacific or Keele as the Runnymede location is a very small tight lot. Lots of parking at the other two locations. TTC route 40 runs through this area along Dundas Ave. W. and it can also be accessed from Runnymede subway station by taking the 71 or 79 north, from High Park station by taking route 30 north or from Keele subway station by taking routes 41 or 89 north.
Washrooms: There are plenty of cafes to stop in, but be polite and buy something.
Local Coffee Haunts: Lots of chains and independents. Tea shops too.
Safety Factor: Good. There are tons of people about.
Special Gear?: A good pair of sneakers works. Dress for the weather.
Suitable for Dogwalking?: Absolutely!

In Other News - April 20, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 02:40:00 +0000

Hey, Mayor Ford, we need to do this too:

Step Forward Hamilton

Of course, it doesn't look promising that pedestrian concerns are taken seriously by the Ford administration...

Toronto Star - City Scrapping Pedestrian Committee among others

How Stuff Works on Urban Exploring

Urban Exploring

Europe makes plans to clean city air

2050

Remember Participaction? It's back! (Did it ever really go away or did we just lose interest)

Nordic Walking

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Pacing Hospital Floors

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 02:33:00 +0000

There were no big hikes this week. No exploring neighbourhoods. Hardly any dog walks. No lurking in coffee haunts to write. There was a lot of pacing of hospital floors.

Both my husband and I came down with colds late last week, severe enough to wipe us out. When our daughter became ill over the weekend, we chalked it up to something she ate and tiredly tucked her between us. I made a feeble attempt to clock in a few hours at work on Sunday before I got sent home. My daughter was still ill, so my husband tucked her and I in together while he went out, sick, to grab some supplies and food basics to tide us over. While he was gone, my daughter became dramatically ill, so I called him home and he ran her to the emergency room. I waited up, struggling against medicated drowsiness, for them to come home. At some point in time, I must have fallen asleep because my son woke me up, frantic for me to help him get off to school on time. My husband wasn’t beside me. My daughter wasn’t in her bed. They had never made it back home.

My husband called just as I was reaching for the phone to check for messages. She was being admitted. Her fever was really bad. She was severely dehydrated. I got my son on the school bus, grabbed a taxi and made my way over there.

It didn’t really hit me how bad it was until I got there. She was ashen. Hot. Cerulean eyes turned dark and leaden. She was incapable of focusing on a point, on my face or my eyes. She rambled and complained of being dizzy. At the height of her fever she wouldn’t speak at all. She was hooked up to an IV. She looked so small and fragile.

No one should ever see their child that way.

Most weeks I’ll log in more than my fair share of kilometres roaming around the city, this week they were logged in a hospital room, overlooking the very trail that she and I have spent hours strolling together, deep in mother/daughter confidences.

It wasn’t that long ago when flus and stomach illnesses and other things that we now just casually shrug away would regularly kill people. And it’s easy to see how someone, in just a few short days, can go from being healthy and vibrant and vital to seriously ill. I’ve often taken these things for granted. I’ve stuffed myself with over-the-counter meds and carried on with life. But I have respect now for the need to just stop and let the body deal and heal. And I have learned to appreciate every little moment because it can be taken from you in a heart beat.

It’s not over yet. She’s out of the hospital now and with us. But this illness seems to have aggravated some ongoing health problems that we have been puzzling over for the last year. In the weeks to come there will be more poking and prodding and doctors and specialists. But I’m going to make sure that I take some time with her, just the two of us, and walk with her hand in hand. And I will be thankful.

Spring is Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 04:15:00 +0000

It was glorious today. Warm enough to leave behind the hats and mitts. Warm enough to inspire the dogs to sniff about excitedly. Warm enough for a small troupe of kindergardeners to head out to look for "signs of spring". And then I came across them. Vibrant bed of crocus. Energizing and refreshing. Purples and yellows shocking after the long white winter accented in browns.

First a howling blizzard woke us,

Then the rain came down to soak us,

And now before the eye can focus -

Crocus.

Lilja Rogers

Strolling along the Humber

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:43:00 +0000

The Humber, as seen between Cruikshank and Lions Park, near the intersection
of Lawrence Ave. W and Weston Road, Etobicoke

[This is an intro to a series of walks that I will be posting in relation to the Humber River. While I have have walked the whole of the river from the City boundaries to the Lake, I have yet to attempt an full, unbroken trek from the top of the city to the bottom, but have plans to do so in 2011. ]

Toronto has the unique distinction of having Canada’s only designated urban Canadian Heritage River flowing through it’s bounds, the Humber River. This beautiful river gently dissects the city from top to bottom with a graceful, peaceful ribbon of green. The river is one of two that divides the city, creating natural geographical boundaries that physically separate the city into distinct regions. The other is The Don River Valley on the East side of the City. I have yet to make my way to the Don yet, but I’m slowly moving eastward in my treks and hopefully I can start some trekking there this summer.

Temporarily Tamed by Winter's Touch

What makes the Humber so culturally important and why should you care? First and foremost it is beautiful. It wends and twists and gently curves it’s way to Lake Ontario. Old trees grace it’s shores. A multitude of birds and animals, including deer, can be spied near it’s banks, bringing the wilderness straight the city. It has carved deep ravines through the city creating an oasis of peace and silence. You can be conscious that the city’s hustle and bustle might lay just beyond the crest of that hill but be so far removed from it that all cares and worries are forgotten. At first glance, it seems slow and calm, but watch the water flow over many of the engineered spillways along its route and witness its mighty power. At its end, it swells and slows and supports a serene marsh.

Summerlea Park, Winter 2011

It was first used as a trading and portage route for our First Nations peoples and the “Toronto Carrying Place Trail” follows it’s banks. Earliest evidence of human settlement along this river points back in time to a possible 10,000 years of human impact on the river.

Late Fall 2010, Pine Point Park

There is debate as to whether Étienne Brûlé, on behalf of Samuel de Champlain, became the first European to explore and live along the banks of the river, establishing trade and diplomatic relations with the First Peoples here. One park along the banks of the river is named after him, however many scholars now believe he may have actually located much further west.

Summer 2010, Magwood Park, Etobicoke

The Humber was vital to the early development of the city. Fort Toronto was founded at it’s foot where it met Lake Ontario and was a temporary home of the first Lieutenant Governor Simcoe when he first arrived in the area. Settlement continued to grow outwards from the Fort. Over time the fast flowing waters powered numerous lumber and grist mills along its banks, providing the materials to build the city and strengthen its economy.

Kipling Heights Park [not 100% sure on that one - may have been further up river],

Winter 2011, Etobicoke

On the night of October 15, 1954, Hurricane Hazel struck the City with great force. It is rare for a Hurricane to make its way this far in land, usually they dissipate in strength once they hit landfall, and indeed, while this storm had been downgraded to a tropical storm, it proved to be a powerful one. Already, it had caused horrendous devastation in Haiti. It tore through the Carolinas and, instead of losing power, then steamrolled its way northwest to Toronto. Despite, what was for the time, very accurate weather forecasts, few people paid heed to the warnings. Storms of this strength had never been experienced here and the naïveté of Torontonians created a lax atmosphere that was unprepared for what was to come. The storm raged late into the evening. The water table was already saturated from heavy rains experienced the week prior. Streams, rivers and creeks were at their peak. The stage was set for a disaster.

Memorial to Victims of Hurricane Hazel, Raymore Park, Etobicoke. This memorial
incorporates

the remains of a bridge swept away by flood waters.

The rains of the evening proved too much and large flash floods raged through the City along the Humber River, Don River and Etobicoke Creek, taking residents by surprise. Many houses were ripped from their foundations, bobbing their way along the rushing waters towards the lake; some residents spending a cold terrifying night on their roofs, waiting for rescue that could not come. Efforts to aid victims were hampered by the strength of the currents and an inability to find boats of sufficient horsepower to navigate the waters. Many of the rescuers quickly became stranded themselves or lost their lives to the raging currents. Thousands were instantly rendered homeless. Eight-one lives were lost that evening. Bridges were washed out throughout the city, creating traffic snarls for months after. Several highways and rail lines were washed away, including the 401, creating headaches to find alternate means to move goods across the country. To this day, with an estimated cost of at least $1 billion of today’s currency, it remains the largest natural disaster ever recorded in Canada.

Memorial to firefighters lost in the chaos of October 15, 1954.
Their firetruck was swept away as they attempted a rescue.
Home Smith Park, Etobicoke

The Canadian military was called in to deal with relief efforts and clean up. Relief agencies immediately went into action, raising millions of dollars of funds from all over the world. Provincial and federal governments expropriated much of the property along these rivers and placed strong restrictions on further development. National flood plain management and strategies were implemented nationwide to prevent similar disasters elsewhere. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority was created to help manage these areas. These areas are now planned as flood zones, where water can be allowed to move freely through the City without major impact on nearby residents. Spillways, dams, retention walls and other engineered features along the river help to restrain and minimize flooding and direct the water when needed. Yet even with all that management, the River is one to be respected. Flash floods still do occur especially during the Spring thaws or after heavy rains. Its current is strong. Along it’s banks lie memorials to victims, many children who have been caught within its grip.

I shamefully wish I could tell you exactly where this picture was taken, but

I seriously need to work on my note-taking skills... Winter, 2011

But out of that horrible devastation, Torontonians were given a special and unique gift. Deep into the heart of the City, fingers of forestry and nature tangle their way seductively towards the Lake. Deep forested ravines isolate portions of the rivers from the City creating sanctuaries of greenery and silence. Long stretches of recreational zones have been created along its banks and are easily accessible to most within the City and provide opportunities for biking, hiking, jogging, rollerblading dog walking, boating and fishing. Need a first date idea but not a lot of cash? A stroll along the Humber’s many parks provides an idillic spot to picnic and walk hand in hand. Bird enthusiast? The Humber provides plenty of opportunity to spy your avian friends. Avid cyclist looking for an opportunity to bike a long distance without City traffic? The numerous bicycle paths along its banks negotiate steep hills and turns and it’s long distance is a good opportunity to work on your endurance. Don’t have a car but want to experience nature? This is close enough and is easily accessible all along it’s bank via the TTC. A portion of the trail system is even accessible by subway via Old Mill station.

Magwood Park, Summer 2010

In the following weeks, I will continue on with more in depth segments of the parks to be found along it’s path, in chunks that will allow for 2-3 hour hikes. Several Discovery Walks also line it’s shores and I will focus on them as well. Hopefully, I can aspire you to get out and take a hike, and if you’ve never been here before, experience a portion of the City that is like no other.

A mural tribute to the Humber found at Loblaws near Dundas St. W. and Scarlett St.,
Etobicoke

Happy Trails!

Some links of interest:

http://trca.on.ca/protect/watersheds/humber-river/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Hazel

http://www.hurricanehazel.ca/

http://archives.cbc.ca/environment/extreme_weather/topics/77/

The Breakup

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 18:30:00 +0000

Dear Winter,

I really don't know any kinder, gentler way to break it to you so let me be blunt. It's over. I just can't see it working out anymore. You have your thing and I have mine. I have tried to live with who you are and what you do. I have tried to love you just the way you are. But I just can't do it anymore. Do you have to be so dark and gloomy? Is it reasonable to delight in the one you love being curled in a corner, all SADD and blue? In any relationship, there has to be a little bend, a little flexibility. I have given myself over to you, thrown myself into your arms, dealt with your cold shoulders. But like the good ship Enterprise, NC-1701, "I just canna take it anymore, Captain!". You were all so seductive, soft and tempting at first and then once you had me, wham, you let it loose. You have beaten me down with snow dumps and bitter cold, threatened me with massive icicles. All the blankets, warm wooley socks and chocolate chili chai in the world have not sheltered me from your cold, bitter, icy heart.

I made it clear we'd be "special friends" this year but I also made it clear that there would be an expiry date for our "friendship". Spring has always meant more to my heart and I know she's coming, so you need to clear out before she moves in. In case you didn't hear, the Spring Equinox was just a couple of days ago. And Wiarton Willie and Shubenacadie Sam both promised on your behalf that you'd be gone by now.

I know what's going on, don't deny it. Your little tantrum doesn't impress me much and it certainly isn't going to change the way I feel. You have to accept the fact that we're through. So go ahead, get it all out. I'm patient, I can wait, but only for so long. I'm sorry it had to be this way. But I hope you know we'll always have January.

In Other News, March 22, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 19:43:00 +0000

Check out the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority's (TRCA) web channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisMooreTRCA

Urban Bare Feet:

http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-12/fyi-it-safe-walk-barefoot-new-york-city

Toronto Graffiti Guide:

http://www.blogto.com/books_lit/2011/01/the_ultimate_guide_to_toronto_graffiti_/

William & Kate walking tour

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/922890--british-walking-tour-charts-royal-romance?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

A Cool Pedestrian Bridge in Iowa:

http://www.kcci.com/r-video/27172543/detail.html

Revelations

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:43:00 +0000

It’s always interesting in the late Winter and early Spring when the first snow melts are witnessed. So much of our sins are hidden away by the snow and are revealed on masse with the first melts. Many cultures revere this time as one of rebirth, but I look at it as a time of revelation. Confessed in harsh brutal truth are the empty chip bags, lost receipts, cigarette cartons, paper mugs in Christmas designs, old notes, fast-food chain toys, mounds and mounds of dog pooh that had been kicked under the snow, old used condoms and discarded clothes. It says a lot about who we are and our vices. They can only be hidden for so long. Sooner or later everything that is wrong about ourselves becomes revealed, often uncontrollably and we are forced to deal with it and clean up the mess.

I have had my own spring thaw during the last few months. The revelation of a lot of personal things that I had been in denial about but which I could no longer ignore. I have been in the throes of some soul crushing heartbreak and self-pity which I dealt with by burying myself in my work, my children, bad TV and even worse books. Running and running on my treadmill. I should have been walking. It’s not to say that I wasn’t entirely on my feet. Of course I kept up the dog walking. There was one night spent wandering my neighbourhood in my pyjamas in the wee hours of the morning. But there has been very little enjoyment in my walks the past few months and a whole lot of stumbling about, a little lost, dazed and confused. But it’s Spring and time to set things right, clean up my own little mess and walk on.

Maple and Mud

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 03:57:00 +0000

Different Grades of Maple Syrup

It’s March Break time and if you’re like me you have small children to amuse and you probably need to do it cheaply. Last summer, I dragged my children over half of Toronto exploring many of the parks and ravines the City has to offer. All for free or for a small fee. I hate spending money. And I want my children to have an appreciation for the world they physically live in, not the one they see on the small screen. But just how many petting zoos and magic shows can you really do in a lifetime? The Kortright Centre for Conservation is a great place to go. It has a very low admission price and they have tons of programs all year long that are both educational and entertaining for children.

My husband decided to take the week off to spend with our kids. He spends a lot of time working overseas and rarely has the opportunity to spend quality time with them. I had noticed the last time that I had gone to the Kortright Centre with my son’s school field trip that they had a maple festival. Perfect for my husband and his maple obsession and a great learning opportunity for the kids. I could taste the family outing potential! I mentioned to my husband last week that I suspected that it must be happening soon, if it hadn’t already happened. He checked the site and sure enough, just in time for March Break, the festival was in full swing with a ton of activities for the kids. I had been hankering for the winter to be over so that I could check out some of the trails with the dogs. And the weather was beautiful. Everything was in perfect alignment for a lovely family excursion into nature. We piled ourselves, the kids’ best friend and two dogs into the Momobile and headed north.

Of course, it seemed like half of Toronto felt that way too. We left several hours later than we were planning. It was almost lunchtime before we hit the road. We got there in great time, but the cars were piled up at the entrance. After over half an hour idling, the dogs were getting antsy and I got out to walk them around while my husband continued to the entrance. By this point in time he was told that the park was “closed” because all of the parking spaces were gone, but they still let him in and he was able to find a spot.

We made our way to the visitor’s centre and picked a map and brochure. Just outside the visitor centre, a huge line up awaited to board the wagon rides which were set up to take enthusiasts through a small loop near the entrance of the park. We decided to forego that and went right for the maple tour.

There are two types of tours you can take, a self-guided tour or a directed one. We had a handy map so we decided to hike ourselves. It seemed like a pretty easy loop and we had a couple of dogs with us and kids with low attention spans so we decided to head on ourselves. It was the perfect day for a family outing. It was a wonderful, balmy 11 degrees outside and really comfortable. A word to the wise however. Despite all the snow still on the ground, the spring thaw is underway and it’s pretty muddy and still very icy in places. Wear waterproof boots with good grips.

Mud was the secondary theme of the day. Our boots were coated.
And don't get me started on the state of our dog's fur...

The path starts right behind the visitor centre. There are tons of people hitting the festival so it’s pretty easy to just follow the crowds. All along the walk, signs highlight interesting facts about maples and maple syrup and its production. At the bottom of the first steep hill is a small display demonstrating how First Nation Peoples gathered maple sap, cutting a gash in a tree and using twigs to guide the sap into hollowed out log/troughs.

Displaying First Nations methods to collect sap.

A short distance further and you spy trees with metal buckets attached. You are free to go ahead and have a look inside. My children were surprised by the contents. “There’s water inside!” No, that’s tree sap. It was hard to make them understand that this would become maple syrup.

That's not water ... that's future pancake dressing.

We walk further on and round a bend to come across some demonstrations of early maple syrup production. Rough, crude buildings house shelter steaming kettles. Firewood, at the ready to keep the fires roaring, are stacked to one side. A small group of people, dressed in early settler type clothes, are hard at work making small batches of maple syrup. Here you get the opportunity to taste both samples of sap and finished syrup. The sap lives up to it’s appearance. It is very watery and almost tasteless. The syrup is fresh and fantastic and reminds me of the syrup of my youth. The children stood for a long time watching the syrup boiling away in the kettles. They seemed genuinely appreciative of the work involved in making one of their favorite breakfast staples.

Maple syrup in production.

The path twists onwards and we find another shack, this one demonstrating more modern production of maple syrup. Outside, lines of plastic tubing hang like garland from the trees, collecting precious sap and drawing it towards the shack. Inside a demonstration on production and maple grades is being conducted and my husband and the girls decide to hang around to hear the talk. My son and I continue onwards.

I let my son have the map and have some fun orienteering. We rambled about for the better part of an hour while he tried to figure out where the entrance was for the path that he wanted to take. We eventually gave up and I pointed him back to the Visitors Centre, intending to pick up the forest trail with him, but we ran into my husband and the girls there. Everyone was a little tired and hungry and we figured it was time to go home. But of course, we had to hit the little shop first and stock up on maple supplies! Maple coated almonds, Maple suckers, Maple butter. Maple, Maple, Maple. You can never have too much Maple!

Kortright Centre for Conservation

Useful Information:

Duration of Walk: The Kortright Centre pamphlet gives about 1 hour for the guided walk and this was about right. It took us almost two, but we were rambling slowly and taking our time at the different demonstrations. We also did a little bit of our own walking after the Maple Sugar Walk.
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging. There are very steep hills that need to be negotiated. Ice and mud make for slick walking surfaces.
Parking: There is parking available, however plan to get there early as this is popular and the lots fill up fast. There is an admission fee to get into the park, which can be obtained from their website linked above.
Washrooms: There are washrooms in the Visitor Centre with lots of stalls. I overheard someone mention port-a-potties, but did not see any. (March 22, 2011: To demonstrate how observant I am, if I had looked a little more closely at the pictures above, I would have clearly seen port-a-potties!)
Local Coffee Haunts: There is a cafe in the Visitor Centre.
Safety Factor: Good. There are tons of people about. Be careful and mindful of icy patches. Keep a close eye on small children to ensure no one goes wandering off.
Special Gear?: A good pair of boots, waterproof, with grip.
Suitable for Dogwalking?: Yes. There were plenty of dogs enjoying the trail. Since there are so many people, be polite and leave any overly excitable dogs at home. Dogs must be on leash at all times in the Conservation Area.

Urban Exploring - A Walk in the Winter Woods

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 04:11:00 +0000

"Go to the winter woods: listen there, look, watch, and "the dead months" will give you a subtler secret than any you have yet found in the forest." - Fiona Macleod in Where the Forest Murmurs

Today's walk was the kind that a friend of mine has cleverly coined a "CSI Tour". One of those treks that is so far off the beaten track that she feels I'm likely to either find a body or become a body. I will admit to a certain foolhardiness but, as commonly pointed out, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I happen to like knowing what's around every corner even it seems a little scary or dangerous. Sometimes appearances can be deceiving.

I had to run our vehicle to the shop which was a considerable distance from the dog that I have to walk in the mornings, at least if I were to follow conventional sidewalks. It was my thought to cut through Crawford-Jones Park and then Pine Point Park and make my way to Islington Avenue from there. The weather had called for rain. I usually don't pay too much heed to forecasts other than preparing myself for the worst, the weather is what it is and does what it does and there is very little I can do about it. However, I was blessed with the rain holding off. The air was sodden and the sky dim. It was surprisingly warm and comfortable and I didn't feel the need to dig out my mitts or hat the whole day.

I was a little unsure about the best way to approach the park from Weston Road. Should I access it from Cardell Avenue or Dee Avenue? I ended up choosing Cardell, but I could have taken either, both dead end to the park. The path was not cleared and would have been hard to find if it had not been for the numerous footprints of more experienced visitors of the park. I had every intention of walking straight to Islington Avenue, running some errands at a nearby shopping complex and then walking over to pick up my pal for his morning exercise, but the explorer bug took over and it was time to get lost in the woods. I had some time to kill and I knew that geographically I was penned in by the 401, housing, a golf course and train tracks. Eventually I would find civilization again.

If you will remember, in a previous entry on Pine Point Park, I had made mention of a small footpath that I had noticed near the pedestrian bridge crossing the Humber River. It had been my assumption that it made it's way towards Islington somehow. So I was surprised to discover that it actually curves around and makes its way along the South-western bank of the River.

The path makes its way east a fair distance. It is obviously well used by both man and beast. It's hard to tell if it is paved underneath the snow, but I remember that in the fall when I first checked it out, the entrance at least was basically a dirt foot path.

The constant drone of the highway traffic never dissipates. Perhaps it is the lack of foliage or the cold, still air, but it is loud and an ever present reminder that I am really still in the city.

The foot tracks peter out considerably at a small, narrow creek, slushily frozen. A steep hill rises to the south beyond it. I see some footprints and dog tracks beyond and continue on.

The hill is steep and the snow is deep. We trod carefully on, my dog and I, unsure of what lays beneath. An old rotting tree, with lots of hollows, reeks of skunk. Perhaps a den. Despite my best effort to keep him away, my dog excitedly nosed and sniffed about at the very limits of his leash while I feared a long, smelly walk home. Thankfully, nothing stirred and I was able to convince my pal to walk on.

Thar be skunks here!

A happy dog is an exploring dog.

The trees grow so tall here, thin, stretching upwards to the sky. It is so rare to see truly tall trees in the City. Most urban trees are so stunted compared to their forest cousins.

The tracks that I have been following begin to zigzag through the woods, weaving amongst fallen trees. Despite seeing many animal tracks, I see not one creature, not even a squirrel. Even the birds are no where to be found. The air is still and, despite the omnipresent sound of highway traffic, hushed.

Cresting the hill, we come across a strange formation. It's hard to tell if it's natural or man-made. Large, cylindrical and pock-marked like old, worn concrete. Its presence is jarring.

Suddenly, we are at the summit of the hill. It is large and flat and treeless. Tall grasses and other plants tower over the snow. In the distance I can see familiar highrises.

The footprints that I have been following distinctly end in the middle of the clearing. Should I turn back? I've already walked so far, but perhaps there is a reason no one has gone further. I decide to push onwards, I can always turn back at any point. I am more curious to see around the bend. I see mounds of snow and what looks like trees lining a path or road. It soon becomes clear that the trees are actually at the crests of hills lining a railway track. As I get closer, I see evidence of what was perhaps a road or paved path once ran near here. Jagged crusts of asphalt jut out from snow covered piles.

I find myself working my way downhill, forced onto a slender ridge. There is evidence that a deer ran through here. To my left, a GoTrain rushes by. To my right, old, snow-covered train tracks lie abandoned. Despite all the signs of the city that surrounds me, I feel as if I am in the loneliest place in all of Toronto.

Ahead I can see the ridge narrowing. The sides are steep. I will have no choice but to make my way down or go back. I know better than to try to walk on the train tracks, best to take the abandoned route.

We need to be very cautious. The old ties are uneven and I come close to tripping several times. As we walk along, a fence arises to our right, topped in barb wire, with signs urging us to to "STOP!" and warning of demolition activity within its bounds. All seems quiet today.

Ahead I can see Islington, but begin to fret. I am blocked on my right by the train tracks and the fencing from my current perspective seems to run right up to the street. I have driven by here many times, but I can't remember how close the fencing actually runs to Islington. The tracks run under a bridge and I feel nervous about attempting to cross them. Trains run fast and quiet sometimes, they can be on you before you know it. Plus the climb on the other side is very steep, I don't want to risk falling. But my goal is so close, to double back at this point would be disappointing. I keep moving on, and am grateful to discover a small street ahead, preventing the fencing from marching up to Islington. I have a point of egress! Tired, I am able to cross it and make my way on to Islington. I still have a long walk ahead.

Useful Information:

Duration of Walk: Relatively short walk, but snow makes for difficult terrain in places. Roughly two hours (based on short legs, picture taking, doggy care and just plain figuring out where the hell I should go)
Difficulty: INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED. Involved walking in deep snow, trekking off beaten path, unpaved trails, no trails, climbing over obstacles, obstacles hidden in snow, steep climbs and descents and a sense of direction. This is not accessible for those with mobility issues.
Parking/Getting There: For Crawford-Jones Park, parking is available off Dee Ave. You can access via Pine Point Park by TTC by taking Islington Route 37North and getting off at Allenby St. and walking east several blocks until it dead ends in the park. Pick up the trail south, going under the 401. You can pick up the trek from there.
Washrooms: No. I will note that there was a Port-a-Potty this past summer located by the parking for Pine Point Park, however I cannot vouch whether it was available for public use.
Local Coffee Haunts: No.
Safety Factor: RISKY in some places. Proceed with caution and at your own risk. Take a buddy.
Special Equipment: Hiking boots - water-proof and suitable for deep snow. Warm clothes. Water and food. A phone in case you get into trouble.
Suitable for Dogwalking?: Yes.

View Urban Exploring - Crawford Jones and Beyond in a larger map

This Ain't No Skatin' Blog! Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Etobicoke

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 03:35:00 +0000

Skates unloved...

I’m about to admit a deep dark secret, one so profound that it will likely cause mysterious men in sunglasses, black hockey jerseys and toques to enter my house in the dark of night, confiscate my passport, my VHS collection of CBC shows and bottles of maple syrup before whisking me off blindfolded to an undisclosed location deep below the 49th parallel.

I can’t skate.

There, I feel better now that it’s out. The number of times that I have donned ice skates can probably be counted on one hand. And each of those occasions involved more time spent on my ass than on my feet. For a short time before I took the plunge into motherhood, and therefore sensibility, I did inline skate, but they always felt better and sturdier. The wheels are pretty thick and it always felt I had a solid base to work with. I was never any good at it and again had my fair share of embarrassing on-my-ass time, but I could awkwardly propel myself around parks for some exercise and that was all that mattered. Ice skates I can’t seem to master. Tottering on those thin little blades, ankles going here there and everywhere, gliding on sharp knives while everyone else is gliding by on sharp knives. It’s cold, your toes ache, the skates are as hard and uncomfortable as hell. I have a lot of respect for people who do it for a living because I have never had anything but a miserable experience on them.

Thank goodness that this is not a skating blog because then were would we be? With very few entries, that’s for sure! This is a hiking blog! But all the hoopla about the new skating trail at Colonel Samuel Smith Park has gotten me thinking about it and so with that I’ll take a few moments of your time to rave about the park.

I used to live a few blocks away from the park, when my children were still small enough to be carted about in strollers and wagons, and we spent lots of time there enjoying nature and fresh air and the water. I had all but forgotten about it after we moved until I was lamenting the lack of choices to exercise my dog and a friend pointed out that there was a new dog park there. Always looking for new experiences for both myself and my dog, I took the time to drive down several times in October to check it out. Chatting with another dog owner, he mentioned that the City was building an ice rink there, but he wasn’t sure where. My friend and I kept our eyes open for it while we roamed but never saw heads or tails of an ice rink, but now I understand the confusion. This the first ice trail in Toronto and I can’t think of a better place than here. It’s nice to see the City developing new ways to get people using their parks all year long. I can’t tell you how many great parks that I have explored over the past year that have been relatively empty but popular parks like High Park remain crowded all day long, seven days a week. Anything that gets people out, exploring their City and putting to good use everything it has to offer is a good thing. And the buzz generating around the ice trail will hopefully also get people excited about what is in general a buzz worthy park.

Wetlands

That’s not to say that there hasn’t been controversy over the development of the ice trail. There have been concerns about the impact it will have on the local environment and the species which make it their home. Compromises were made and the final design was in the end considered tolerable. I always have very mixed, stomach tightening feelings about such matters. I like to think of myself as a fairly green person and love nature. But when you live in the City, surrounded by concrete and smog and traffic and noise, it becomes very easy to forget about the natural world. We have removed ourselves too much from that natural world and these parks can go a long way to bringing us back. Finding an appropriate balance between our needs and those of the world around us is difficult and not to be taken lightly and we certainly need to take steps both individually and as a whole to keep our impact minimal. But if it takes a skating rink, which is located close the to the entrance of the park, to get people, especially children, outdoors and into the real world, then let’s do it.

Colonel Samuel Smith was a Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada in the early 1800’s. Born in New York, a loyalist and veteran of the American Revolutionary war, after the war he continued his service under the crown, spending time in England and in New Brunswick and finally being stationed in the Niagara Region. Upon his retirement he purchased a 1,000 acre tract (comprising the area between Kipling Avenue and Royal York Road, Bloor Street and Lake Ontario) in Etobicoke and became one of the first settlers in that region.

The grounds where Colonel Sam Smith Park are located were formerly part of grounds of the Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital, an important part of our City's collective history. Opened in 1889, this hospital complex ran for almost 100 years until it’s closure in 1979. Despite its use in some movie and television productions, it fell into disrepair for a number of years. Much of the complex is now used by Humber College, Lakeshore Campus.

A reminder that we're still in the City - A view of downtown Toronto

This particular area of Etobicoke is vibrant and active and one of my favourite areas in all of Toronto. There are lots of independent shops and small, good restaurants and lively pedestrian activity. Out of the three waterfront parks in this area, this has always been the one that I have noticed to be most used, at least during the weekdays. There is also great access to the park as the Kipling South bus goes right into it. Numerous species of birds, turtles and beavers can be found here and there are plenty of new, helpful interpretive signs that provide a little bit of insight on much of the local wildlife and environment. A small wetlands area has been created, which is one my favourite features of the park, it is very picturesque. Another feature that I love is that it is right on the lake. Except on the hottest, most still days, there is always a little bit of a breeze and, just like nearby East/West Humber Parks, there is a really great view of the downtown core on clear days. There are plenty of trees throughout and it is really pretty to visit in the fall. Trails take you right out to the peninsula and it's great vistas of Lake Ontario. The trails are part of the Waterfront Trail system which is an ongoing effort to have an extended trail system along the Lakes and St. Lawrence.

Trees were getting bare

On my last visit there, I went with a friend. We hit the new dog park first and gave our dogs a good run and then hit the trail. It was a gorgeous sunny day, although a little on the brisk side, with a good wind. There were plenty of people out and about except on the long stretch along the peninsula, fellow dog walkers, students and a lone jogger. This isn’t a massively large park, you could do the whole thing in a leisurely stroll in less than an hour. But there are all sorts of different environments to check out, from wetlands, to shrubby, rocky waterfront. Trails are mixed with mostly light gravel surfaces and some paved paths. If you want to extend your walk, stroll west through my old haunting grounds on Lake Promenade about 20 minutes to Marie Curtis Park, another charming waterfront park with a forested trail following Etobicoke Creek. The neighbourhood in this area is an interesting mix of old cottage/bungalow style homes and newer, more upscale development and is a great walk. This is a great park for families with a small playground nearby and lots of learning opportunities around every corner.

New dog run.

Useful Information:

Duration of Walk: Roughly one hour (based on short legs, picture taking and doggy care)
Difficulty: EASY. Relatively flat terrain.
Parking/Getting There: TTC: (Subway) Get off at Kipling Station on the Bloor line. Take the 44 Kipling South straight into the park. It is the last stop on the bus run. (Streetcar) The 501 Queen Route heading rest stops right at Lake Shore and Kipling and the park is just a short walk down Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr. Parking: There is paid Green P parking available in the park.
Washrooms: There is a bathroom at Williams Coffee Shop. Only available on weekdays.
Local Coffee Haunts: There is a Williams Fresh Cafe on the Humber Campus. Strangely, it is not open on weekends.
Safety Factor: SAFE. There were generally lots of people around, good for daytime treks. As always though, you should be mindful of your environment and the people around you.
Special Equipment: No. Sneakers should be fine.
Suitable for Dogwalking?: YES. But please keep your dog on a leash. There are sensitive habitats and dogs can be very disruptive.

Links of interest:

Colonel Samuel Smith Park

Friends of Sam Smith Park

Waterfront Trails

Guided bird walks:

Citizens Concerned about the Future of the Etobicoke Waterfront

Star Article (with video) on the new ice trail:

http://www.thestar.com/news/article/917950--ice-trail-is-like-a-walk-in-the-park-on-skates

View Larger Map

In Other News, Tuesday, January 11, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:03:00 +0000

Today's walk was a short one, courtesy of a sick child. Enough to get the boys out to do their business. It was too bad given that the air was clear, crisp and still, but not too cold. It was the perfect winter day to get out.

I'm a regular CBC Metro Morning listener and was pleased to hear the two interviews they did this morning to help inspire people to get out and embrace the cold. I need the motivation myself, not being a winter person. I was particularly excited to hear of the Toronto Outdoor club as I have never come across mention of that before. This evening's night hike through the central ravines that they discussed this morning was booked solid and had a good waiting list so I was a little disappointed but I've signed on as a member and I hope that I can get a few hikes in with some like-minded souls. I'm giddy!

Toronto Outdoor Club

On a sad note, a pedestrian was fatally hit by a streetcar this morning. These events happen far too frequently and break my heart. Let's be careful out there.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/11/pedestrian-killed-in-queen-st-streetcar-collision-reports/

Urban Exploring - Bloor West Village Graffiti

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 05:10:00 +0000

I'm a huge fan of street art. Perhaps it's because I grew up in very rural areas where graffiti consisted of boring "Joanie *hearts* Chachi" or "Class of '82" crudely scrawled in spray paint on bridges and granite outcroppings next to the highway. Maybe it's because much of my childhood television exposure romanticized the gritty urban settings that seemed slightly dangerous and hip, so foreign and exotic to the quiet world I inhabited. The elaborate paint jobs in the backdrops helped to define in my mind what a city should be.

I love a good museum and spend a lot of time in them. But while many hate it and decry it, to me graffiti is the art of the people. You don't need to pay admission to see it. It doesn't have little white placards identifying the artist and medium or dictating what you should think or take away from the piece. It's a little mysterious; unless you are really in the know, the artist is anonymous, the intentions behind their art sometimes never really explained. There's no real or implied rule to speak in hushed tones. It reflects the zeitgeist of the world that we live in; portrays a little bit of who we are. It reads between the lines of cultural norms and news of the day and sometimes portrays uncomfortable truths. It relays information in times of repression. It often brightens the drab world we live in and makes our home just a little more unique and interesting.

Certainly there is stuff out there that is just unnecessary. In my personal view, tagging is pretty useless, it really doesn't say anything meaningful or do much to really contribute to the world in general. But it's obviously it's own culture and reflects meaning to someone, otherwise no one would waste the time generating it. If anything, it satisfies the primal urge to leave some reminder of our presence, to reflect that for some fleeting moment in time we were here.

The desire to leave your mark on the world is as old as we have been capable of communicating through word and art. And archeology has shown that it lasts. History books are written from it and while we may sometimes have the "official" history from dry bureaucratic records and propaganda of the leaders of the time, it is the graffiti that often reflects what the people were really thinking of their leaders and issues of their time. Scrawling a bison in pigments on a cave wall, etching "Tiberius was here" outside a Roman forum, spray painting stencils of business men and rats are all a way of taking a snapshot of who we are, reflecting our world as we know it and as we see it. It is a fluid art form. It is painted over, replaced, lost when structures are torn down or renovated.

Toronto, like any urban area has pockets that seem to attract rich activity. The following is a picture blog of graffiti that should be familiar to anyone who takes the Bloor Subway line past Keele towards Islington. For a short stretch the Subway goes above ground and runs along an alleyway behind Bloor St. These pictures were taken in the fall of 2009 and reflect the alleyway as it existed at that time. Sadly some of these have now been lost as one building complex has been torn down to make way for condo development. The bulk of it can be found between Indian Road and Dorval Road, although some of it extends east past Dorval Road. These pictures run in order from east to west. If anyone has information on the artists or backgrounds of these pictures I would love the feedback.

This is haunting. I would love to know who it portrays.

This is found behind the Toronto Hockey Repair shop.

Is this intended to be a self-portrait? I love the personality of this picture.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Lost to demolition, October 2010. This was the painting that inspired me to investigate a little closer. It was very large and could be seen quite clearly from the Subway. I always thought it beautiful and it was a highlight of my commute.

Lost to demolition, October 2010.

Detail of a larger wilderness mural.

Useful Information:

Duration of Walk: Roughly 15 minutes
Difficulty: EASY. Flat paved terrain.
Parking/Getting There: Accessible from Keele Station. Follow Bloor St. eastward to Indian Road. Turn south. It is the alley to your immediate right. as you walk south.
Safety Factor: RISKY. Visit during day only and with a buddy. Noticed several shopping carts with personal possessions while I was there. This is also an access alleyway for a number of local businesses and there is some through traffic of cars and trucks. The alleyway is narrow and can be hard to share with traffic, although traffic is minimal.
Special Equipment: No. Sneakers are suitable.
Suitable for Dogwalking?: No. There used to be a Dog Training School/Day Care in the building that was recently demolished, however the alley itself is strewn with garbage and broken glass.

Pedestrian Pride in Pickering

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It's nice to see some forward thinking and this is certainly a feature that is not used enough along the numerous highways and multi-lane streets throughout the GTA. Thanks to our obsession with the car, so much of the City and it's surrounding bedroom communities is rendered divided and unaccessible to the average pedestrian. Walled off highways. Intersections of six or eight lanes. Ramps on and off highways slicing through pedestrian sidewalks. Often, even though your destination may only be a very short distance away, as the crow flies, you may find yourself forced to walk a considerable distance out of your way or drive or use public transit. This is certainly one very constructive and relatively affordable way to ease some congestion, encourage people to use other more green ways of getting themselves around and would certainly go a very long way to making life a little easier and safer for those who chose to use their own two feet.

GO Transit will be moving forward to construct a pedestrian bridge from their Pickering Station over the 401 and into the downtown core. The notion of building a bridge here has been in the planning stage for several years now. It is a very beautiful design and should hopefully encourage more people to take the GO on their commutes and perhaps actually encourage more visitors and business into the local area. It will be enclosed and sheltered from the elements and fully accessible, thanks to elevator access. I think once it's completed I may journey out that way to have a first hand look. CBC has provided a great photo gallery on their local Metro Morning site which you can check out below:

http://www.cbc.ca/metromorning/2011/01/photogallery---pedestrian-overpass-in-pickering.html

Coasting Around Toronto

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 21:27:00 +0000

I came across these this afternoon while surfing and was very amused. Not too sure on functionality, but if you're like me and enjoy having little tchotchkes that reflect where you've been in life, I don't think you could find anything more unique than this...

http://www.blogto.com/fashion_style/2010/12/how_cool_are_these_toronto_map_coasters/

Return to Land of the Living

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 19:28:00 +0000

I managed to get my sickly self out of bed. I had incentives. Children to see off to school. Dogs to walk. I am determined to show this cold or flu or doomsday plague who is boss. Knowing I was sick, my friend had just requested that I drive over to her house to just let her dog out but my husband had the van. If I was going to make the effort to walk over to her house I might as well take the time and walk the dog. Truth be told, I feel better for it. Sometimes just getting up and moving around and getting back into the routines is all it takes to feel human again.

Despite the icing sugar dusting of snow, it was surprisingly mild today. Dark gray sky. It was a very quiet time this morning, not much in the way of traffic even though a good chunk of my walk takes me along two very busy streets. Both dogs were quiet as well. There is an older gentleman that sometimes watches for us and comes out and greets the boys, but we did not see him today. I ran them through our regular haunts and they sniffed and nosed through the whole route much quicker than usual. It had originally been my plan to take them to a different park today but I needed the van to get there, so it will have to wait for tomorrow. I think they're bored and my poor guy hasn't been seriously walked in a week so he needs some good exercise. I know that I certainly am feeling the need to expand my horizons a bit as well. So tomorrow and the day after, if the weather holds (it's calling for snow - hoping that passes us by) there will be some new sights for me and the boys and for you too. Today, I discovered a hidden alleyway tucked between two highrise apartment buildings. Leading through a neglected park, it connects to a more upscale street which leads to my house, creating a considerable shortcut between my friend's house and mine and certainly creating a more peaceful walk away from the bustle of busy traffic.

In the coming weeks, I'll be posting a series of entries on hiking along the Humber River. Over the past summer, I managed to cover the whole river's path within the City in segmented walks, with the exception of one small segment in the north of the river. Next summer I'm planning an attempt to do it in one fell swoop, but that's another trek and blog all on its own. I also did a number of Discovery Walks and I'll put together a few entries on those as well. A recent EyeWeekly story on walking in London, England, brought back some memories of my own visit there. Hard to believe it was almost a year ago and I'll try to post a few reflections and pictures from my time there.

Best Intentions

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

I started out with the best of intentions. Over three weeks of time off (with the exception of one half day), without using a single vacation day, all thanks to my weird schedule and the way the holidays fell. A gift like that can only come from divine karma and must be used wisely. I had glorious images in my mind of meandering through all the little nooks and crannies of the city that I have yet to explore. Wonderous dreams of conquering the one last stretch along the Humber. Of being in full Christmas spirit, singing carols and enjoying my children’s delight on the Wednesday Walk night at the Downsview Festival of Lights. Doing another downtown walk and discovering the holiday lights of Bloor, Harbourfront, the Distillery District. I had romantic notions of arriving home from my office in time to walk my dog on the longest night of the year and enjoying the mystical silence and darkness of the lunar eclipse.

Best intentions are almost always foiled by reality. The fact that I had been working so much of late had meant that I hadn’t actually accomplished much in the way of Christmas shopping. Three frantic days were spent aimlessly wandering not tree-lined trails but crowded, noisy suburban malls, same stores, different venues. Two children could not be disappointed and of course they had to ask for things that sold out months before. A husband who has way more disposable income than me and all the toys his heart desires. Me cursed with a horrible dislike of shopping. All the elements were lined up for epic fail. Day three of the shopping blitz came close to bringing me to the fetal position in the corridors of a mall, nursing the fine vintage of wine tucked in my shopping bag. One evening was lost to the inevitable office party which no one ever wants to attend. Night after night, it was horribly, bitterly cold. The winter solstice found me working long, hard hours and climbing bleary eyed to bed, magical moon moment forgotten. A long established holiday tradition in our household in which either my husband or I get miserably sick seemed to fall to the wayside this year until I grandly stepped up to the plate. Somehow I managed to lose two days this past week, falling asleep and barely moving except to weakly eat and pee. I got called into the office where I slept at my desk for half a day in a flu fog, completely useless to everyone. New Years Eve was celebrated in a drowsy NyQuil haze; a sad unopened bottle of champagne still sits in my fridge.

But it’s the New Year with fresh beginnings and new starts. Santa was generous and brought round a shiny laptop to allow me to write whenever and where I can. Despite a pesky cough, I’m slowly getting my energy back and expect to be able to hit some trails over the next few days. I have a bunch of uncompleted blog entries just waiting to be finished. A road stretches before me and I hope it’s long and winding. And I hope you’ll come along with me. Here’s to new adventures in 2011.

Westward Ho! Walking Along The Westway and Westward on Chapman Creek

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 05:50:00 +0000

In an earlier post, I explored the eastern portion of Chapman Creek and Ravine. I’ve also come across references to it known as the Humber Creek, Little Humber Creek, and as Sturgeon Creek. But the creek doesn’t begin at Royal York Road. It actually appears to begin between Kipling and Islington Avenues. A lovely portion of the creek runs between Islington Avenue and Royal York Road. Here the trek isn’t so strenuous. A park runs along the entire stretch of the creek between these two roads and the creek is a little more accessible to the urban wanderer.

I started my journey at Islington, where the creek meets the road. It runs underneath Islington to the east. Here is it is hidden off the west side of the street in a deep narrow ravine, dense and tangled with trees and bushes. It was very hard to see and it actually looked quite dry there.

The creek is in there somewhere...

To make a nice circuit, I travelled south to The Westway. It is a long stretch here with little to see but tall fences. Very few residences actually front Islington at this stretch of street. The Westway is where the fun begins. This is a winding road that runs from Martin Grove Road to Royal York Road, where it becomes Lawrence Avenue. It is a quiet residential stretch that bends and curves gracefully and climbs and dips over hills. It is a fun road to drive because of this, and a good way to avoid the traffic on Dixon or Eglinton, and it is certainly a fun walk for all the same reasons. The street is tree lined and fronted by a strong mix homes from the post-war housing boom to new construction. Closer to Islington the homes are quainter and older trees line the street. Had the street been designed in a straight line, it would be a short walk. But its meandering, light traffic flow and small town feel makes for a lovely stroll. As you get closer to Royal York road, the road becomes hilly and creates a little bit of a challenge. It’s also hotter in the summer; newer homes in light coloured brick line this stretch, rammed against the curb, changing the feel of the neighbourhood. Large paved drives, matching bricked over yards and no trees have created a sun bake which is uncomfortable in the summer. Thankfully, though you don’t have to swelter for long.

The creek makes it's way under Royal York Road

Close to where the Westway meets Royal York lies a strip of park land, creating a small oasis of green along Chapman Creek. To the south of Westway, Valleyfield Park stretches out diagonally to Royal York, with a paved path to lead you there. It ends kitty-corner to Douglas B. Ford Park. It is a bit of an alley way, running behind large homes, hemmed in by iron fencing on one side and the creek on the other.

On the south side of The Westway, the path is tidy and inviting.

To the North of Westway, beginning behind a large cemetery, runs a path which I have never been able to figure out if it is the start of Alex Marchetti Park, or if it is just an alleyway. The southerly entrance to the park is a little creepy. The path, while paved, is worn down and is starting to be overcome at the edges by vegetation. Given that there is a high school a block away, when the weather is good and the leaves on the trees provide more cover, it is a favourite place for young teenage boys to hide out and do pot while cutting classes or during their lunch breaks.

On the north side of The Westway, nature is slowly taking over and the sense of foreboding is strong.

Fortunately, it is not a long stretch. The creek here runs gently and at a footbridge that crosses it there are always ducks.

You lose the path for a short stretch here, there is a grassy park with playground equipment, but if you follow the treeline westerly you will see another little footbridge that takes you back over the creek. Again, you walk through a short stretch that doesn’t quite feel safe, it’s treed and feels isolated. There is a surprising amount of foot traffic here, mostly locals taking a shortcut to a nearby grocery store on Royal York. A five minute walk will find a path to the North that leads to Dixington Crescent. If you skip this and continue on, you will enter Alex Marchetti Park. This park was recently upgraded thanks to some fundraising efforts of local moms. It was previously known as Sun Row Park, but was named after a local city councillor who passed away in 2007. It has quite a large expanse of open space and is surrounded by trees, a few homes and the creek. It has two very odd hills. The one closest to the playground is dirt that was brought in when the upgraded the park and it was allowed to grass over, but a second very large hill at the west end of the park has always puzzled me. It has never seemed natural. The path along here runs very close to the creek, but it can be hard to make out in places because of the dense bushes and trees.

A word to the wise, there are a number of apartment buildings nearby and many of the tenants bring their dogs here in the evening. Despite the fact that there is a playground close by, many give their dogs free run off leash in the park.

We hit Islington in short order and made our way home, two tired dogs happy from their adventure.

Useful Information:

Duration of Walk: Roughly one hour (based on short legs, picture taking and doggy care)
Difficulty: MEDIUM The parks are fine and level and paved. The stretch along The Westway is also paved however it is hilly and could provide some challenge, especially to those with mobility issues.
Parking/Getting There: There is parking at Valleyfield park, next to the tennis courts. Otherwise take the TTC. 37 Islington from Islington subway station will get you there fine and you can get off at The Westway or at Dixon. You can also take the 58 Malton from the Lawrence West Station, although that's a very long bus ride. Get off at Islington and go south.
Washrooms: No.
Local Coffee Haunts: No.
Safety Factor: MEDIUM - Walk during the day when there is a lot of foot traffic.
Special Equipment: No, this is mostly a residential walk
Suitable for Dogwalking?: Absolutely. Always on a leash.

He's Mister 20 Below

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:44:00 +0000

Old Snow Miser was singing his song today. Everything was frosty and bitter. Three layers on the bottom, four on the top, hat and scarf and a pair of too small mittens as I had to send my gloves to school with an absent minded child who has probably left 10 pairs of gloves and mittens at school so far this year. I do have to say that my new boots did their job. One pair of socks and my feet were comfortable and they seemed to keep their grip too. I had two dogs to walk this morning and no access to my car which meant a half hour walk each way to the other pup's house on top of the hour that they pay me for. My pup was not appreciative of the all business attitude of today's trek. Kept him on a short lease to keep him from pulling me all over the place on the ice that has glassed the paved surfaces and to ensure that we were actually walking instead of stopping every two seconds to check out the smells. Too cold for smells. Ears were pulled back in resentment, but he was good and, after slipping himself a few times, I think he figured out what the issue was. Mr. Whippet was not interested in doing much more than his business and high-tailed it back to his house in short order. He wasn't even in the mood to play and run in the backyard for a bit which is what I usually let them do after a walk. I'd like to wax on about what I saw or did, but alas the sky was grey, it was horribly cold, and I spent most of the time staring vigilantly at the ground watching for ice. Ah! Canadian Winter! May it be short this year. Would have given anything to have a hot chocolate when I got home, but that's off the menu, at least for the time being.

After Christmas, I am finding lined pants, long underwear, snow pants and a balaclava. Have a lot of winter walking ahead of me and am determined to be warm.

First Snow

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:17:00 +0000

Last Monday was welcomed with the first real snow of the year. The first snow is always so soft and gentle and fluffy. It covers the world in a pure velvet blanket. The light of the world is softer, hazier. All is quiet and hushed. It’s a charmer, warming the hearts of even the most hardened winter haters; it lulls you into a false sense that maybe all will be well. It makes you forget all the deep freezes, slush, snow dumps and back breaking labour of the dark winter to come.

Dogs, in particular, love the first snow. They get right into it. They frisk and strain at the ends of their leashes. They paw it, lick it, eat it, snorfle their noses right into it and throw their faces to the sky, chins heavy with snowbeards. They kick it up with their feet, they swish it with their tails, they roll and scamper and love it. Their lives are not disrupted by it (unless they get walked less). They seem to thrive in the cold. They are invigorated by it and embrace it. You can’t help but feel a little of their excitement.

I dreaded going out. As pretty as it was, I am most whole-heartedly not a winter soul. But I had warm boots, coat, hat, gloves and two dogs that were dependent on me to get out there and trudge in the damn stuff. I anticipated that it would be blisteringly cold, but it was actually pleasant. Even the best of walkers get lazy or put out if there’s a change in the routine. Best to adopt the attitudes of the dogs and deal with whatever Mother Nature dishes out with a little fun. If life gives you snow, throw on your boots and kick up your heels.

Now if only I could feel that same attitude when I get served up a heaping helping of extreme cold like we have today...

Walking in a Different Direction

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:28:00 +0000

Today's walk with the boys was short and sweet, since it was cold and rainy and I had yet another doctor appointment. We did the obligatory hour that I got paid for and nothing more. In fact if the new guy had had his way it would only have been a half hour walk. He's a sensitive little soul and likes his comforts. We stuck around his neighbourhood and it was mostly a "scratch and sniff" session. If you have a dog you know what I'm talking about, you don't really do a lot of walking, mostly just standing while they nose about and sniff whatever it is they find so darn fascinating on the ground, around fence posts, each other's butts. I'm pleased to report that they had a good enough time and it must have been sufficient as my fellow is plum tuckered out and curled up on his bed, all fluffy and content-like.

While I was standing around letting them do their thing, I had plenty of time to mope around and feel sorry for myself. I got some bad news at the Doctor's office yesterday. Not end of the world kind of stuff but something that is going to seriously change how I live. Turns out that there's a strong possibility that I have a food allergy or intolerance. It's something that I suspected but didn't want to hear. I fancy myself a bit of a gastronome, most who know me would agree that I definitely do like my eats 'n drinks. So the thought of cutting out huge swathes of food that I really, really love from my diet was really a tad depressing. Just in time for the holiday season I've been put on a strict elimination diet. While everyone else will be stuffing their faces with chocolates, cheese, cookies, and candy, i'll be eating, well, rice. And more rice. It didn't really hit me how hard it was going to be until I opened the cupboard this morning for breakfast. Out of a full pantry, three cupboards, a full fridge and upright freezer I can eat the following: apples, oranges, a pommello, rice, orange juice, some tetra pak soymilk, and a can of chickpeas.

But when I was back at the Doctor's office this morning for some different tests I just came to the realization that this is just an obstacle in the path. I can choose to curl up in fetal position in my own little pity party or I can choose to just walk in a different direction and deal with the notion that path I wanted to follow is closed. Maybe this new one will be better. And perhaps I should walk myself over the grocery store...

Urban Exploring – Toronto’s Chapman Creek Ravine

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 23:36:00 +0000

[December 8, 2010 - Some may know of this creek as Humber Creek or Sturgeon Creek. I've been coming across several different names for this creek in various different sources.]

[WARNING: This is not a recommended trek and was done only to satisfy my own curiosity. The trek along the Chapman Creek Ravine requires a certain level of experience and fitness to complete from end to end. Despite the fact that many homes line the ravine, should you get hurt or fall, it may be a very long time before you are discovered. Chapman Creek Ravine has also been recommended as a Ecologically Sensitive Area and as such should remain as undisturbed as possible. As well, flash floods are known to occur among many of the area ravines and you can very quickly find yourself trapped in a very serious situation.]

When you look at any Toronto map you will see a small beltway of green laying running between Royal York Road and Scarlett Road, running south of and parallel to Lawrence Avenue. A small creek runs through here, marked on the maps as Chapman Creek or Chapman Ravine. It actually originates west of Islington, flowing eastward on to the Humber. I had been convinced that there had to be a continuous path across this beltway. Beginning at Royal York Road, Douglas B. Ford park (formerly Weston Wood Park, it has been renamed in honour of our new mayor’s late father), in the back southeast corner of the park, there is a mowed greenway running between the houses and the wooded creek bed. Although not marked on the Toronto Trail Map, it is clearly an intentional path as municipal park garbage cans can be found back here. It quickly picks up as a footpath running through the trees along the south side of the creek. This is not a groomed trail. It can be quite mucky in places and in fact a number of feeder streams and swampy areas run across the trail.

Chapman Creek April 2010

Chapman Creek icing over in November 2010

Wooden pallets lay across the path at it’s wettest or over running streams to facilitate walking, however these are not maintained and some show considerable wear from the elements. This path continues on for about a quarter of a mile. A footbridge crosses the creek north to provide access to Leggett Avenue. There is access to the south from Westmount Park Road and a maintained basketball court sits here as well.

A footpath continues on at this point, but I highly doubt it is in any way an official path. It is actually less mucky in this point and very lovely. It continues forward another 0.25 mile until it dead ends in a portion where the creek does a steep double back. I had walked to this point several times in the spring but could not see any place where the path continued. In the spring there is a glorious candy-like sprinkling of wildflowers, and the sight of it was soul-restoring after a long, harsh winter.

Various Wildflowers and Foliage to be found in the Spring. April 2010.

Crab Apples November 2010

I could see a footpath on the other side of the creek but could not determine how to get over there. In the spring, the creek ran fast and deep and in my sneakers I could see no way of crossing there. An exploration of the surrounding streets showed no signs of a point of access. This morning I decided to try this path again in the hopes that what footpath existed might be seen more clearly without all the dense green foliage. No path on the south side could be seen, but I was able to cross the creek here. A natural path of stones jutted out from the much shallower water and I was able to continue on the north side of the creek.

[At this point, I no longer recommend going further. It is easier and far safer to access the remainder of the creek by backtracking to Westmount or Royal York Road. , and then accessing the official path again from the south of the creek at Chapman Valley Park. I can no longer locate a listing for this park on the City of Toronto website directory of parks. You can access this park by following Chapman Road east from Royal York until you reach a sharp bend in the road. You should be able to access the park from there.]

Looking Down at the Creek from High Above.

This part is much rougher and less used then the path before I crossed the creek. Many large trees have fallen across the path and I need to clamour over them. This area is very rough terrain, and to my left as I walked eastward a sharp hill rises. Many houses line the ravine high above me. To my right, the creek drops further and further below me and it is not long until there is a good 15 foot drop on that side. The path stays far enough from the edge that I feel okay until we get close to its absolute end. Here the terrain has become so steep it is impossible and treacherous to walk further. I track my way back and notice a place where others have obviously climbed down to the creek bed and then climbed up the other side. Both accesses look steep and doable. The way down was more treacherous than I was expecting, the soil was very soft and crumbly and I fell at the bottom when I was unable to keep my feet from sliding. At the base of the ravine face, it is much steeper than it appeared from the other side, but I managed to make my way to the top. At the top, there is a wide natural ledge, with another sharp rise of hill to the right. I follow along the creek until I meet up with the official path at Chapman Valley Park. This path is very short, maybe another quarter of a mile in total and hits Scarlett Road with a very steep hill to climb to access the road. Raymore Park runs along Scarlett Road on the east side. However there is no pedestrian crossing here. Traffic runs fast so extra caution must be used to cross the road, otherwise you have to go a considerable distance south to use a lighted crosswalk.

I am trying to find out some historical information on the Ravine or Creek, but have had no joy. It may warrant a trip to the reference library or land registry office to try to determine some of it’s secret history.

Where Chapman Creek meets Humber River at Raymore Park, Etobicoke

I headed north along Raymore Park and Lions Park. I will do a blog on Raymore Park and Lions Park another time. Their history is deeply rooted in the events that have shaped the City into what is today and it truly deserves it’s own blog. I picked up Lawrence Avenue and made my way home. This walk was a truly challenging one and at the end of the day, my legs felt the burn.

Duration of Walk: Roughly one and 1/2 hour from my doorstep and back (based on short legs and picture taking )
Difficulty: EASY to DANGEROUS. Chapman Creek is unpaved/ungroomed, but walking on the actual paths at the east and west end are short and no too difficult. To trek the whole is very challenging requiring climbing, dealing with obstacles and high drops. Not recommended.
Parking/Getting There: There is a parking lot at the Metro/shopping complex across the street from Douglas B. Ford Park.
Washrooms: No.
Local Coffee Haunts: No.
Safety Factor: DANGEROUS. As stated above there are many opportunities to injure yourself here. If you must venture into the ravine itself, take a buddy and proceed with extreme care.
Special Gear: Yes. You will need suitable hiking boots, preferably water proof. Bring clothes you don't mind getting muddy.
Suitable for Dogwalking?: No. There are many sensitive plants along the creek which may be damaged or destroyed by dogs. The path is very narrow, basically just a footpath, and it would be impossible to keep a dog solely on the trail.

Eaton Centre and Nathan Philip Square (Two short Holiday walks)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:10:00 +0000

I work Saturdays in the financial core. The Friday freeze and flurries were a reminder that I really needed to get some boots. I knew the best sales would be on Saturday as the stores here are trying to mimic the Black Friday/Saturday magic that occurs below the border. I only work half days, so I decided to head out extra early and hit the Eaton Centre before I went to work, since it was so close to my office.

Thankfully, some of the larger department stores and big box stores were open extra early. I had a quick breakfast and a certain big box store specializing in outdoor and construction wear for men helped me out considerably in the boot department. Probably the warmest boots I have had in years and these are supposed to be waterproof, although I haven’t tried them out that aspect yet. My boots tend to go through a considerable amount of wear and since I have yet to have a pair make it though a year. I also got a couple of pairs of nice jeans there at a great price. Never think to look there for my outdoor gear, but I’m definitely going to keep them in mind for the future.

Given the fact that it was really cold outside I trekked my way to my office through the Eaton Centre. I will totally disclose here that despite the gender stereotypes, I HATE to shop. Detest it. I’m a power shopper. I research before hand, know what I want to buy, pop in the store, grab it and go. I will spend the minimum amount of time that I can, the bulk of it usually in line for the cash register. I love online shopping but when it comes to clothes, given my petite size, I need to try things on, so inevitably it means that I have to hit a store. Shopping malls are the worst of all. My husband is a shopping mall addict and spends lots of time in them, but thankfully we work very different hours so we don’t usually have enough mutual free time to hit a mall together. Mall walking is a popular exercise, especially amongst the older set, so I’ll give it a spin someday and perhaps I will do a blog on mall walking, but that may be a long, long time down the road.

I made my way from the North end of the Eaton Centre to the PATH at the South end. On a good day, this place makes me want to flee. It is claustrophobic, especially at its busiest when the halls are jammed with people. It has a dark, dungeon like feel on the lower floors. It is loaded with lots of teen-centric fashion stores blaring unnecessarily loud music. The high school lunch room/cafeteria-style dining in the South food court forces you to dine communally in elbow bumping intimacy with total strangers, most often with young kids happily oversharing their burgeoning sex lives in loud voiced bravado or peppering their most, like, boring, like, conversations in F-Bombs. (And I have just realized as I write this that I have become grumpy and middle aged.). But just in time for Christmas this year, the Eaton Centre is going through massive renovations. I can’t tell you how long that’s been going on, because that last time I was there was Christmas of last year, but I do have to wonder about the poor planning of it all. The mall gets very crowded during the Christmas season, and all the scaffolding and barriers jut right out into the walkways. The Swarovski crystal tree is up, the highlight of the mall’s Christmas decorating. I have always enjoyed and preferred to view the tree from above, but this year that view is seriously hampered by the construction work. Nothing gets one in the spirit to shop like construction and I have to wonder just how much business will be lost this year by annoyed consumers taking their business elsewhere. I couldn’t even bring myself to take a picture of the confusion.

I headed down to the bottom level of the mall and crossed Queen St. underground. I made my way through the basement level of the flagship Hudson’s Bay store, and they were, I’m happy to report, ready for the Christmas shopping season with Christmas style candies and decorations all set out on the bottom level. From there I continued south through the new portion of the PATH which takes you under 333 Bay Adelaide. A lot of Core workers were very happy for this new portion of the PATH which made walking to and from the Eaton Centre from many of the downtown towers more convenient. No coats, no traffic, no cold, no rain. They have very modern Christmas decorations with lots of Plexiglass triangles grouped together in the shape of trees and lit with very tacky changing neon coloured lights. Scotia Bank is the next hit on the PATH. They usually have a large tree in their concourse, but I did not notice it on Saturday. First Canadian Place is under extensive renovations as well. I always thought their decorations are very elegant compared to a lot of other places in the downtown Core. Trees lit with cool blue lights and sparkling silver snowflakes and globes. But moving through the PATH here is hindered with barricades creating very small corridors for traffic. I continued on to the TD Centre and off to work for the day.

My plan for the evening had been to walk around the downtown for a bit after work and capture some of the sights above ground. But my husband decided he wanted to bring the kids downtown for the lighting of the Christmas Tree at Nathan Philip Square and my plans changed. They met up with me after work and we set off. First we visited the huge Christmas tree behind my office building. Set in blue lights, this tree (which isn’t really a tree but rather a frame covered in boughs) is several stories high and covered in blue lights. It’s gorgeous at night and is off the beaten path on less travelled Wellington Street (between Bay and York), so it isn’t really seen as much as a lot of the other downtown decorations.

Wellington Feeling a Little Blue

We then headed North along Bay Street. At Bay and Adelaide, the new tower (333 Bay Adelaide) has a beautiful projection of stars in their lobby that can easily be seen from the street. It was a huge hit with my kids. We hit the flagship Bay Store and walked around it to see if any of the windows had animated displays yet, but found no joy. We continued up Yonge Street. The Christmas lights on Yonge make me nostalgic for the 70s. Blue, yellow and white, they light up the street with a very retro feel.

70's all the way.

We checked out Yonge and Dundas. I love this corner, it always has a great energy, day and night. On any given weekend you will find all sorts of small festivals, concerts, buskers, street artists and entertainers.

Batman Busking at the Square

As a pedestrian, they have one of my favourite features here, a trial pedestrian scramble in which every few light changes pedestrians are allowed to cross diagonally across the street. We checked out the tree and some lovely polar bears made of white lights. (On a fun note, “The Big Kiss” will be held there on Thursday, December 2, 2010 between 6:00 pm and 7:30 pm. A giant ball of Mistletoe will be hung at the square and couples are invited to stop by and spread a little Christmas Cheer. For every kiss, Virgin Mobile will donate $5.00 to WWF Canada).

We stopped for a brief dinner in this area before heading west on Dundas and then down south again on Bay. City Hall is all decked out in red lighting.

We stayed at Nathan Philip Square for a little over an hour, catching the concert highlighting Sean Desman and Divine Brown and a really fun trampoline display that had both of my kids squealing with delight. Nathan Philip Square, like everything else downtown it seems, is under renovation and much of the square is currently blocked off by barricades and fencing, making for a very intimate crowded gathering. The Tree is not in its normal location but rather in the North-east corner of the square and is only half the height of the usual tree due to the renovations, standing at around 30 feet. They did a lovely job decorating the tree this year. Its lighting kicks off the 44^th annual Cavalcade of Lights (many of the lights around the city are already on, but this is the official start).

A smaller tree this year for Nathan Philips Square.

We have never made it out to see fireworks at the Square before and I have to say they really put on a spectacular show. We were right up front and it was amazing to see them framed by the two towers of City Hall.

Kaboom!

It was a fun evening and I highly recommend to everyone to check out a Christmas tree lighting in the square in the future.

I will take that Christmas light walk I had originally been planning on later in the week and blog a little on the Holiday spirit in the Core.

(all photos in this entry provided by Darryl K.)

Duration of Walk: Roughly one hour (based on short legs, picture taking and walking with children)
Difficulty: EASY. Level Terrain, paved surfaces.
Parking/Getting There: Lots of parking in the office towers with reduced rates on evenings a weekends, however still expensive. Recommend TTC. St. Andrews, King, Queen and Dundas stations will all put you in the vicinity.
Washrooms: Yes. Eaton Centre has public washrooms and as well there are number of restaurants along the way. Be polite and support a business by buying a little something while you're there.
Local Coffee Haunts: Yes. Tons ranging from Tim Hortons to Starbucks to Timothy’s International and Second Cup. Diners are also located along Yonge St. Also a few places to stop and get your beer or wine on too.
Safety Factor: MEDIUM. Loads of people, especially at Yonge and Dundas, but has been known as a high crime area; be mindful, especially of pickpockets. Numerous intersections to cross. Wellington Street is very dark and there are few people around.
Special Gear: No. Comfortable Shoes will do.
Suitable for Dogwalking?: Sure but given the crowds of people, might be best to leave your pal at home.