EVCco
Senior Member
West Don Tributaries - dedication
Not to go into it too much, but the past month or so has been pretty rough for me. Recent events have led me to question a lot of things in my life, one of which was whether or not to continue this series. To be honest, for a while I wasn't sure if I'd even come back to Toronto. Needless to say, after some reflection, I finally did decide to come back and finish what I started (and not just this thread, of course). It's hard to let go of something you've dedicated so much time and effort to. Sometimes the choice isn't your's to make. But given the choice to head back or press forward, whether on the trail or in life, I always seem to find myself venturing on - for good or for bad. Perhaps it's just how I was raised, never to take a backwards step.
Life goes on...
As for my latest trip, then, today I'll be covering quite a lot of ground in a relatively small area - four creeks that issue from the West Don, north of the 401, in and around the Don Valley Golf Course and Earl Bales Park. As you may remember, the last time I was here I was escorted, rather speedily, through the golf course by the local groundskeeper, not allowing me to take as many pictures as I would have liked - especially of the exceptional Hogg's Hollow Bridge. Naturally, I've been thinking a lot lately about things I'd like to do again if only I had the chance. As it happens, in the the winter months this golf course reverts to a public park where you can head on in and take all the photos you like, and while this might not be at the top of my list of things to redo, at least the chance is here, so I'll take it - starting with the west end of this mighty viaduct:
Maneuvering through the central sections:
And some final views from the east side:
On now to the first of the four tributaries, heading north through the Stuart Greenbelt into Franklin Park. This short creek runs underground most of the way, but every so often you'll spot a little reminder letting you know that it's still there:
Back along the Don to another recent memory - the Earl Bales Stormwater Management Facility at the old Public Works Department...:
...which leads directly to my next tributary, the DeHavilland Creek. As you might have guessed from the aeronautic name, this creek once ran south from Downsview Airport, but today only surfaces at Bathurst Street, which is where I follow it to. It's nice to know that while the company may now be grounded, the name still flows on:
My tributary trek continues just a few steps north up Bathurst to where we arrive at the third of our streams, Earl Bales Creek, which flows back down to meet the DeHavilland near the tip of Timberlane Drive:
The final affluent empties just north of Sheppard, in the lower reaches of the Hinder Property. Once flowing from Stafford Park, just south of Finch, today it runs only as far as Park Home Ave at York Cemetery where, fittingly, the stream doesn't really seem to end at all - it simply heads under a fence and continues on, somehow, somewhere:
A tribute to your memory,
R.I.P. ~ S.A.C.
All my journeys from here are dedicated to you...
Not to go into it too much, but the past month or so has been pretty rough for me. Recent events have led me to question a lot of things in my life, one of which was whether or not to continue this series. To be honest, for a while I wasn't sure if I'd even come back to Toronto. Needless to say, after some reflection, I finally did decide to come back and finish what I started (and not just this thread, of course). It's hard to let go of something you've dedicated so much time and effort to. Sometimes the choice isn't your's to make. But given the choice to head back or press forward, whether on the trail or in life, I always seem to find myself venturing on - for good or for bad. Perhaps it's just how I was raised, never to take a backwards step.
Life goes on...
As for my latest trip, then, today I'll be covering quite a lot of ground in a relatively small area - four creeks that issue from the West Don, north of the 401, in and around the Don Valley Golf Course and Earl Bales Park. As you may remember, the last time I was here I was escorted, rather speedily, through the golf course by the local groundskeeper, not allowing me to take as many pictures as I would have liked - especially of the exceptional Hogg's Hollow Bridge. Naturally, I've been thinking a lot lately about things I'd like to do again if only I had the chance. As it happens, in the the winter months this golf course reverts to a public park where you can head on in and take all the photos you like, and while this might not be at the top of my list of things to redo, at least the chance is here, so I'll take it - starting with the west end of this mighty viaduct:
Maneuvering through the central sections:
And some final views from the east side:
On now to the first of the four tributaries, heading north through the Stuart Greenbelt into Franklin Park. This short creek runs underground most of the way, but every so often you'll spot a little reminder letting you know that it's still there:
Back along the Don to another recent memory - the Earl Bales Stormwater Management Facility at the old Public Works Department...:
...which leads directly to my next tributary, the DeHavilland Creek. As you might have guessed from the aeronautic name, this creek once ran south from Downsview Airport, but today only surfaces at Bathurst Street, which is where I follow it to. It's nice to know that while the company may now be grounded, the name still flows on:
My tributary trek continues just a few steps north up Bathurst to where we arrive at the third of our streams, Earl Bales Creek, which flows back down to meet the DeHavilland near the tip of Timberlane Drive:
The final affluent empties just north of Sheppard, in the lower reaches of the Hinder Property. Once flowing from Stafford Park, just south of Finch, today it runs only as far as Park Home Ave at York Cemetery where, fittingly, the stream doesn't really seem to end at all - it simply heads under a fence and continues on, somehow, somewhere:
A tribute to your memory,
R.I.P. ~ S.A.C.
All my journeys from here are dedicated to you...
Nice series.
