The Don drains
a large part of the GreaterToronto area covering 2 regions (Toronto
and York) and 8 local municipalities/ communities (Toronto, East
York, North York, York, Scarborough, Markham, Vaughan, Richmond
Hill).
The 2 main branches are the East and West Don. German Mills Creek
flows into the East Don just below Steeles Ave., and Taylor or
Massey Creek joins in at the forks near Don Mills. (37K JPEG)
The River
drops over 220 metres on its way from the headwaters in Maple to
Lake Ontario only 38 kilometres away. The last 4 or 5 kilometres
are quite flat and by the time the river crosses Gerrard St. its
level can be affected by high lake levels. (42K JPEG)
The Headwaters
area of the East Don in the City of Vaughan are still undeveloped
but in the background you can see the advancing wave from
Richmond Hill. The Dutch Redelmeier family settled in the area
just before the second world war. Their Southbrook Farms is one
of the last owner-operated properties in the area. It houses an
award winning winery with delicious desert wines from Don
raspberries (red and yellow!). The dam originally provided power
to the Patterson factory which was one of Ontario's great farm
machinery producers in the mid-19th century. The Redelmeiers have
been generous donors to the Art Gallery of Ontario.(52K
JPEG)
Many parts of
the Don in the large wide River Valleys in North York still have
a predominantly natural character. This scene is from the
spectacular Charles Sauriol nature reserve which runs from the
Forks at Don Mills Road up the East Don to Lawrence Ave.(90K JPEG)
There is one
large dam on the Don - the G. Ross Lord dam at Finch and Dufferin.
Completed in 1973 it protects the communities of Hogg's Hollow -
built in the floodplain. After the destruction of Hurricane Hazel
on October 15 and 16 1954, 4 dams were planned for the Don. This
is proposed as a concept site for regeneration. (65K JPEG)
South of the
Leaside bridge, the Don's middle industrial history is evident.
On the west side of the river is the North Toronto Sewage
Treatment plant. It is the last one remaining on the Don and it's
future use is under review. On the east side was the last
industrial plant. The Domtar Polyresins plant was closed in the
80's and acquired by the Conservation Authority. Just south of
these is Crothers Woods - probably the northernmost stand of
Carolinian vegetation on the Don. Here nature and urban mountain
bikers come into conflict(74K JPEG)
The Lower Don
South of the Bloor Viaduct is familiar to many people. This
picture shows the River, trapped between 2 major roads (the Don
Valley Parkway and Bayview Avenue), and then straightened as it
flows on to the harbour. In the distance is the Leslie Street
Spit. Just south of the Viaduct is the site of the Chester
Springs Marsh project which was completed in 1996.(103K JPEG)
The Don enters
the harbour by making a 90 degree right turn through the man-made
Keating channel. In the foreground is the harbour lands, created
in the 1920's for industrial development by filling in
Ashbridge's Bay marsh. In the background the CN Tower and SkyDome.
(57K JPEG). For a historical view from Lucius O'Brien's 1873
painting click here.
Community
action has led the regeneration of the Don. The commitment of
people living in the watershed has enabled resources and money
from the public and private sector to be mobilised.(81K JPEG)
Volunteers
have planted over 25,000 trees and shrubs. This section give more
details
Each year in
early May, we canoe the Don. Click on the picture to see how much
fun we're having!
The efforts of
the Friends of the Valley stopped a condominium development at
the Brickworks and helped secure funding for its regeneration.
History ofthe site and plans are described when you click on the
picture.
Schools and
local communities are painting yellow fish on storm drains and
handing out educational materials to teach us all that water
doesn't just go down the drain. It goes into the river. (43K JPEG)
Personal
volunteers like Warren Meecham have removed hundreds of tires,
construction materials, shopping carts, automobile batteries, oil
drums, a motorcycle and an old cigarette machine. Click on the
picture for their amazing story.
The
regeneration projects have drawn international attention for
their community involvement. Prince Charles visited us in the
fall of 1991. In 1994, 40 Steps to a New Don won an international
prize for environmental planning. (103K JPEG)
© mark wilson 1998
