Did you know that Toronto’s ravine system is the largest of any city in the world? It plays a huge part in Toronto’s green infrastructure, but also offers many environmental, health and recreational benefits.
Almost a third of Toronto residents live less than a 10-minute walk from a ravine. Whether you’re exploring the Humber River or strolling past Mimico Creek, you’re enjoying the wonderful features of the city’s ravine landscape.
Thousands of years of history
But beyond their beauty, these spaces have deep roots in the city’s past.
According to The Don River Valley Park, Toronto’s ravine system was created by the meltwater of receding glaciers over 10,000 years ago. “The history of Toronto is intimately tied to the Don Valley. First Nations used the river and its surrounding valley as a seasonal hunting and fishing ground over 12,000 years ago,” the site adds. The Don Valley is considered the “most central artery of Toronto’s ravine systems.”
It wasn’t until the 19th century that the Don Valley was seen as “secondary to its role as a driver for emerging industries and a repository for their waste products.”
Though over a century of heavy industrialization left the Don Valley degraded and polluted, it wasn’t until 1989 that change began. That year, the Task Force to Bring Back the Don was established. With partnerships between citizen groups, the City of Toronto, government agencies like the Toronto and Region Conservation, and not-for-profits like Evergreen, a number of re-naturalization projects were put into motion that have helped restore the habitats and ecosystems of the Don Watershed.
Keeping Toronto flowing
“The intent was always to re-wild the space, rather than create boutique, manufactured greenspaces,” adds the site. Not only do ravines like the Don Valley provide green spaces to enjoy, their natural catchment also keeps our basements from flooding. According to the City of Toronto, as a result of Hurricane Hazel in 1954, the ravines have become protected and maintained by Toronto and Region Conservation and the City of Toronto.
These also help filter and transport stormwater, as well as reduce urban heat. The list goes on!
Curious where to start? The city has an interactive map online highlighting the ravines in the area, which is used for the annual city-wide celebration, Ravine Days.
Toronto’s ravines wind through our neighbourhoods, tucked behind busy roads, and waiting to be explored. Whether you’re looking to clear your head, spot some wildlife, or just get your steps in, there’s no shortage of trails and hidden pockets of nature to check out.
So lace up your shoes, grab a friend (or go solo), and dive into the green side of the city. With so many ravines nearby, there’s really no excuse not to. You never know what you’ll find just a few steps from home.
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