THE DON RIVER VALLEY PARK IS AT RISK FOR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT.
Toronto is home to the largest ravine system of any city in the world.
Ravines are central to Toronto, constituting 17% of the urban landscape and 95% of its biodiversity. The Don River is one of three rivers (Humber, Don and Rouge) that form the backbone of this ravine system. The Don is also the most central river valley park in the city, connecting millions of people and dozens of communities to the largest green space available downtown, from Toronto’s waterfront to the 401.
The lower Don is home to countless frogs, toads, snakes and turtles, rabbits and hares, migrating waterfowl and visiting eagles. Walkers and bikers often see meadow voles and mice, deer and coyote, beavers, fox, and muskrat. Occasionally a river otter will rear its head. The Don is not only a nature lover’s paradise and an important trail for active commuters, but a critical stopping ground for migratory birds.
Our ravines are not only unique to Toronto but they also help keep our City clean and its people happy and healthy. We all recognized the importance of nature to our well-being and quality of life in the months passed. Toronto calls itself a "City within a Park".
Photo of the Lower Don River by Glenn Sumi.
In the midst of our City lies The Don River Valley Park and the Lower Don Parklands.
Running along the Don River from Taylor Creek down to Lakeshore Boulevard, it is the second largest park in Toronto, smaller than the Rouge in the east and bigger than High Park to the west. The Don Parklands connect Toronto’s central urban communities to valuable greenspace and are widely used by thousands of people daily. Big and beautiful, the Park is one of the last remaining natural spaces in downtown Toronto.
THIS PARK IS NOW UNDER THREAT.
Metrolinx plans to park and service trains at this location. Everything in red will be industrially developed to build the Don Valley Layover Facility.
Metrolinx is aware of the complexities involved in building in a river valley, and has stated in its own reports that it plans to remove “and backfill materials to form suitable foundations to support the proposed facility, as the soils have been deemed geotechnically unsuitable”. Metrolinx is proposing a difficult, long-term, and expensive industrial development.
The above street view shows a current Metrolinx layover site in Etobicoke. The Don Valley could look something like this in a few years if we do not stop it.
WHAT IS AT STAKE
The parklands are designated as Natural Heritage in the City of Toronto’s Official Plan. The Prince Edward Viaduct Bridge, immediately south of the proposed layover, also has heritage status. The views of the vast parkland and historic bridge are iconic and enjoyed by millions. This is about to be radically and permanently altered.
Photo of bikers enjoying the trail under the Prince Edward Viaduct by Glenn Sumi.
Covid has taught us a lot. We know more than ever how important it is to have green space for mental and physical health. As Toronto grows denser, park space will become even more precious and critical to urban quality of life.
WHAT IS OUR GOAL?
We support better transit. What we do not support is sacrificing our parks. Toronto deserves wise and thoughtful transit solutions. Toronto deserves BOTH transit AND parks.
Environmental protection laws removed industry from the Don Parklands, thousands of volunteers with “Bring Back the Don” worked for decades planting trees, native plants, and removing garbage. Once again, we must come together. We MUST continue on this path to preserve this legacy and stop the park’s destruction.
WHAT CAN YOU DO RIGHT NOW?
Doug Ford can save this park. Tell him what this park means to you and ask him for his help. We need his help.
Donate to Build the Park. Funds will be directed toward developing full renderings of the facility at a landscape scale as well as a social media awareness campaign.
Sign up to stay in touch with Build the Park as we expand our advocacy efforts - this is just the beginning.
Share your thoughts with your fellow citizens by leaving a comment on this website.
Go to our How to Help page for other ways to get involved today.
Your Thoughts
“It is ‘moral and economic madness’ to fund new fossil fuel infrastructure, according to UN Secretary General, António Guterres. Yet here we are building a diesel train facility in the heart of Toronto’s most central parkland.”
“The damage to habitat caused by the track reactivation will impact wildlife even more than the facility. Do not focus only on the facility, the reactivation of the track is critical as well.”
“This will turn back the clock on 70+ years of loving restoration and revitalization by hundreds of volunteers, city workers, TRCA staff and Toronto school children.”
“This is ill-conceived and would represent an irreplaceable loss.”
“Trains from Milton do not belong in Toronto’s Central Park.”
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“As an avid commuter, walking, cycling and taking public transit on a daily basis, I strongly feel this project is an antithesis to what public transit represents.
The Don Valley is a haven for me and the millions of visitors it welcomes but more than that, it is a haven, a home, an ecological corridor and migration route for wildlife, big and small. The Don Valley’s ecological and social importance cannot be overstated but seems to be continually undervalued.”
“The Don Valley park needs more investments but not industrialization.”
