It's hard to find a natural pond in downtown Toronto, yet there is one in the Moore Park ravine. Well, it's not completely natural because it was likely formed over 100 years ago when a rail line was constructed in the ravine. The railway, known as the Belt Line was built in the 1890s and looped from Union Station up through the North Toronto. The pond formed in a depression between the railroad embankment and the edge of the valley slope. The railway is long gone but we are left with a small pond. For a complete history of the site and surrounding neighbourhood, visit the Lost Rivers website.
The Belt Line Pond is located just south of Moore Avenue and the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The site is approximately 1,925 square metres within a depression at the base of a southwest-facing forested slope. At the top of the slope are houses on Brendan Road.
This site was identified in 1997 as a candidate for restoration. At that time a vegetation survey noted that the pond was surrounded by many native trees such as white birch, trembling aspen, white oak, red oak, and sugar maple. It also noted the presence of non-native species such as Norway maple and crack willow.
Water in the pond is 5-15 cm in depth. During the summer and fall, the water is covered by a small plant called duckweed. Recent tests indicate that the water is low in dissolved oxygen content. |
Fall colours grace the pond. The green stuff on the pond is duckweed, a common pond plant |
This is due in part to the low flow of water into the pond and the large amount of decayed organic matter at the bottom of the pond. The decaying process produces a localized odour during the summer.
| Adjacent to the pond is a well-used pedestrian and bike path. The path is part of the Discovery Walks trail system and is a popular route for joggers and dog walkers. The slope leading down to the pond edge from the path is heavily eroded. |
Marsh marigolds are often found by the water's edge
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The Task Force to Bring Back the Don started planting in 1998 and continued in 1999. A variety of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous material were planted. This included marsh marigold, white vervain, tall goldenrod, yellow loosestrife, elderberry, red osier dogwood, hemlock, spicebush, and Virginia creeper. A contractor was hired to remove Norway and Manitoba maples from the immediate vicinity. Recently, a management plan was created that recommends short and long term goals for the site. The plan recommends that invasive species continue to be controlled.
Meadow restoration
Just north of the pond is a small piece of land on Moore Avenue bordered by a row of red oaks. This area has been vacant and unused for several years. During the restoration of the pond, work was also done to try and turn this grass covered area into an extension of the forested ravine. Trees, shrubs and woodland flowers were planted here. Due to dry conditions the trees and shrubs are growing slowly. It may take another 5-10 years before the trees grow tall enough to start changing the
meadow area into forest edge habitat.
Small trees grow amid grass and wildflowers
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Goldenrod is a common native meadow flower and is a favourite nectar source for bees and butterflies. |
More pictures of the Belt Line Pond and Meadow
How to get there:
By footpath: Follow the Beltline Trail north. The Pond will be on your right, north of the Don Valley Brick Works, just south of Moore Avenue.
By TTC: Take the Mount Pleasant 74 bus from St. Clair station. Get off at Moore Avenue. Walk two blocks east to Welland Avenue. Stay on the south side of the street. Just east of Welland, Moore Avenue dips down towards the Moore Park Ravine. Enter the ravine at the marked trail. Go down a short steep hill and proceed 100 metres along the trail. The pond area is on the left.
By car: The site is near the north end of the Moore Park Ravine. Enter from Moore Avenue, which is the first street south of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Moore Avenue runs between Mt. Pleasant Road on the west and Bayview Avenue on the east.
