The north end of Riverdale Park East has undergone many changes. What used to be a typical city park with mown grass fields has been turned into a forested slope and a small wetland. The slope reforestation was the first restoration effort by the Task Force to Bring Back the Don. The area was planted with trees and shrubs in 1990 and has developed into woodland with mature ash and maple. Changing mown grass into self-maintaining forest is a testament to the Task Force's vision.
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| The first planting of the Task Force. |
The same area 15 years later. The bridge can just be seen in the middle of the photo. |
In 2000, the City of Toronto, developed a master plan for Riverdale Park East, in which a small wetland was proposed for the base of the north slope. Water collects at the base of the slope, flowing from both the steep slope to the north and the gentle slope from the sports field to the south.
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| Forested slope today. It used to be mown grass similar to area at far right. The new wetland is behind the cedar rail fence. |
While the ice and snow surrounded by mud didn't look like much it was a prelude to its potential as a good wetland site. In the spring of 2002 volunteers planted trees and shrubs in the site. This was followed with native flowers, sedges, and rushes that are found in marsh areas. A cedar rail fence constructed around the site marked the completion of the construction phase of the project.
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| Under construction: the new wetland awaits the arrival of spring. |
Volunteers plant wetland flowers at the water's edge. |
| While construction is over, work has not ended. The marsh has been added to our Community Stewardship Program. Volunteers visit the site during the summer to remove non-native plants that threaten the survival of the planted species. This will continue until the marsh has matured sufficiently to be self-sustaining. If you are interested in helping the stewardship team please visit our Summer Volunteers page for more information. |
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An eroded hillside path was replaced with a rock lined trough that directs water to flow into the wetland area.
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| Wetland flowers and grasses line the edge of the wetland during the summer. |
Blue vervain is a native meadow flower. |
More pictures of Riverdale Park East Forest and Wetland
Umbra, a corporate sponsor of Bring Back the Don is helping to restore the Riverdale Park East wetland. View pictures of their activities.
If you want to visit:
Riverdale Park East is west of Broadview Avenue, north of Gerrard Street and south of Danforth Avenue. The marsh is about a 15 minute walk from Broadview subway station. The marsh itself is located at the bottom of the slope at the north end of the playing field. Look for the area surrounded by a wooden fence.
