Toronto has a secret that you might not know about - there is a forested network of deep ravines upon which our city has been built. In 2014, TEA pushed Toronto City Council to agree to move forward with growing the Greenbelt into Toronto’s ravines and rivers. This plan will provide long term protection to Toronto’s urban ravine system, which is the largest of it’s kind in the world, and is 30 times the size of New York’s Central Park!
There are many ravine access points that can be found using the Love The Ravine’s interactive map. Here are a few of TEA's favourite parks. Let us know about your favourite ravine in the city by tagging us on Twitter @toenviro.
North York: Betty Sutherland Trail Park
Located just North of the intersection at Don Mills Rd and York Mills Rd, this park offers scenic ravine views, ample trail space for recreation activities, and a wide range of topography. The most exciting part of the trails is an underground passage beneath the 401’s impressive range of lanes overhead.
Walk or Cycle: Access points are located off of Duncan Mill Rd, and side streets West of Don Mills Rd
Transit: Located, just a 45 minute ride from Union Station, take the Yonge-Line Northbound towards Finch, exit at York Mills Station, and take the 122 East bus exiting at Duncan Mill Rd at Valleybrook Dr
Midtown: Sherwood Park
A local favourite for those in the area, and a dog-walkers paradise (due to the gated dog park in the trails), this place is loaded with activities all year round. Winter tobogganers come for the steep hills, playgrounds are packed with children in the summer, and connecting trails to neighbouring parks are ideal for runners.
Walk or Cycle: Access points can be found off Sherwood Ave, Blythwood Rd, Bayview Ave and Yonge St (entering at the Alexander Muir Memorial Gardens)
Transit: Exiting the Yonge-University line at Eglinton, hop on the 103 Mount Pleasant bus North. Getting off at Sherwood Park the trails are only a few minutes away
Etobicoke: Raymore Park
Petering on the edge of Western Toronto and Etobicoke, Raymore Park contains a wide chunk of the Humber River as it barrels through Toronto. This park is wide, long and a great place to go for a walk. Some of our staff have even spotted a bit of urban wildlife here!
Walk or Cycle: Access points can be found at the Lawrence Ave-Weston Rd intersection
Transit: The Union-Pearson express can get you to Weston Station (just next to Raymore Park) real quick - just be prepared to pay around $31 for your return trip. Taking the TTC will take just a little longer. Exiting at Lawrence West, on the University Line, take the 52 West along Lawrence Towards Martin Grove. Exit at Weston Rd and you’re a couple minutes walk away from the park!
Scarborough: McCowan Park
Twisting and turning through Scarborough, McCown Park offers some beautiful scenery, old trees and deep ravines. Go in the winter time, and you might just have the place all to yourself.
Walk or Cycle: Find major access points along McCowan Rd or Danforth Rd
Transit: Exiting Kennedy Station from the Bloor subway Line, take a 116, 86, or 198 bus East along Eglinton. Hop off at McCowan Rd and walk North to the park.
Downtown: The Lakeshore
Although there aren’t too many accessible ravines in our downtown core South of Bloor, you can enjoy where the waters from this diverse network end up - Lake Ontario! Newly refurbished and ready for year-round visitors, Toronto’s harbourfront is a happening place with concerts, restaurants, marinas and connecting boats to take you to Toronto Island.
Walk or Cycle: Recently opened bike lanes along Queen's Quay provide easy access to Toronto's harbourfront.
Transit: Taking transit to Toronto’s harbourfront has never been easier. Just walk a short distance from Union Station. Or take the Queens Quay streetcar to enjoy the shores of Lake Ontario!