The Annual General Meeting of the Midtown Ravines Group, held on 14 April, provided an opportunity for MRG member organizations (10 local neighbourhood associations) and other members of the community to get an update on the different moving parts of the overall Avoca restoration project.
Meeting attendees gathered at 5pm and mingled briefly before settling down to go through the meeting agenda. The formal governance components of the AGM, including approval of agenda and past minutes, chairs’ report, and treasurer’s report, were addressed while leaving the major allotment of time for discussion.
Councillor Comments
Councillors Dianne Saxe (Ward 11), via video feed, and Josh Matlow (Ward 12) offered words of encouragement for the community members and project participants to build on the important progress achieved already towards dealing with the well-documented problems besetting the ravine. The two local councillors have been persistent advocates for the Vale at City Hall. They have jointly championed the While of Avoca Improvement Project, while also accelerating action to restore the St Clair and Heath Crescent ravine access points. Councillor Saxe has also promoted the role of volunteer stewardship as a key component of the Ravine Strategy.
TRCA Presentation
Alex Grout and Ashour Rehana of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) outlined the three linked projects currently underway:
- the slope, channel and stairway remediation on the east side of the ravine, below Heath Crescent;
- restoration of the ravine access stairs into the west side of the ravine from the north side of St Clair Avenue;
- development of a master plan for the overall ravine–followed by implementation—named the Vale of Avoca Improvement Project.
The three linked projects are progressing concurrently, although the implementation of the first two will precede the overall ravine remediation, given the narrower scope of the two location-specific projects. The TRCA’s preliminary expectation is that eventual construction activity will move ahead in phases, dealing with separate reaches (or segments) of Yellow Creek, likely moving from north to south. Expected construction access routes for the north and central sections of the ravine will probably use the park access road off Avoca Avenue; for the more southern work components, access will likely be off Mount Pleasant Road near the intersection with Roxborough Drive. The TRCA team outlined a preliminary timetable for the overall ravine improvement, which would see plan development and consultation phases continuing through 2027, transitioning to construction-related activities in 2028 (for what might be a multi-stage construction process).
UFA Presentation
Stephen Smith, an arborist and head of Urban Forest Associates (UFA), provided an overview of plans to complete an inventory of ravine plant and tree communities (both native and invasive). This work will be carried out by Forestry graduate students from University of Toronto, under the direction of UFA. Stephen has been directly involved in ecological management of the Avoca ravine dating back almost 30 years, and described how the current plant distribution reflects an amalgam of original remnant communities, periodic localized restoration efforts, and the relentless pressure from invasives like Japanese knotweed and Norway maples. Midtown Ravines Group is supporting the work for UFA and hopes it will provide an important input to plans for the ravine, helping to mitigate the temporary adverse impact from construction activity, while also informing longer-term planning for ecological management of the ravine.
Active discussion – Q&A
What will be done about some of the other ravine access points that may be in bad shape, and possibly unsafe? Generally, the master plan will examine each of the access routes leading into the ravine and develop an updated access and trail configuration. We expect the current set of access routes and connecting pathways will be maintained, but there will be a process to review the basis for each part of the network, along with requirements to improve their condition. There are currently counters in the ravine that will provide important data about usage; it was pointed out, however, that counter data will have to consider how foot traffic at a particular location might be influenced by the condition of that path. The TRCA also pointed out that the project group would consider interim measures if any path sections raise immediate safety issues.
What can be done to the population of invasive Norway Maples in the ravine? In some areas Norways represent over half of the tree population and tend to suppress understory growth while contributing to erosion. Stephen Smith described an overall approach that would involve cutting down many of the Norway Maples, while leaving the stumps and roots in place to stabilize the slope; shoots coming from the still-living stumps are relatively easy to control. Logs from felled Norways could be used to stabilize ravine slopes while beneficially creating habitats for a range of ravine organisms. Ecological survey work would also consider habitat issues; according to Stephen, red tail hawks will respond well to growth of white pines for nesting; the presence of red-backed salamanders will be looked for as a sign of a healthy ecosystem.
What will the impact of construction staging and access be on ravine users, as well as the ravine wildlife? The construction will have a significant temporary impact on the ravine, including closures of some sections, but hopefully generating long-lasting benefits for local communities as well as for ravine wildlife and the ecosystem. The combined ecological survey work will highlight plant communities that warrant whatever protection can be offered, while also pointing out invasives that will ideally be replaced by native varieties as part of an ecological restoration program. There are usually limited opportunities to harvest timber from ravine restorations, due to the challenges of extracting the logs (while also noting their use in erosion control and creation of habitats). In some cases, valuable native plants can be transplanted to other locations to preserve the natural biodiversity of the area.
The Midtown Ravines Group aims to convene future meetings and events to promote a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities tied to the Avoca project. At the same time, we hope a continuing conversation will help resolve concerns that will need to be addressed as the project moves ahead. Upcoming events will be featured on the MRG and Avoca websites.