Public Walk: Subway Series: Donlands to Pape, Leslie Creek

Join us on Saturday, April 5th at 10:00 am for a 2 hr, 6 km, linear nature and heritage walk on mostly unpaved and uneven surfaces, gentle slopes with some steep slopes. Some stairs.

Leader: Joanne Doucette

Walk Location: Riverdale and Leslieville

Getting There: Pape subway station will be closed due to construction, but it is a short walk back to the Donlands Station or west to the Chester subway station. Parking is available in five public lots between Donlands and Pape, north of Danforth.

Walk Details:  A 2 hr, 6 km, linear nature and heritage walk on mostly unpaved and uneven surfaces, gentle slopes with some steep slopes. Some stairs.

Accessibility: Some areas may be muddy and wet underfoot..

Washrooms: At the beginning, along the way, and at the end.

Walk Description: We will be walking from the Donlands subway station down through some of the side streets in Riverdale and Kempton Howard Park along the buried Leslie Creek, past the Jones Avenue Cemetery, and then along Riverdale Avenue and south for approximately an hour. Then we will loop back north along Carlaw Avenue and through Withrow Park, ending at the Pape subway station. Our focus will be on street trees and early signs of spring. Note: our route may change because of Metrolinx construction.

Walk details: The walk will begin at Donlands subway station and proceed through some side streets in Riverdale and Kempton Howard Park along the buried Leslie Creek, passing by the Jones Avenue Cemetery. The route will then continue along Riverdale Avenue and head south for approximately an hour before looping back north along Carlaw Avenue and through Withrow Park, ending at Pape subway station. The focus of this walk will be on observing street trees and early signs of spring. Note: The route may change due to Metrolinx construction.

Leslie Creek began in springs near Strathcona Avenue and ran through Howard Kempton Park. Two branches merged and crossed the train line east of Marjory Avenue, then crossed Gerrard Street where there’s a shallow dip. It flowed through a ravine near Holy Blossom Cemetery, crossed Dundas at Dagmar, and continued south across Jones Avenue. The creek ran behind stores on Queen Street, crossed Leslie Street and Eastern Avenue, and eventually entered Ashbridge’s Bay where the Loblaws Superstore is now located

What to Bring: Magnifying glass (if desired, leader will have some extras), field guide to trees/shrubs and binoculars are always handy, as well as change for coffee/tea if desired.

Other information: This is a public walk. No pets please. Service animals are welcome. Wheelchair accessible.