2018/02/17 – Black Creek I

Let’s trace Black Creek today. Normally I start at a confluence, but I’m already facing my first barrier: a golf course.

Concrete walls. Concrete channels. Concrete outlets. Water swept vegetation poking out of concrete. I can tell you this is a common theme for Black Creek in Toronto.

Giant culvert through a berm. Very pretty, but they still couldn’t bother to accommodate the trails through here; users must cross at grade unless you are walking the concrete channel bed like me.

It’s very LA-esque down here in the cut, but it’s easier to walk along. Why not, it’s winter anyway.

Things tighten up between two segments of Black Creek Drive. Then I run out of luck, cannot pass this waterfall. Gotta backtrack.

After confirming that this was a Metro TRCA project, Black Creek decides to go natural upstream of Weston Road.

Tricky navigation across Black Creek Drive. Eventually, there is a beaten path along Black Creek. Hard to find, still lost it once.

Natural character waxes and wanes. Weirs randomly crop up. Road infrastructure reverts it back to a concrete channel.

I’m not supposed to be here apparently. I find that to be absurd.

If you wanna go swimming in here, you got a real sense of adventure.

Back in the cut! Concrete channel returns, but this time, it’s not in the greatest shape. Heaving has occurred in some areas, and spalling down to the rebar in others.