2019/11/23 – Crosstown Southwest

I undertook this walk with Shawn Micallef, a freelance contributing columnist who writes about the where and how of living in the GTA. He wrote about our adventure in the Toronto Star:
West-end ramble through ravines, utility corridors reveals fresh view of city

Also see Shawn’s other contributions to The Star

Good morning. I have met up with Shawn Micallef at Kipling Station to take a walk. We will be following a hydro corridor that arcs across the southwest of the city. Let’s go.

Detour required, some of the corridor has been taken over by industrial yards and new condo parking lots. Arrival at Bloor, a direct pedestrian / cyclist overpass would be cool.

After navigating Islington Station and another parking lot, the corridor crosses Mimico Creek ravine and becomes sanctioned and accidental parkland. The stretch leading up to Royal York is a popular dog park.

Bents! Probably one of the highlights I really was looking forward to, a slice of Gardiner in Etobicoke. Corridor continues with significant vegetation.

Amazing vista over the Humber. Slopes are very steep, view from the GO train is something else. Imagine the popularity of a pedestrian bridge.

The Humber required a large detour from the corridor, and it’s immediately followed by another to get north of the tracks. Thought there was a public laneway granting access to the east portion, but discovered it was fenced off. No matter, onwards from Scarlett.

Entering Syme. Community gardens and dense communities. Amazing vista over Black Creek and the surrounding landscape.

Corridor meets Lavender Creek, north of the Stockyards. And for whatever reason, the creek is buried well west of Weston. We found (what must be) the waterfall chamber in the old lumber yard.

East of Weston, the corridor is broken. Quite a bit of zigzag required until we get back at S.A.D.R.A. Park, which goes to St Clair. An old reddit thread suggests it stands for the “Silverthorn and District Ratepayers Association”, but don’t all taxpayers pay for parks?

The hydro corridor hits a junction at St Clair. Shawn and I catch a glimpse of the south bound corridor paralleling the GO Barrie Line before calling it a day.