Duffins Creek - Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Transcription

Duffins Creek
State of the Watershed Report
Greenspace, Trails and
Recreation
June 2002
Other topics in this series for both the Duffins Creek and the Carruthers Creek include:

Introduction
Study Area
Human Heritage
Land Use
Air Quality
Climate
Surface Water Quality
Surface Water Quantity
Stormwater Management
Fluvial Geomorphology
Hydrogeology
Aquatic Habitat and Species
Terrestrial Natural Heritage
This document is intended to be shared for non-commercial use.
We are promoting the electronic use of this document
to minimize the consumption of paper resources.
Toronto and Region Conservation, 5 Shoreham Drive, Downsview, Ontario M3N 1S4
Telephone: (416) 661-6600 Fax: (416) 661-6898 www.trca.on.ca
Table of Content
Introduction to Greenspace, Trails and Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . .2
The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Land Holdings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
South Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Duffins Headwaters Management Plan and Related Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Goodwood Resource Management Tract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
The Secord Forest and Wildlife Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Clubine Agreement Forest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Walker Woods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Timbers Brothers Gravel Pit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Glen Major Resource Management Tract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Claremont Field Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Greenwood Conservation Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Municipal Lands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Rotary Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Other Lands that Provide Outdoor Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Private Parks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Golf Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Skiing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Recreational Fishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Educational Institutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Waterfront Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Inter-Regional Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Trans Canada Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Oak Ridges Moraine Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Great Pine Ridge Equestrian Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Seaton Hiking Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Millers Creek Trail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Tables and Figures
Table 1: Golf Courses Located in the Duffins Creek Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Figure 1: Duffins Creek Headwaters Management Plan Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Figure 2: Exisiting and Proposed Trails in the Duffins Creek Watershed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
1
Introduction to Greenspace,
Trails and Recreation
In 1999, Environment Canada released The Importance of Nature
to Canadians: Survey Highlights. This summary of a 1996 survey of
87,000 people tells us that Canadians commit large amounts of
their leisure time to activities that depend on natural areas and
wildlife. As stewards of these valuable natural assets, Canadians are
responsible for managing them to allow sustainable use. This
management requires an understanding of the state of the natural
environment, the threats to its sustainability, and an appreciation of
the ways in which people make use of these natural assets. This
chapter will explore the greenspace and recreational lands within
the Duffins Creek watershed and the ways in which people
currently make use of these lands.
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The Toronto and
Region
Conservation
Authority (TRCA)
Land Holdings
Since 1957, Authority lands have provided the
basis of an interregional greenspace system and
have conserved and enhanced the renewable
natural resources of the Authoritys watersheds
in the Greater Toronto Area.
Lands owned by the TRCA within the Duffins
Creek watershed (totaling 23.3 km2) are currently
used for a variety of purposes including conservation,
education, recreation, forestry and agriculture.
The following sections briefly describe TRCA
owned lands in the Duffins Creek watershed and
their current uses.
South Park
Located in the hamlet of Goodwood, Township
of Uxbridge, this five hectare (12 acre) parcel
locally known as South Park is maintained as a
community park by the Township of Uxbridge.
Duffins Headwaters
Management Plan and
Related Properties
On September 24, 1999, the TRCA Board
members approved the process for preparing a
comprehensive management plan for the seven
properties which comprise the TRCA land
holdings in the headwaters of the Duffins Creek.
The properties include the Goodwood Resource
Management Tract, Secord Forest and Wildlife
Area, Clubine Agreement Forest, Walker Woods
Tract, the former Timbers Brothers Gravel Pit,
Glen Major Resource Management Tract and
Claremont Field Centre (Figure 1). The TRCA
owns all of these lands with the exception of
72 hectares in the Glen Major Resource
Management Tract, which is owned by the
Ontario Heritage Foundation and managed by
the TRCA. The entire planning area of the
Duffins Creek Headwaters Management Plan
totals 1950 hectares (19.5 km2).
The objective of the Duffins Creek Headwaters
Management Plan process is to examine the lands
and determine their environmental features and
functions, heritage values, and their potential for
recreation or other public uses. The review is used
to establish a plan for the future management of
the properties, recommend important land
stewardship practices and identify important
linkages between TRCA properties.
At the outset of the management plan process
TRCA established an Advisory Committee, which
included representatives from municipalities,
public interest groups and local citizens. The
committee has assisted TRCA staff to finalize the
project Terms of Reference, determine the
management zones, management recommendations
and assist with public outreach.
Goodwood Resource
Management Tract
This Resource Management Tract was formed as
a result of six acquisitions that took place during
July and August of 1967. These lands were
acquired under the Goodwood Forest and
Wildlife Area. The property is currently used by
cross-country skiers, cyclists and hikers along the
Oak Ridges Moraine Trail.
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Secord Forest and Wildlife Area
The Secord Forest and
Wildlife Area
The Secord Forest and Wildlife area is comprised
of 93 hectares (230 acres) of ecologically sensitive
land. There are four residences on the property, three
of which are currently occupied. The property also
includes a barn, a pet cemetery, three ponds, and
a mixture of wooded areas, wetlands and open
fields. Site services include a well and septic system.
The largest pond is a dominant feature on the
property and is maintained by the dam on the
West Duffins Creek at the pond outlet.
There are numerous informal trails on the property
and, at present, the Oak Ridges Trail runs through
the property linking Concessions 3 and 4 in the
Town of Uxbridge.
4
Since assumption of the land by the Authority,
the Secord Forest and Wildlife Area has been open
for public access on a limited basis. This access has
been primarily restricted to hiking on the property.
Recreational fishing is currently not permitted
on the property and, as per Authority regulations,
hunting is prohibited.
Cross-Country Skiing
Clubine Agreement Forest
The Clubine property is an Agreement Forest
owned and managed by The Toronto and Region
Conservation Authority and is currently being
used by cross-country skiers, cyclists and hikers
along the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail. Forest
management operations have been conducted by
the Ministry of Natural Resources in the past
and will continue as necessary.
Figure 1:
Duffins Creek Headwaters Management Plan Properties
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Walker Woods
The Walker property consists of two parcels of
lands located on part lots 12-14, Concession 5
and part lots 6-10, Concession 6 in the Township
of Uxbridge. Mr. Walker operated his properties
as production forests, until the 1991 sale. Walker
Woods is currently part of the TRCA Management
Forest. Forest Management Practices are conducted
on the property by TRCA staff on a periodic basis
to ensure a sustainable and healthy forest. This
site contains three residences and the remainder
of the property has been used for research by the
University of Toronto and the University of
Guelph, commercial filming, equestrian riding,
and cross-country skiing.
Timbers Brothers Gravel Pit
The Timbers Brothers site was operated as a
farm until the early 1960s when it was purchased
for aggregate extraction. In 1998, the TRCA
purchased the property which currently includes
an abandoned sand and gravel pit. This site also
includes a diversity of meadow, hedgerow, forest
and wetland communities. The Authority has
designated a small portion of the rear of the property
as the Uxbridge Forest Kames Environmentally
Significant Area (ESA #111), and the Province
has designated a larger part of the rear of the
property as a Provincially Significant Area of
Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI). Located
on the Oak Ridges Moraine, the deposition of
tills, sands and gravel outwash work as a major
groundwater recharge zone and principal source
area for the Duffins Creek. TRCA has been working
to restore the former pit portion of the site and it
is anticipated that the major regeneration phase
of the work will be completed in 2002. TRCA
plans to continue tree and shrub planting on the
site until 2006.
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Timbers Brothers Gravel Pit
Glen Major Resource
Management Tract
The Glen Major Resource Management Tract is
currently used by equestrian riders, hikers, cyclists
and bird watchers. A local conservation group, the
Uxbridge Naturalists, have created a trail known
locally as the Blue Bird trail on the property.
The property contains a trail linkage to the Dagmar
and Lakeridge ski resorts. In addition, Glen Major
is a major wintering area for white-tailed deer.
Forest Management Operations are conducted
on the property by TRCA staff on a periodic
basis to ensure a sustainable and healthy forest.
One residence is located within the Glen Major
Resource Management Tract. The former Osler
Property contains a residence that is occupied
through a life tenancy.
There are three farmland rental agreements
within in the Glen Major Resource Management
Tract which can be renewed annually.
Dagmar Ski Resort has also entered into an annual
licence agreement with the TRCA. Dagmar Ski
Resort operates an alpine ski facility adjacent to
TRCA lands in the Glen Major Area. Since 1975,
the TRCA has allowed Dagmar Ski Resort to use
a portion of the Glen Major Resource Management
Tract lands as cross-country ski trails in winter
and mountain bike trails in summer to supplement
their ski operation.
Claremont Field Centre
Claremont Field Centre
The Claremont site includes a variety of habitats
- fields and ponds, a maple/beech woodlot, cedar
lowland and plantation forest. Forest Management
Practices are conducted on the property by TRCA
staff on a periodic basis to ensure a sustainable
and healthy forest. Much of the property was
formerly farmland which was replanted in 1962
with a combination of wildlife shrub rows and food
plots to enhance habitat and attract birds and
wildlife. The area continues to provide opportunities
for lasting conservation education experiences.
The Claremont Field Centre is a cedar log
structure that opened in 1970. Almost 30 years
later, many of the area school boards send classes
to the centre. The building can accommodate up
to 60 students and six leaders for a three- to fiveday stay. The Durham District School Board
sends grade six classes to the field centre which
makes up approximately 65 per cent of the
school year participants. Other users include the
Toronto District School Board, the Toronto
Catholic District School Board, other private
school groups, community-based groups such as
Guides and Brownies, church groups and service
clubs. The program at Claremont focuses on
outdoor and conservation education. Some of the
first students who attended programs at this
facility now work at the TRCA, which illustrates
that one of the many benefits of exposing
children to outdoor education programs is an
encouragement to pursue careers related to
environmental protection.
In the fall of 1999, the Licence Agreement with
the Durham District School Board for the
operation of the Duffins Creek Environmental
Education Centre (formerly named the Claremont
Environmental Education Centre) was renewed
for another five years.
There is one residence located on the property at
the corner of Westney Road and Highway 7,
which is rented on an annual basis. There is also
one farmland agreement (former Pegg Estate) for
12 hectares of crops.
7
Greenwood Conservation
Area
Greenwood Conservation Area, located just south
of the Claremont property, was purchased and
operated by the TRCA from 1958 until May 1,
1999. During this time, the area provided public
outdoor recreation opportunities, including
family and group picnics, fishing, youth group
camping, hiking and an annual fall festival. The
management responsibilities for the land in the
southern portion of the Greenwood Conservation
Area have been transferred to the Town of Ajax
who intends to use the area for recreation and
conservation purposes.
Municipal Lands
Local municipalities provide parks, recreation,
and cultural facilities and programs through the
mandates of their Departments of Parks and
Recreation and/or Culture. Each municipality
develops a parks and recreation master plans
which guides development for parks, open space,
recreation and culture. These documents also
provide inventory information and coordinate
recreation service delivery.
In 1970, the TRCA was designated as the
implementing agency for the Waterfront Plan for
all sectors in which it had jurisdiction, including
the Town of Ajax waterfront. The Authority, in
conjunction with the Town of Ajax and the
Region of Durham, prepared a Master Plan for
the lands from Duffins Creek to, and including,
Carruthers Creek. This plan provides for protection
of the marsh areas, development of trails, habitat
regeneration, parking and washroom facilities,
and an interpretive centre and marina.
Rotary Park
8
In May of 1995, the Town of Ajax released the
strategic Waterfront Management Plan that
identified long term goals, objectives and a vision
for the waterfront including Rotary Park. The
Greenwood Conservation Area
primary goal of this plan is to ensure that the
waterfront lands are appropriately used in ways
that reflect the values of the community, while
preserving and protecting the waterfront from
overuse or over-development. The Waterfront Plan
also provides specific direction for modifying the
Master Plan and its implementation through
subsequent multi-year projects.
During the winter of 2000-2001 a new pavillion
was constructed at Rotary Park. The new Rotary
Park Pavillion, replaced an existing wooden
structure with limited amenities. The pavillion
will anchor the many activities of Rotary Park,
the Ajax Waterfront Trail and the Trans Canada
Trail. This multi use facility supports the
Recreation Services Music in the Park concerts,
Creative Kids summer camp and a variety of
special events. The multi use room is available
for lectures, meetings and exhibits. The
concession stand and washrooms will welcome
park users who need a break and refreshments.
According to the architect from the firm who
designed the facility, The building takes its
inspiration from the local built heritage. As as marker
of place, it echoes church spires, grain elevators
and teepees. The witchs hat roof draws on our
railway history. Its interior webbed roof structure
invokes images of barns. As a place of refuge from
the elements, its large overhangs provide shelter
and shade, and reaches out to the passer-by. The
wide expanse of glass on the south wall takes in
the panoramic view of Lake Ontario.
Rotary Park Pavillion is open to the public every
weekend from 12 noon until 8 p.m. throughout
the summer until Thanksgiving.
Other Lands that
Provide Outdoor
Recreation
In addition to lands traditionally considered as
public greenspace, public golf courses, schools,
utility corridors and other lands may be used by
the public for passive recreational activities.
Private Parks
Pleasure Valley, located just south of the Walker
Woods property, is a private outdoor recreation
park which provides a variety of facilities
including rollerblading, roller skating, miniature
golf, frisbee golf, water slide and childrens water
slide, giant childrens playground, horse drawn
hayrides, climbing wall and horseback riding.
Golf Courses
There are 12 golf courses in the Duffins Creek
watershed. Table 1 provides a summary of the names
and the municipalities in which they are located.
Enjoy Hitting the Golf Ball
Table 1: Golf Courses Located
in the Duffins Creek Watershed
Golf Course Name
Annadale
Bushwood
Cherry Downs
Four Seasons
Glen Cedars
Granite Club
Hawthorne Valley
Riverside
Seaton
Sleepy Hollow
Spring Creek
Whitevale
Municipality
Ajax
Markham
Pickering
Pickering
Pickering
Stouffville
Pickering
Pickering
Pickering
Stouffville
Pickering
Pickering
9
Fly Fishing in the Duffins Creek
Skiing
The majority of the skiing that takes place in the
Duffins Creek watershed occurs on crosscountry trails rather than downhill runs. Crosscountry skiers tend to use the informal trail
networks in the Walker Woods, the Glen Major
Resource Management Tract and the Seaton Trail.
Dagmar Ski Resort maintains 25 kilometres of
formal cross-country trails on a portion of Glen
Major lands within the Duffins. Mountain
biking is welcomed on these trails during the
remainder of the year.
10
The rugged topography of the Oak Ridges
Moraine provides sufficient terrain for downhill
runs, although these are primarily located on the
north slope of the moraine which drains into
Lake Simcoe and Lake Scugog. Dagmar Ski Resort
offers alpine and night skiing plus snowboarding
adjacent to the Glen Major lands, providing a
popular local attraction for watershed residents.
Recreational
Fishing
Recreational fisheries are intrinsic to what
Canada offers its citizens and visitors. Protecting
these fisheries and their habitat, promoting
responsible use of the resource, and maintaining
and developing angling opportunities makes sense
for us and for future generations. This statement
provides a starting point for governments and
private sector to work together to conserve and
develop these fisheries.
From: Recreational Fisheries Conference,
1986, Federal Fisheries and Oceans as
cited in the Durham Region Sports
Fishing Study, 1989.
In 1999, Environment Canada released The
Importance of Nature to Canadians: Survey
Highlights. This summary of a 1996 survey of
87,000 people tells us that in 1996 an estimated
4.2 million Canadians fished for recreation in
Canada. In comparison with the population in general,
recreational fishing was more popular among men
than women. Fishing was also more popular among
rural Canadians than among urban Canadians.
Participation was more concentrated among those
younger than 45 years of age than among the
older age groups. The survey also revealed that
Ontario residents spent an estimated $4,283 million
on various nature related activities in Ontario
including wildlife viewing and recreational fishing.
Recreational fishing can be defined as catching or
attempting to catch fish for non-commercial
purposes. The Duffins Creek is well known as a
recreational fishing spot and it is recognized for
its excellent aquatic habitat. It has the strongest
run of migratory rainbow trout (up to Whitevale),
and the midsection, north of Whitevale, is
abundant with brown trout. The headwater areas
contain brook trout while the mouth and marsh
areas of the watercourse are popular for pike fishing.
There has also been a report of a run of walleye
south of Highway 401, however, it has not been
officially documented. A variety of lake fish can
be found in the creek at different times of the
year including white and yellow perch, bass and
carp. Refer to the Aquatic Habitat and Species
chapter for a complete summary of fish species
found in the Duffins Creek.
There are two private fishing clubs in the headwaters
of Duffins Creek in addition to public lands
along the watercourse that provide moderate to
good fishing opportunities. All recreational anglers,
whether fishing from public or private lands and
waters, are required to obtain a fishing licence,
and have regard for open seasons.
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) publishes
a summary of the regulations that govern fishing in
Ontario called the Ontario Sport Fishing Regulations.
It can be obtained free of charge at any office of the
MNR. Vital information regarding size, catch and
possession limits, licences, fish sanctuaries and open
seasons are found in this booklet. For consumption
purposes refer to the Ministry of the Environments
Guide to Eating Freshwater Fish.
Educational
Institutions
There are a number of elementary and secondary
schools within the watershed which contribute to
public uses through their outdoor sports facilities
and fields, playgrounds, open spaces and
linkages to other greenspace areas. Often schools
are clustered with other public facilities and are
located adjacent to valley and stream corridors.
The Claremont Field Centre (residential) and the
Duffins Creek Environmental Education Centre
(day use) are the only outdoor education centres
located within the watershed. These field centres
offer programming and facilities for students and
community organizations.
Trails
There are a number of existing and proposed trail
systems that connect the natural, cultural, heritage,
recreational and educational features in the study
area with one another and with other destinations
outside of the watershed (Figure 2). The following
trails are located within the Duffins Creek
watershed and are described in more detail below:
Waterfront Trail
Inter-Regional Trail (proposed)
Trans Canada Trail (proposed)
Oak Ridges Moraine Trail
Great Pine Ridge Equestrian Trail
Seaton Hiking Trail
Millers Creek Trail
Waterfront Trail
The Waterfront Trail follows the shoreline of Lake
Ontario from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Trenton,
with plans to extend to Kingston. It passes through
the shallow broad valleys of the Duffins Creek
waterfront in the City of Pickering and the Town
of Ajax (Waterfront Regeneration Trust, 1995).
11
are not on the main TCT route (e.g., Owen Sound,
Stratford, Kingston and Timmins).
The Ontario portion of the TCT will be more
than 3,500 kilometres long, which represents about
25 per cent of the national total. The Ontario
section of the TCT will result from linking up to
200 different segments of community shared-use
trails. The TRCA is coordinating a north-south
link into the Greater Toronto Area from Uxbridge
via the east Duffins Creek to Ajax, Pickering and
the Toronto Waterfront. The north-south connection
may involve trail links through some of the
TRCA properties such as Greenwood, Walker
Woods, Glen Major and Claremont (information
obtained from the Trans Canada Trail, Trail
Builder Update - Ontario, May 1, 1999).
Oak Ridges Moraine Trail
Hiking
Inter-Regional Trail
The TRCA approved the concept of the Greater
Toronto Inter-Regional Trail System in 1992. The
inter-regional trail system relies on trail links through
many of the TRCA properties in the headwaters
of the Duffins Creek including Goodwood, Secord,
Clubine, Walker Woods and Glen Major.
Trans Canada Trail
12
Planning, registration and development for the
Ontario portion of the Trans Canada Trail (TCT)
has been initiated. The Ontario Trails Council
(OTC), under its partnership with the Trans
Canada Trail Foundation, is acting as the lead
representative for coordinating the development
of the TCT route across Ontario. There is growing
support for the OTCs concept of a Trillium
Trail network of community-based, shared-use
trails that would provide the main trunk of the
TCT and provide connecting links to areas that
The first attempt to provide a trail along the
Oak Ridges Moraine was undertaken in 1973
when the Great Pine Ridge Equestrian Trail was
established by the Ontario Trail Riders
Association (OTRA). The concept of a system of
public recreational trails along the full length of
the moraine, from Albion Hills in the west to the
Northumberland Forest in the east (approximately
160 kilometres), was developed by a group of
volunteers in October 1991 with the cooperation
of Save the Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM), the
TRCA and Hike Ontario.
The ORTA was officially inaugurated in May of
1992 at a public meeting at Albion Hills. The
ORTA is an incorporated body with charitable
status governed by a Board of Directors elected
at an annual general meeting. The main objective
of the association is to develop and secure the
Oak Ridges Trail in a manner that promotes
appreciation and respect for the moraines ecological,
cultural and scenic integrity, while also conserving
the natural features and processes on the moraine.
Most of the trail development is undertaken by
ORTA members, although other groups (e.g.,
local environmental groups, conservation authorities,
conservation volunteers) do have the opportunity
Figure 2:
Existing and Proposed Trails in the Duffins Creek Watershed
13
to help establish the trail. The Oak Ridges Trail
passes through a number of properties including
Goodwood, Secord, Clubine and Walker Woods.
Great Pine Ridge Equestrian
Trail
The 320 kilometre (200 mile) Great Pine Ridge
Equestrian Trail was established by the Ontario
Trail Riders Association (OTRA) in 1973. The
OTRA is a non-profit organization that was
founded in 1970. OTRAs mission is to identify,
develop, and preserve multi-use trails (such as
biking, walking, bird watching, equestrian
riding) throughout Ontario.
The Great Pine Ridge Equestrian Trail begins at
the Trent River in the east and ends at the
Niagara Escarpment on the west, with a portion
of the trail running over the Oak Ridges Moraine.
The trail incorporates both existing local trails and
road sections. This trail runs adjacent to Walker
Woods and above Glen Major and, as such, provides
links to the Inter-Regional, Trans Canada and
Oak Ridge Moraine Trails (Ontario Trail Riders
Association, Inc., The Best Way to Discover Ontario is
the Ride Way. Pamphlet, Etobicoke).
Seaton Hiking Trail
14
The Seaton Hiking Trail is located along the
West Duffins Creek valley in the North Pickering
Planning area. The 9.7 kilometre trail follows
the valley and is used for hiking and crosscountry skiing. Access points include Highway
7, Green River, Whitevale Road, Whites Road,
Forest Stream, Clarkes Hollow and Rossland
Road. Additional lands along this trail within the
West Duffins Environmentally Sensitive Area
will pass into public ownership care of the TRCA
in the future. TRCA and City of Pickering staff
have had initial meetings regarding these lands
and, ultimately, a Management Plan will be
developed, in partnership with hiking groups to
determine the best practices for ensuring both
the health of these environmentally sensitive lands
and the enjoyment potential for local residents.
Millers Creek Trail
Of the three valley systems, Millers Creek, with
its wide-open profile, is best suited to a continuous
paved trail system that can accommodate both
cycling and walking. Through the existing
communities south of Rossland Rd., the valley is
maintained as open parkland, and several sectors
of paved trails have already been developed. The
trail system is planned to extend northward as
growth occurs, with a link to Greenwood
Conservation Area. Although North Ajax will be
well served by the completion of this trail
system, to create a continuous off-road system
linking the Millers Trail to the South Duffins
Trail would require an underpass under the 401.
The existing culvert has sufficient headroom to
put a raised walkway through. However, public
safety with respect to lighting and entrapment
would need to be addressed. The alternative
connection is on-road, either westerly along local
streets to the Church Street unerpass, or easterly
to Westney Road (Vision 2020 A Bicycle and
Leisure Trail System Plan for the Town of Ajax,
Final Report, 2001).
Summary
The amount of land within the Duffins Creek watershed that is
currently in public ownership exceeds 132 km2. Approximately,
fifty per cent of the entire watershed is in the care of The Toronto
and Region Conservation Authority, the Federal and Provincial
governments, and the Regional and Local Municipalities.
Publicly-owned lands may appear fragmented, but they have been
intentionally acquired to protect Environmentally Significant Areas,
Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest, or are properties with
strategic ecological watershed attributes or public use functions.
Linkages between these areas will only improve the health of the
environment and wildlife, as well as provide much needed
recreational opportunities for residents. All TRCA public lands are
being, or will be, managed under the direction of Conservation Area
Management Plans.
The development of management plans is underway by TRCA, in
partnership with local municipalities and residents, for the Duffins
Creek Headwaters, Duffins Marsh and Greenwood Conservation
Area. Future initiatives that may help to link these areas include
proposed extensions to the Trans Canada Trail, the Oak Ridges
Moraine Trail, the Waterfront Trail, and trail planning by the local
municipalities.
Due to the rural nature of the northern two-thirds of this
watershed, perhaps the most enjoyable recreational activities
involve cycling or driving to the rolling hills and scenic vistas on the
Oak Ridges Moraine. Hamlets and villages scattered throughout
the watershed contain beautiful historic buildings and cemeteries,
reminding us of an earlier time. Self-guided walking tours of historic
downtown Stouffville or the Whitevale Heritage Conservation
District, for instance, are enjoyable as well as educational. Within
these areas, trails and fishing spots provide focal points for outdoor
recreation. In other areas of the watershed, recreational facilities,
golf courses and ski resorts allow for more active recreational
pursuits. There are many opportunities for discovery and outdoor
recreation within the varied and special Duffins Creek watershed.
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References
Environment Canada, 1999. The Importance of Nature to Canadians: Survey
Highlights.
Regional Municipality of Durham, 1989. Durham Region Sports Fishing Study.
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, 1992. Trail Planning and Design
Guidelines. Downsview, Ontario.
Waterfront Regeneration Trust, 1995. Lake Ontario Greenway Strategy: Next
Steps. Toronto: Hambly and Woolley, Inc.
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