With summer temperatures reaching peak levels, the Vale of Avoca ravine continues to provide a natural refuge for midtown residents trying to cope with the heat. This underlines the importance of longer-term actions to address erosion of the ravine’s slopes and creek channel, and the dilapidated state of the park’s trail network. Measures leading to … Read more
Stephen Smith, an arborist and owner of Urban Forest Associates (UFORA), has been contracted by the Midtown Ravines Group to inventory the Vale of Avoca’s tree and plant communities (both native and invasive) in advance of major restoration work in the ravine to stabilize the streambed and slopes and rebuild the trails, footbridges and access … Read more
The Midtown Ravines Group continues to engage with the community on the future of the Vale of Avoca. Thank you to everyone who has shared their views with us. In our last newsletter we provided a survey looking at why people visit the ravine and asking for comments on a draft community vision statement for … Read more
One of the most invasive plants currently plaguing southern Ontario is the Phragmites reed (Phragmites australis ssp. australis). It is seen in increasing large swathes alongside many highways. The stalks can be over 5m tall, swaying majestically in the wind. Despite its serene appearance, phragmites are very harmful to local ecosystems, spreading rapidly and forming … Read more
An event at Evergreen Brickworks on June 3rd ushered in the next phase for development of Toronto’s ambitious Loop Trail project. The gathering included Evergreen staff, City officials responsible for parks and ravines, community project sponsors, and an array of organizations and individuals (including MRG) engaged with different aspects of the project. Mayor Olivia Chow … Read more
Here’s some video footage of the Vale of Avoca’s Yellow Creek recorded on May 23, 2026. This elevated flow level was based on a fraction of the rainfall experienced in July 2024. Nature’s impressive display is leading to further erosion and decline of this midtown gem. The channel walls built in the 1800s eventually succumb … Read more
The development of an effective master plan for the Vale of Avoca depends on a vision broadly shared by the community and other stakeholders. We believe that a vision for the future of the ravine should be guided by two important sources. The first is the City’s Ravine Strategy, along with other relevant policy documents … Read more
The Midtown Ravines Group is pleased to announce that the City has given us permission to begin volunteer stewardship activities in the Vale of Avoca. City permission is needed because park and ravine by-laws generally prohibit the unauthorized removal of plants from these areas, even troublesome invasives. The Avoca stewardship project will be organized through … Read more
In late 2025 the City’s Urban Forestry Division issued an updated framework for the management of designated Environmentally Significant Areas, or ESAs. The ESA designation has been a feature of the City’s planning approach for decades. With the 2017 publication of Toronto’s Ravine Strategy, additional measures were introduced to safeguard these areas, which are closely … Read more
On April 18th and 19th, as many as 50 members of the community headed into the Vale of Avoca to gather any trash and litter that could be found. This event coincided with the city-wide Earth Day park clean-ups that enjoy wide support from ravine and park supporters across all neighbourhoods. The Vale of Avoca … Read more
