Parks & Ravines

A brief but heavy rainfall on August 10, 2026, produced more erosion and stream overflow in the Vale, underlining the importance of the work that is planned with the Vale of Avoca Improvement Project.

For anyone concerned about the Vale of Avoca, there’s no need to wait for the completion of the master plan, important though that is. Last month community volunteers got to work on ecological stewardship of the ravine through a joint project between the Midtown Ravines Group and Toronto Nature Stewards. 

With summer temperatures reaching peak levels, our local Vale of Avoca ravine continues to provide a natural refuge for Deer Park residents doing their best in the heat. Measures leading to rehabilitation of the ravine will soon be entering a more active phase. The City of Toronto has recently awarded a contract for the development of a master plan for the ravine to engineering, architectural and environmental consultancy GHD.

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, and there are at least two colonies in the Vale of Avoca.

A potential bright spot. In September 2025, the City launched a two-stage international design competition for the new Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre. This marked the first City of Toronto design competition held for a community recreation centre since 1987. Stage 1 asked applicants for a RFSQ (Request for Supplier Qualifications). Based on their qualifications, the City invited the top five teams to advance to Stage 2 which will involve an RFP (Request For Proposal). ,/p>

St. Clair Staircase: The Toronto Region Conservation Authority Request for Proposals to procure a geotechnical consultant to conduct slope stability assessments and conceptual design of the staircase has been drafted and will be released for bidding shortly.

As we worry about some of the issues facing the neighbourhood, it’s great to learn that the new park at 15 Delisle is progressing well.

Anticipated Project Timeline

• Winter 2026: Issue tender documents and retain a contractor
• Spring 2026: Construction Starts on the Park
• Fall 2026: Construction is completed, and the park opens to the public

A project to restore the long-closed access to the ravine at St. Clair and Avoca is being initiated! A big hooray to that. Phase 1 will be a geotechnical investigation informing the feasibility and positioning of the staircase and Phase 2 will be a design-build contract to expedite implementation.

If you want to find out what’s going on with our local ravines, head on over to the two new sites launched by the Midtown Ravines Group, a confederation of ten residents’ associations seeking to revitalize the ravines in Toronto’s midtown core.

Digital Waters is a Toronto-based non-profit developing affordable, made-in-Canada water monitoring technology to better understand and protect our local waterways. We were inspired by Toronto’s ravines. They are amazing veins of nature that stretch across town, always lush and green in the summers and the perfect way to take a break from life. But nothing lives in the waters that carve out Toronto’s ravines.