Beauty of Smalls Creek — Lakeshore East Trains

Instagram shots of the Beauty of the Ravines

Thanks @oala_on for bestowing this honour on our hardworking group. Thanks to Jane Welsh for the nomination and to Chris Veres, @bradfordgrams, @marymargaretbey, and @rimabernsm for the endorsement. Now the tough work is continuing as we work on the restoration piece of this process with @metrolinx , City of Toronto Forestry, @trca_hq and our partners!

A note from Celeste Shirley: Hi Friends of Sm Creek, Thanks for your March Newsletter and extremely concise covering of the events. Thank you also for your community input question: We want to hear from you! What is important to have as part of Small’s Creek Ravine? 1. The planting of native wild flowers. 2. An owl house I live on Copeland Ave, in The Yoga House which looks over Small's. Since 2011 - 2020 an Eastern Screech owl has lived in the 90 years old Norway Spruce tree sometimes for up to 4 months of the year. My home is a yoga studio, and after class, we would go out and say Hello to "Willow" who was in the lowest branch, 4 feet above our head. (Eric D. and his partner came and visited her in her branch one day when she brought her mate who was on another part of the tree.) Eastern Screech owls are quite "social" and you can get very close to them. (I used to bring my laptop out and sit under her branch during the day.) I have shared 3 photos. 2 of Willow--one wet, one dry! I also included two snails mating (6.5 hours of lovin'!) This is all from the ravine. I would love to be involved in planting flowers, or installing an owl house, when the day comes.

The planning to restore Small's Creek is underway! We have been invited by Metrolinx/GOExpansion to participate in the Small's Creek Pathway and Restoration Working Group and are excited to have a voice at the table. There are so many possibilities to explore in Metrolinx fulfilling their promise to leave this space better than they found it. Here is just one vision: 1. A boardwalk system that protects the wetland and reconnect the walking loop that has been lost. 2. A second wall, positioned below the concrete retaining wall being installed by Metrolinx that will not just fit more naturally in this space but which will create a raised planting bed to allow trees, rather than just shrubs and ground cover, to be planted and become established. 3. Substituting the planned chain link fence above the Metrolinx retaining wall with a living wall that would allow for all safety and electrification guidelines to be met while also re-establishing the tree canopy that has been lost. @metrolinx #torontoforestry @trca_hq @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @beynate @johntory

A slide show from the Friends of Small’s Creek to share with the community. It outlines our mission and our goals. Please let us know what you think! #communityengagement #urbanwetlands #urbanforest #climate #forest #advocacy @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @beynate @torontonaturestewards @torontofieldnaturalists @trca_hq @metrolinx @abhijeetmanaygpo @marymargaretbey @paulafletcher @petertabuns @savejimmie @friendsofthefoundry @dont_mess_with_the_don

In February 2022, Metrolinx cleared half of the forest in Small's Creek Ravine, destroying a stand of 100-year red old oaks. In the process, they’ve severed a community trail, and are operating heavy machinery on the creek’s banks. Metrolinx took a much-loved green space away from the community, and they plan to do more work in the ravine, including the construction of a 3-metre tall concrete wall to hold this slope that will be topped with a 1.8-metre high security fence. Metrolinx is a significant contributor to deforestation across the Toronto region. We expect more from a public agency operating in ecologically sensitive areas. Metrolinx promised the Small’s Creek community a seat at the table. We have yet to receive an invitation. Metrolinx, we're ready to collaborate. Are you? Videography (Drone) : Alli Neuhauser, Bombus Haus Videography (Ground): Christopher Terry Wildlife Photography: Matthew Canaran, Martin Fischer Featured Art: Iva Jericevic, Mitch Robertson Video editors: Matthew Canaran, Alli Neuhauser Music: Looking In My eyes, Ann Abel This film features Land in Treaty 13: Toronto Purchase and Williamson Treaties. the creek featured was never given to the Crown as a part of treaty negotiations. @lostriversto @to_ravines @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @mattcanaran @marymargaretbey @abhijeetmanaygpo @metrolinx @christopherterry541 @bombus.haus @ambrrrrrr @equinoxholistic

@Metrolinx crushing urban forest, wildlife habitat, dens, foodsources… 4th rail could have been installed without this kind of destruction. Video shot today, March 25th 2022, by Mitch Robertson shows a local coyote walking along at track level, looking for a place to get down to the ravine ( where it would normally go) it keeps looking back at the excavator rumbling along down into the ravine. Once destruction starts in Williamson Ravine (imminent) the Coyotes that den and live in this ravine will become displaced. . . . . @bradfordgrams @lostriversto @rimabernsm @marymargaretbey @abhijeetmanaygpo @torontowildlifecentre @torontonaturestewards @to_ravines #urbanforest, #urbanwildlife #habitatdestruction

A few tickets are left for this Sunday's Lost Rivers Walk featuring Small's Creek. Visit the Lost Rivers website link in our story. @lostriversto . . . . @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @marymargaretbey @abhijeetmanaygpo . . . #urbanforest #wetlandrestoration #learnaboutyourcity

Excerpts from a @Mattrolinx interview with Gretel Green, Manager of Environmental programs and Assessment @Metrolinx about @smalls_creek_ravine. . . . . . @trca_hq @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @beynate @marymargaretbey @abhijeetmanaygpo @alisametcalfe @smallchangefund @equinoxholistic

Telling graphic showing what @metrolinx plan has wrought on the forest in a precious ravine. The red hatching shows what has been cut already the orange shows what will be cut. The green shows their original plan for reforestation...1/5th of the area. The math is flawed. #urbanforestry #treecanopy #climatecrisis #buildtransitbetter #communityengagement #restoration #reforestation @trca_hq @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @beynate @marymargaretbey @abhijeetmanaygpo @mattcanaran

Why is the soil being allowed to erode into the creek? What is @Metrolinx plan to mitigate this? Soil eroding into the creek negatively affects the water quality, the creatures that depend on the water to survive, the stability of the slope itself which can even affect the tracks, how was this not considered - before the trees were clear cut. Photo credit: Alisa Metcalfe @totrees @bradfordgrams @trca_hq @johntory @rimabernsm #urbanforestry #torontoravines #ESA

Waiting now to hear from @metrolinx about our "seat at the table" to develop a restoration plan with the City @bradfordgrams and @trca_hq .

Our response to Phil Verster's open letter. Each picture in this series has an excerpt from the letter. To read the whole letter click the link in our bio #seatathetable #buildtransitbetter @trca_hq @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @marymargaretbey @dont_mess_with_the_don @savejimmie @abhijeetmanaygpo

Work in the ravine has started. Taking down trees. @metrolinx , according to AMA there is going to be a "working group for a restoration plan". Well, where is it? @metrolinx @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @cbc @beachmetro @savejimmie @dailyhivetoronto @ctvtoronto @globalnews @thetorontostar

"What Small's Creek Means to me"Story shared by Oonagh Reeve First Image: 2001, 6 year old me in the ravine. Second Image: 2019, 23 year old me in the ravine. Photographs by Bruce Reeve. Small’s Creek Ravine, otherwise known to my family as “The Ravine”, has been an anchor for me throughout my life. It’s one of the places I’ve missed most since moving out of the neighbourhood two months ago. As a child, Easter egg hunts were held here. “Want to take a walk through the ravine?” meant let’s go explore nature and slow down a little bit. The sound of the creek, the squishy mud path after a rainy day, and the immense greenery that surrounds you are a few of the things I cherish most about the ravine. Let’s give back to the ravine all it has given to us. Let’s protect what was and still is a small, local sanctuary to children, teens and adults alike. #communityengagement #toravines #respecttorontoravines #sanctuary #Conservation #share nature @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @beynate @metrolinx @trca_hq @torontonaturestewards @explore_toronto

SNOW DAY!

A truly magical evening in the Ravine! Thanks to everyone who made it happen and to all of the folks who came for a walk to enjoy the lights, music and poetry! Don't forget to tag us when you post your pictures! #iartsmallscreek #respecttorontoravines

Looking forward to this walk on Sunday! Lights, music and community spirit supporting and appreciating this ravine! @rimabernsm @bradfordgrams @beynate @dont_mess_with_the_don @friendsofthefoundry @savejimmie @danforth.east.community @moncurpark @parkppl @friendsofglenstewartravine @torontoparksandplaces @monarchparkfriends @beachmetro @torontonaturestewards #respectorontoravines

Happy Holidays From the Friends of Small's Creek. Thanks for the support and action taken on the part of our partners @bradfordgrams @rimabernsm @beynate and our friends @marymargaretbey @dont_mess_with_the_don @savejimmie, Pape Area Concerned Citizens for Transit (PACCT), Lakeshore East CAC, @friendsofthefoundry, @savetpark, @monarchparkfriends @friendsofglenstewartravine @moncurpark @mikeschreinergpo @abhijeetmanaygpo @stevendelduca And thanks to everyone who has come out to our events and participated in rallies with our allies. #standtogether #communitymatters #communityengagement #respecttorontoravines Photo: Chris Lashbrook taken in summer 2021

Latest news from Small's Creek . . . . . #communityengagement #climatecrisis @rimabernsm @bradfordgrams @marymargaretbey @abhijeetmanaygpo @mikeschreinergpo @stevendelduca @metrolinx @trca_hq

We were delighted to welcome Liberal leader Steven Del Duca and Liberal BEY candidate MM McMahon to Small's Creek today (December 9, 2021) Thank you for listening and engaging in a meaningful way with this community. @stevendelduca @marymargaretbey . . . . #community engagement #consultation