RAVINE DRAFT PRINCIPLES AND ACTIONS

Transcription

1 T O R O N T O RAVINE S T R A T E G Y DRAFT PRINCIPLES AND ACTIONS

2 VISION A ravine system that is a natural, connected sanctuary essential for the health of the city, where use and enjoyment support protection, education and stewardship. Since early 2015, Parks, Forestry & Recreation, City Planning and Toronto Water have been working with other City divisions and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and consulting with the public and a wide range of stakeholders to develop a Toronto Ravine Strategy. The final strategy will act as framework to guide policy, investment and stewardship related to ravines. This document represents the work to date and includes proposed guiding principles and actions that aim to balance the fine line between protection and use in our ravines. We have published this document as an invitation for further input as we begin to finalize the strategy. For more information on the strategy and details on how to provide additional feedback, visit toronto.ca/ravinestrategy. June

3 NO OTHER CITY IN THE WORLD HAS A RAVINE SYSTEM LIKE TORONTO S. Toronto was built around its ravines. They give the city a unique identity and have defined how it has grown. While many of the ravines have been reshaped over the years to accommodate important infrastructure, the devastation of Hurricane Hazel in 1954 highlighted the importance of the river and ravine systems and the need to conserve them. This acted as a catalyst for major public investment and has left a legacy for all Torontonians to enjoy. Toronto s ravine system is the heart and soul of a remarkable natural environment system that spills out of the river valleys into the city s parks, neighbourhoods and urban landscape. The largest ravines connect the Oak Ridges Moraine north of Toronto to Lake Ontario, carrying water, wildlife and people through Ontario s most densely urbanized area. They also connect us with the Toronto s rich history and Aboriginal heritage. Cutting across the whole city, Toronto s ravines intersect with a diverse array of cultures and communities. Rich in natural character and biodiversity, they provide many ecological benefits and are for many a cherished escape from the fast pace of urban life. 2 Largely undiscovered and underappreciated, ravines are the physical soul of the city and define our landscape. It is unique for a city the size of Toronto to have this much green space. We need a deeper connection to our ravines and this strategy starts that process. MAYOR JOHN TORY

4 TORONTO S RAVINES: The heart and soul of the city s natural environment system The Numbers 17% of Toronto s total land area is protected under the Ravine and Natural Feature Protection By-law 60% 40% of ravines are public land are private land 30,000 private addresses 87% of Toronto's Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) are found in ravines 4 5

5 Toronto s ravines are critical to our identity and wellbeing. We need to take the necessary steps to ensure that these spaces can be enjoyed and continue to function and flourish for the next 100 years and beyond. JENNIFER KEESMAAT Chief Planner and Executive Director City Planning RAVINES ARE UNDER PRESSURE. Toronto is growing. The downtown population is expected to double over the next 25 years and the city s overall population is expected to grow to 3.4 million by The population increase and renewed interest in health and connecting to nature will put additional demands on ravine lands for recreation. Anticipated impacts of climate change, such as flooding and erosion, will also put ravines under stress. The contribution of the ravine system to the liveability of Toronto in terms of the health and wellbeing of its residents and resiliency from future weather events cannot be underestimated. A healthy and robust ravine system is crucial to the future of Toronto. 6 7

6 RAVINES ARE CRUCIAL TO THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CITY. Ravines are home to vital infrastructure such as trails, bridges, roads, hydro lines, water and sewer pipes, railways and oil and gas pipelines. They also play an important role in flood control with stormwater management facilities and rivers and creeks that absorb and move much of the rain that falls on Toronto and the cities north of it. As the pressures on ravines increase, so will the need for the maintenance and enhancement of this critical infrastructure and the system as a whole. Significant ongoing investment is needed to ensure that ravines continue to provide the ecological benefits, recreation opportunities and infrastructure the city depends on. Ongoing investment in Toronto s ravines and the infrastructure that runs below and within them is critical to the future of this system. LOU DI GIRONIMO General Manager, Toronto Water 9

7 Ravines are among the city s greatest assets and are essential to individual and community health. It s important that we provide people with sustainable ways to enjoy and celebrate these extraordinary spaces. JANIE ROMOFF General Manager Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation THE TIME TO PLAN FOR THE FUTURE OF TORONTO S RAVINES IS NOW. Ravines provide a vast array of recreational opportunities such as hiking, cycling, bird watching, soccer, and picnicking as well as important ecological services. They are also a fragile resource. While aspects of the ravine system are addressed in a number of different City plans/strategies, regulations and by-laws, the City does not have a comprehensive strategy that brings all of these together and focuses specifically on ravines. As we are all guardians of Toronto s ravines, the City has been working with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), the public and a wide range of stakeholders to develop a strategy to help navigate the fine line between protection and use and identify the actions and investments needed to ensure Toronto s ravines remain resilient and are celebrated and enjoyed for years to come

8 DRAFT GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND ACTIONS The following principles have been developed to represent the core ideas and values that will guide the City in future decisionmaking related to ravines. Each align with actions designed to address the challenges and opportunities in the ravine system and act as catalysts to move the strategic vision forward. PROTECT Ravines are fundamentally natural spaces. Ecological function and resilience is the foundation for long-term sustainability of the ravines and watersheds. We are all guardians of these spaces and must treat them with care and respect. All actions related to ravines should be guided by the overarching goal of protecting these spaces by maintaining and improving their ecological health. INVEST Managing the multiple pressures on ravines from population growth and increased recreational use to climate change, weather events and invasive species requires consistent and significant ongoing investment. In addition to looking for efficiencies in the way we manage ravines and opportunities to expand the system, we must make ongoing investment in these spaces a priority. CONNECT Toronto s ravines provide great opportunities for people to connect with nature and the city s rich history. We must ensure that people understand and appreciate the value of our ravine system and have physical opportunities to connect with these spaces in a safe and sustainable manner. PARTNER Many individuals and organizations are interested in becoming more involved in the care and enhancement of Toronto s ravines. The City must work in partnership with the community, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), neighbouring municipalities, other levels of government, property owners, utility providers and other stakeholders to create more opportunities for individuals and organizations to contribute to these spaces in meaningful and sustainable ways. CELEBRATE No other city in the world has a ravine system like Toronto's. Our ravines are a signature feature of Toronto and a vital city asset. They act as place-makers, distinguish neighbourhood boundaries and character and help to define Toronto s identity on the world stage. We must celebrate these spaces and encourage recognition of and respect for this magnificent system throughout Toronto and the rest of the world

9 PROTECT Ravines are fundamentally natural spaces. Ecological function and resilience is the foundation for long-term sustainability of the ravines and watersheds. We are all guardians of these spaces and must treat them with care and respect. All actions related to ravines should be guided by the overarching goal of protecting these spaces by maintaining and improving their ecological health. The number one priority must always be to protect remaining natural habitats in ravines and restore and enhance other ravine areas. BRIAN DENNEY Chief Executive Officer Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Action 1: Develop and implement management plans for Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs). Action 2: Develop best practices for capital projects and ongoing maintenance of infrastructure and natural ecosystems, to ensure high quality planning, design and maintenance in our ravines. Action 3: Develop a set of criteria for staff to assess requests for appropriate activities, events and temporary installations in ravines. Action 4: In partnership with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and other key stakeholders, undertake an assessment of potential climate change impacts on the ravine system, including impacts on the natural systems and existing and proposed infrastructure. Action 5: Expand the network of partnerships with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and academic and educational institutions to identify research needs and develop baseline inventories of ravine health, recreational use, and public engagement activities. Action 6: Improve collaboration and coordination among the different City divisions and external partners involved in ravines through the Interdivisional Steering Committee on Ravines

10 How Ravines are Protected Crothers Woods Success Story Toronto s network of ravines forms the core of the city's natural heritage system and contains most of the Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) and six Provincially Significant Wetlands designated in the Official Plan. Official Plan policies and land use designations generally prohibit development within ravines and identify areas that are appropriate for active recreational use and areas that must be maintained in a natural state. Any development proposed in or near a ravine is required to be set back from the top of the ravine bank. The Ravine and Natural Feature Protection By-law protects both the forest and the ravine landform by prohibiting the injury or destruction of trees and filling, grading, or dumping of fill, soil or other materials in areas covered by the by-law unless a permit has been issued by the City. Most of the ravine system is also protected by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) Regulation 166/06 which regulates filling, changing grade, or building anything within the protected area which includes valley and stream corridors, wetlands and the Lake Ontario shoreline. The Parks Plan ( ), Strategic Forest Management Plan ( ) and Recreation Service Plan ( ) guide the development, management and operation of ravine areas in public parkland. The Natural Environment Trail Strategy provides guidance to staff on how to encourage the safe and sustainable use and discovery of parks and ravines by residents and visitors. 16 Crothers Woods is a 52-hectare woodland located in the Don River Valley. In 2002, the City began working with local trail users to address the environmental impacts of trails on the forest. In 2007, the award-winning Crothers Woods Trail Management Strategy was developed to guide trail management and restoration activities in the area. From , the City worked with a wide range of stakeholders including the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), contractors specialized in sustainable trail construction and community stewards to implement the strategy. The planning, construction and restoration took time and utilized specialized techniques and equipment. The result is safe, well-built trails that have allowed both recreational activity and protection of the natural environment. An important learning was that negative impacts from recreational use in natural areas are often the result of poorly planned and built trails, rather than the use itself. 17

11 INVEST Highland Creek Success Story Managing the multiple pressures on ravines from population growth and increased recreational use to climate change, weather events and invasive species requires consistent and significant ongoing investment. In addition to looking for efficiencies in the way we manage ravines and opportunities to expand the system, we must make ongoing investment in these spaces a priority. Action 7: Leverage planned investment in infrastructure to make improvements in ravines and coordinate these activities through annualized capital coordination. Action 8: Work with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), as well as other agencies, municipalities and the province, to develop a valley lands acquisition strategy that identifies opportunities to bring additional lands within the ravine system into public ownership, with a focus on natural habitat and trail connections. Action 9: Develop a Ravine Plan that identifies areas of demand and vulnerabilities in the ravine system to help focus management efforts and prioritize areas where improved physical access and ecosystem protection will be required. Action 10: Identify key opportunities to develop hubs within or gateways or portals into the ravine system based on planned investments and the assessment of future demand and vulnerabilities. Since the urban development of the 1960 s 70 s, stormwater runoff within the Highland Creek Watershed has presented a number of challenges including creek bed erosion, increased risk to infrastructure, such as creek bank trails and underground pipes, and loss of fish species due to the degradation of habitat. As a result, Highland Creek was identified as a priority watershed in Toronto Water s Wet Weather Flow Master Plan. Focus on this area became even more critical when a major storm event in August of 2005 caused severe erosion of the creek channel that resulted in exposed sanitary sewers and a sewer break and discharge into the creek. Creek before restoration As part of the Wet Weather Flow Master Plan, Highland Creek was the first watershed to undergo a geomorphic systems study to address stream erosion, restore the ecological integrity of the watershed and protect vulnerable infrastructure. The Geomorphic Master Plan completed in early 2011 identified various restoration projects in the Highland Creek watershed to be carried out over the next two decades. Creek after restoration Between December 2011 and June 2015, the City of Toronto invested over $10 million to restore a valley segment east of Highland Creek from west of Markham Road to where the East Highland and Malvern Creeks meet. Riffle pool structures were built to protect underground infrastructure and improve aquatic habitat, and the channel was realigned away from the glacial valley wall to protect valued wooded areas and property from erosion and provide areas for new wetlands and flood relief

12 CONNECT Toronto s ravines provide great opportunities for people to connect with nature and the city s rich history. We must ensure that people understand and appreciate the value of our ravine system and have physical opportunities to connect with these spaces in a safe and sustainable manner. Toronto Parks & Trails Wayfinding Strategy The Toronto Parks & Trails Wayfinding Strategy, currently under development, will produce a consistent, accessible and predictable signage and information system for all of Toronto s parks, including ravine areas. It is an opportunity to reduce visual clutter and encourage the use and discovery of parks and ravines. The new wayfinding will be piloted in the Lower Don later this year. Action 11: Evaluate the Toronto Parks & Trails Wayfinding Strategy pilot in the Lower Don Valley and provide recommendations on how to implement wayfinding throughout Toronto s ravine system. Action 12: Review existing trails and access points in ravines and develop an implementation plan to address gaps in our system and connections to adjacent municipalities. Action 13: Develop opportunities to honour and share stories of special and historic spaces within our ravines in collaboration with Aboriginal communities, City of Toronto Economic Development, Heritage Services and the City Manager s Office

13 22 PARTNER Many individuals and organizations are interested in becoming more involved in the care and enhancement of Toronto s ravines. The City must work in partnership with the community, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), neighbouring municipalities, other levels of government, property owners, utility providers and other stakeholders to create more opportunities for individuals and organizations to contribute to these spaces in meaningful and sustainable ways. Action 14: Explore partnership opportunities to expand the resources for the Community Stewardship Program to include additional sites. Action 15: Initiate a discussion with the Province, the TRCA and other municipalities to establish best practices for all urban river valleys that connect to Toronto s ravine system. Set up a one-day summit that brings these parties together to begin this discussion. Action 16: Establish a Ravine Advisory Group to provide advice on implementation and communication of the Ravine Strategy. Action 17: Establish a framework to support further opportunities to engage volunteer groups, such as Friends of groups, in ravine stewardship. These opportunities should be in line with the ongoing PFR Volunteer Strategy and guided by the assessment of demand and vulnerabilities in the Ravine Plan (Action 9). Action 18: Identify opportunities to partner with and leverage private philanthropic support to invest in specific ravine enhancement projects, such as improved access, hubs, and gateways, and natural feature enhancements. Don Valley Brick Works Park and Weston Family Quarry Garden Success Story PHOTO? From 1889 to 1989, the Don Valley Brick Works was the location of a thriving brick-making and distribution industry in Moore Park Ravine. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and the City of Toronto began restoration of the site in 1995 with the generous support of the W. Garfield Weston Foundation. Today, the former quarry, now known as the Weston Family Quarry Garden has been transformed into a flagship restoration site and natural environment park, providing crucial habitat for a variety of species. The park highlights the City s dedication to healthy ecosystems and strong partnerships. Working Together to Protect and Enhance Ravines There are many stakeholders with an interest in ravines. This graphic represents the City divisions, groups and organizations that work within or are involved in the enhancement, protection and/or celebration of Toronto s ravines. 23

14 CELEBRATE No other city in the world has a ravine system like Toronto's. Our ravines are a signature feature of Toronto and a vital city asset. They act as place-makers, distinguish neighbourhood boundaries and character and help to define Toronto s identity on the world stage. We must celebrate these spaces and encourage recognition of and respect for this magnificent system throughout Toronto and the rest of the world. Action 19: Develop a campaign and events such as Ravine Day to engage communities to celebrate the ravines and foster understanding and appreciation of the scope and value of Toronto s ravine system. Action 20: Communicate good stewardship practices for uses and activities in ravines to ensure that these do not adversely impact natural habitats and, where possible, restore and enhance natural areas. Develop outreach plans to particular population groups including park users, property owners adjacent to ravines, pet owners and underserved communities. Action 21: Develop a communications strategy to promote ravines as a natural asset and a key part of Toronto s identity in collaboration with Tourism Toronto and other key stakeholders. Evergreen Brick Works Success Story Evergreen Brick Works is a popular destination in the Lower Don that is housed, in part, in a converted brick-making factory. It is home to many social and cultural events such as weekend farmers markets, heritage tours, children s activities and public forums focused on sustainability. Evergreen is a nonprofit organization with a mandate to deliver on sustainable city-building activities. Paddle the Don Success Story Once a year, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) provides an opportunity for people to paddle the Don River from Ernest Thompson Seton Park to the mouth at the Keating Channel. The event focuses on enjoying nature, celebrating the Don River Watershed and providing an opportunity to reflect on all the benefits we derive from the natural environment and their integral role in the health and functioning of the city and surrounding region

15 TIMELINE HAVE YOUR SAY! Consultation on the work to date will take place over the summer with the final strategy scheduled to be completed in April of How can we better protect ravines? What type of investments could improve ravines? How can we better connect people with ravines? How should we celebrate ravines? What partnership opportunities should we explore? 26 For more information, visit toronto.ca/ravinestrategy. To have your say, contact:

16 Perhaps it will be the city that reawakens our understanding and appreciation of nature, in all its teeming, unpredictable complexity. JANE JACOBS The New York Times Magazine 28 PHOTO CREDITS Robert Burley: Front cover and pages 1, 6, 8, 10, 15, 16, 23 (bottom), 26, 27 & 28 Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA): page 3 and Paddle the Don Success Story photos on page 25 City of Toronto: pages 17, 19, 21 & 23 (top) Evergreen: Top photo for Evergreen Brick Works Success Story on page 25 Morgan Yew: Bottom photo for Evergreen Brick Works Success Story on page 25

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