Finally a resource on the area, from the Scarborough historical society.
There is more to delve into in this part of Scarborough, an entire lost community in fact, but that must be left for another time.
Today was about a creek and a bridge.
#lovetheravines #highlandcreek #ravineramble #TOhistory
1939 - red circle shows the location of Midland as it crosses the creek. This could very well be the same bridge as in the previous photo.
1954 - even almost 10 years post WW2 suburban and industrial expansion has not yet reached this part of midland ave. The Highland creek flows freely, but not for long.
1965 - the channelization of Highland Creek has begun, the creek east of Midland is now in concrete. The Midland Ave itself is now a proper two lane arterial road.
1985 - The current state of affairs is complete.. The creek east and west of Midland in encased in concrete, Midland Ave has been widened and the new bridge as seen before is in place. Furthermore the Scarborough RT has recently been complete and can be seen mirroring the creek on the south bank.
The aerial photos tell the story of industrialization and channelization.
From idle farm county at the corner of the community of Ellesmere to industrial post war suburban boom.
The roads got bigger and the creek got forgotten.
#lovetheravines #highlandcreek #ravineramble #TOhistory
An image of a boy fishing on the Highland Creek near Midland Ave in 1920-30s.
Highland Creek just east of Midland Ave in 2026 in a concrete channel.
Creek itself has changed much since then. It was wild once, flowing thru sparse farm lands of Scarborough until 1960s when all of ifs branches north of HwY401 were cast in concrete channels.
Below is an example of how its changed in 100 years
#lovetheravines #highlandcreek #ravineramble #TOhistory
Midland crossing Highland Creek in the 1920s on a small wooden bridge.
Current Midland bridge was built over the 1960s channalized creek in 1981. In the background the former Scarborough RT elevated station strutted the road.
Time for a short Pontist based #TOhistory moment.
Midland Ave has crossed West Highland Creek for over a hundred years. Today I was in the area and wanted to quick look at the historical progress.
The comparison is between 1920s and today, 2026.
#lovetheravines #highlandcreek #ravineramble
New bridge looking north.
New bridge looking south.
Last thing to see today was the new Prudential Dr. bridge over the Dorset branch, directly north of the new trail bridge.
This work closed down the road in 2023-24.
That's it for this short #RavineRamble.
Thanks for joining me.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
Former Highland creek channel still carrying water to the current creek.
The two parts of highland creek meet under the temporary construction bridge. Old channel on the left, new channel on the right.
The post 1965 West Highland Creek Channel, unnaturally straight.
Now back to the abandoned creek channel. Right at the foot of the temporary bridge it meets the current creek.
Water still flows steady out this channel, it's fed by ground water and is alive and well as its very own stream.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
The new trail bridge goes over the concrete ford.
Looking south under the new bridge.
Looking north at the temporary work bridge and the forks of the Highland Creek.
The new trail bridge is built directly over the hydro corridor concrete creek ford made for hydro crews to access the areas on the east side of the creek.
I wonder if eventually this new trail will go over the railway corridor.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
Meadoway trail construction directly south of the pond.
New trail bridge over the West Highland Creek, Dorset branch.
Following this abandoned section to its confluence with Highland creek something new appears. Trail construction & new bridge over the creek.
@rzaichkowski.bsky.social any idea when this happened? This is new from last fall.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
The spillway from the pond into the abandoned creek channel.
The former creek channel has become marshy. There is still lots of ground water here that is feeding and keeping this abandoned channel alive.
This is now a wetland in its own right.
On east side of pond there is a noticeable dip for an outflow into the abandoned channel and into Highland Creek.
The channel itself is still full of water, having become marshy with ground water.
Lot of ground water here.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
Pond looking east, train tracks directly behind.
Pond looking north toward the high rises on Prudential Drive.
Pond from near the outflow pipe looking south.
Arsandco Pond pond lies directly east of the woodlot & abandoned channel, in fact it feeds into it.
It was strange to see the pond still frozen this late into March. Built in early 2000s, it first appears in aerial phots in 2005.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
The stand of old growth woodlot still standing at the old banks of the river.
This is now a nature area.
The woodlot in question. Still standing, seen previously on aerial photos in the 1940s.
Now its just my luck that for some strange reason a snow storm blew in just as I arrived today
1st this that greets you is an old stand of trees that have survived the redevelopment & can be seen as far back as 1940s aerial phots
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
Incase anyone is not familiar with the area, please refer to the google map link below.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
Map of the highland creek watershed. Red circle is where the area in question is located.
1947 - aerial photos showing the abandoned channel of the creek in question yellow.
1965 - aerial photo showing the abandoned channel in yellow in relation to the rerouted creek directly east of it. Note in red a small unnamed creek that feeds into the creek in this area.
2024 - aerial view of the creek. In yellow the abandoned channel, now marshy and still containing water. In orange, Arsandco Pond, constructed in the early 2000s for storm water management.
Time for another #RavineRamble.
It is a short jaunt on a section of West Highland Creek, Dorset Branch to explore a short abandoned section of creek when it was rerouted during the 1960s.
Follow along, more details in Alt text.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoastKin
Only photo of Martin that appears anywhere I've looked.
A name on the map leads to a man in history.
Meet, Martin Harris Badgerow, the owner
Born 1808 in Bristol, New York. His family moved York County in 1810. He acquired property in 1843 & started woolen factory soon after. The ruins could date to 1843.
But there is so much more
#TOHistory #HighlandCreek
www.findagrave.com/memorial/666...
The pond appear on the same spot. Note Danforth Road in the bottom corner, this is the current allotment of Military trail. This is how we know we are in the right place.. And here we got a name and a function. Martin Badgerow and Wollen Factory/Mill.
The 1981 metro Toronto street map still shows the pond, but the pond has been gone for several years by this point.
A tale of 2 maps.
These maps are of the same area, 120 years apart.
1st map is 1860 county of York map - maps.library.utoronto.ca/hgis/countym...
2nd map is 1981 City street map. Pond is show, but the map is false, pond was drained for years
But 1st map tells a #TOhistory story of #HighlandCreek
First aerial photos of the area from 1939 show a more idyllic Scarborough, rural, unadulterated and natural. Mill pond and the farm road leading to it can be seen in the blue circle.
The 1954 aerials still show the pond in blue circle and the farm property, but the Highway is under construction which crossed Highland Creek.
Even in the mid 1960s after the highway is completed, the pond is there as well as the farm. No subdivisions appear in this area, this is still farm country.
By the late 1970's Centennial college had acquired the farm property, the highway has been widened and subdivisions fill the east bank of Highland Creek. The mill pond in the blue circle is drained and it never appears as a pond after this point.
This ruin has existed and predates the construction of HWY401 as well as the development of suburban Scarborough.
A pond appears on maps as early as 1860 on this site & same pond appears in the earliest aerial photo & into late 1960s.
This was a working farm for decades #TOhistory #HighlandCreek
Time for some #TOHistory Monday
9 months ago I posted about the ruin on Highland Creek. I've know of them for many years, but knew nothing about them
This lead me down a rabbit hole of Scarb history, stagecoach robberies, theft and politics. All tangentially tied to this one ruin on #HighlandCreek
The sun peeking thru the trees.
The Scarberian tundra aglow.
Another Tam O'Shanter.
With the inevitable spring melt upon us, its time to enjoy another Snowshoe sunset session thru Scarborough.
#LoveTheRavines #HighlandCreek #WinterTO #SnowshoeTO #Agincourt #Scarborough #sunset #EastCoastKin #RavineRambles
Sunset over Tam O'Shanter.
With the warm weather fast approaching, taking some time to enjoy the limited snowshoeing opportunities in Highland Creek watershed.
#LoveTheRavines #HighlandCreek #WinterTO #SnowshoeTO #Agincourt #Scarborough #sunset #EastCoastKin
Standing on top of a hill looking south at the eventual outflow into Highland Creek.
The opening of the ponds outflow at the Highland Creek.
Finally we reach the end of this short meander.
Standing on top of the slight hill thru witch the outflow pipe flows under into the Highland Creek.
Thanks for joining in on this short #RavineRamble
That's it for today.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
The dammed outflow of the pond
Outflow of the pond.
This pond drains out into the West Highland Creek. It is dammed at its southern end as can be seen in pics below.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
Looking south across the pond
Looking east across the pond.
Finally we reach the 2nd pond, the bigger of the two ponds.
It too is forzen over, but also like all Toronto ponds, it too has its danger signs clearly posted.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
Trees, some of them quiet old line the former banks.
The former creek is home to a new tree.
On its was south to the 2nd pond, the big one, the banks are lined by older trees.
Trees possibly leftover from when this meander was still a part of the creek.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
Reeds and ice give away the creeks former course
Even in deep snow the reeds guide the way
The reeds like the creek mark a sharp turn south
The creek bed flows eastward before marking a sharp turn south towards the current West Highland Creek alignment.
The entire area is populated with Cat Tail reeds. It is impressive that no invasive Phragmites has taken hold here.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
Two willows on either bank mark the confluence of two bodies of water
A small creek emerges from under the snow from the north of the meander
Two water channels meet.
As the meander bends eastward, Willow trees again mark water.
This time a confluence of the meander with another smaller creek.
The water here flows freely.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
Skirting the edge of the pond, a distinct outline of reeds can be seen growing around the creek.
The 1st pond is the smaller of the two. And like all ponds in the city its accompanied with a Danger sign.
As we trek further north, we approach the 1st of the two ponds that occupy the former creek bed.
From now on cat tail reeds mark the course of the creek, making it easier to follow.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
First signs of the former creek appear from below the deep snow.
Water carving its way thru a shallow depression below the snow.
Obvious signs of fresh flowing water.
About 10-15 feet east of the willow tree, first signs of the creek emerge.
Flowing ground water forming a channel under the snow. The water here is flowing steadily under all the white stuff.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
Looking north along the former path of the West Highland Creek. Nothing is to be seen of its old course.
A willow stands near fhe former banks of the creek.
Looking north from creek, little evidence of any meander can be seen.
But a distant willow tree give clues to ground water.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
Former golf course bridge over the rerouted creek channel. The bridge is now fenced off and off limits, its not seen use since the 1970s when the golf club was sold to the city and the south part of the property was sold off.
Time to get to the creek itself.
@metroscapes.ca & I have discussed the terrible naming convention around her.
I believe this is the West branch of West Highland Creek.
Starting north of the creek east of the abandoned bridge.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
I've previously mentioned a great write up on this area's history by @bobgeorgiouto.bsky.social
BTW If you're not following @bobgeorgiouto.bsky.social on here, you should really be following Bob on here.
#LoveTheRavines #RavineRambler #HighlandCreek #parksTO #EastCoatKin
