Leslie Street Spit

DSC · Jul 26, 2020

The contractor is Somerville, they also did Berczy and have a very good reputaton.

DSC · Jul 30, 2020

A photo today of the Ashbridges Bay work to east of The Spit (taken from the hill beside the 'environmental building' @ the old Weigh Scales. It's quite extensive work and seems to be moving along pretty fast.

androiduk · Aug 16, 2020

From the Tommy Thompson Park website; https://tommythompsonpark.ca/visitor-information/

"Visitor experience will be improved at the entrance to Tommy Thompson Park as the City of Toronto is constructing a pavilion and redesigning the landscape. The pavilion building includes highly anticipated public washrooms, a water fountain, bike racks, outdoor gathering spaces, and storage for park programs. This small building will be complemented by separated pedestrian and bicycle access paths, a raised pedestrian area, and a formalized parking lot with vehicle access off Unwin Avenue."

kali · Aug 25, 2020

"highly anticipated public washrooms" lol damn

DSC · Aug 25, 2020

BTW there is lots MORE on the Spit and the new Entrance Pavilion at: https://urbantoronto.ca/forum/threa...ntgomery-sisam-architects.18096/#post-1588204

Ideally the MODS might do some consolidation of the many threads to do with The Spit" and "Tommy Thompson park". We certainly need more than one but ....

Razz · Oct 4, 2020

Pavilion building nearing completion (October 4, 2020)

Razz · Oct 4, 2020

Fall colours on display at the Spit (October 4, 2020)

Northern Light · Oct 5, 2020

Razz said:
Fall colours on display at the Spit (October 4, 2020)

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Great skyline shot!

Also lovely capture of the bright warm red of the Staghorn Sumach!

3Dementia · Oct 6, 2020

Great shots Razz.
Got to love sumachs for a quasi-tropical splash. I had a large one in the backyard of my first apartment in Cabbagetown, and every summer I'd drag my mini Allen Gardens collection of potted indoor tropicals out to the patio beside it. A a faux Caribbean effect... even had sand... a large sand box/outdoor litter box for our kitties.

DSC · Oct 9, 2020

For the last 20 years I have cycled fairly regularly to the Spit at most times of the year (OK, not in snow). Though I had heard that there were some there, until recently I had never seen a coyote;. In the last 3 or 4 weeks I have seen 3: a pup and 2 adults (all separately and in varying locations. Are we in the midst of a coyote boom?

Razz · Oct 10, 2020

I have never seen one myself, but one late afternoon this early spring at dusk I was walking northward on the paved bike path that runs along the road leading south from Unwin Avenue to the marina/yacht club and a pack of coyotes were repeatedly howling in the baselands immediately to my right. It was a little unnerving to say the least, but at the same time thrilling. I couldn't see them but boy could I hear them. I felt like I was in the midst of them.

Northern Light · Oct 10, 2020

Razz said:
I have never seen one myself, but one late afternoon this early spring at dusk I was walking northward on the paved bike path that runs along the road leading south from Unwin Avenue to the marina/yacht club and a pack of coyotes were repeatedly howling in the baselands immediately to my right. It was a little unnerving to say the least, but at the same time thrilling. I couldn't see them but boy could I hear them. I felt like I was in the midst of them.

DSC said:
For the last 20 years I have cycled fairly regularly to the Spit at most times of the year (OK, not in snow). Though I had heard that there were some there, until recently I had never seen a coyote;. In the last 3 or 4 weeks I have seen 3: a pup and 2 adults (all separately and in varying locations. Are we in the midst of a coyote boom?

I'm not aware of a boom this year; I actually haven't seen one this year.

I live very close to one of the City's ravines; and I can hear a pack howl almost every night, usually around 11pm.

But I've only see them in Toronto twice that I recall (though they are quite common.)

Once, in an east end ravine; where I encountered one in the backwoods......with a dead racoon in its mouth.

It looked at me for a moment. I told it to move along and it did ...............

The other time was High Park. Right alongside Spring Creek Trail.

On the Spit, my one great sighting was a Bald Eagle.

Lots of waterfowl.

But don't think I've otherwise encountered anything bigger than a rabbit there.

Overall in Toronto, I've seen:

Cottontail Rabbit
Bald Eagle
Fox
Mink
Muskrat
Beaver
Turkey Vulture
Red Tail Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Snowy Owl (only once)
White-Tail Deer
Egret
Great Blue Harron
King Fisher
Wood Duck
Smooth Green Snake
Milk Snake

Lots of the usual suspects!

Things I have not seen in Toronto that I would love to see

River Otter (considered extirpated, but may be returning. I believe they are present in the East Don north of Sheppard.
Fox Snake
Northern Water Snake (not too close, looks like the Mississauga Rattler if you're not paying attention!)
A nesting Bald Eagle
Barred Owl

Lots more.

In the fullness of time, I think it would be nice if the north end of Rouge Park could support Bears again; though I suspect others would disagree.
I also think Badger would be nice to see; but they are a terribly ornery creature, LOL. Not everyone would welcome that.