Work is underway to restore two important access routes in the Vale of Avoca's north end. The access point from the west end of the St. Clair bridge (on the north side of the road) has been closed since 2014. Across the ravine, the stairway leading down from Heath Crescent in Moore Park has been out of order since 2013. The Heath Crescent stairway essentially connects Moore Park to the ravine. The St. Clair access should serve as a primary gateway to the Vale, given its proximity to the Yonge/St. Clair population centers and TTC routes.

According to the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), work on the Heath Crescent stairway and surrounding area is expected to begin in late 2026. The preliminary survey and ground condition assessment work for the St. Clair access will be conducted in 2026, with construction expected in 2027. In both cases, the projects will encompass slope stabilization in the vicinity of each access route. 

Our local councillors have been instrumental in bringing about this action. Councillor Dianne Saxe (University Rosedale) has intervened to move forward the Heath Crescent work from its original 2031 schedule. Councillor Josh Matlow (Toronto-St. Paul's) has helped to expedite action on the St. Clair stairway. 

We expect the projects will eventually be tied in to the more comprehensive work to be addressed by the Avoca Master Plan. To the extent possible, construction staging and access arrangements should anticipate additional work that will be needed in conjunction with the expected remediation of the ravine slope, channel, and trails within the master plan framework.

For further information and updates, please refer to TRCA - Heath Crescent Project and to TRCA - St Clair Access Project.

The master plan for the Vale of Avoca will be framed by Toronto's Ravine Strategy and related policy documents. It will also consider an initial proposal for Avoca restoration circulated by the Midtown Ravines Group in early 2025.  

It is important that the values and priorities of the community should be recognized from the outset of the planning process. The Midtown Ravines Group is working to raise community awareness relating to plans for the ravine's future, while mobilizing community input on planning options. 

An informal community survey we conducted earlier this year suggested that a desire to preserve the natural character of the Vale is widely shared, while improving public access to the ravine. We created a word tree from the survey results that can help to orient the work of planners and designers.

We would like to continue this collective conversation around a shared vision for the ravine. See further discussion of the emerging community vision for the Vale of Avoca, along with a Survey that will allow you to comment on a draft vision statement produced as a basis for discussion.        

The Midtown Ravines Group is pleased to announce that the City has given us permission to begin volunteer stewardship activities in the Vale of Avoca. City permission is needed because park and ravine by-laws generally prohibit the unauthorized removal of plants from these areas, even troublesome invasives. 

The newly authorized stewardship site at Avoca will be the south end of David Balfour Park, an area of about 1.8 hectares. While much of this area is open glade, it is not hard to find well established colonies of garlic mustard, burdock, knotweed, and many other invasives plants. Controlling these invasives will allow native plants to thrive, and will be an important complement to future restoration activities in other parts of the ravine.

In collaboration with Toronto Nature Stewards, the Midtown Ravines Group is planning to organize a schedule of gatherings to work on different invasives as the season progresses. 

To start things off, we will hold an informal site-walk on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 from 6 to 7 p.m. Read more about the Avoca stewardship project

and the initial site tour.

It's not a problem if you can't make the initial outing -- sadly the invasives aren't going anywhere soon. If you would like to get involved, please indicate your interest and times that would suit your schedule through the Avoca Stewardship Scheduling Survey. 

Volunteer stewardship is a great way to make a difference while connecting with other members of the community. It's also low-stress:  we will notify you of upcoming sessions, and you're welcome to join in whenever you feel like it.

Yellow Creek currently flows above ground for about 1.2 km, all of it within the Vale of Avoca. This is about one-tenth of the creek's full length, which runs from its source around Downsview down to where it meets the Don River. In days gone by, it was known at times as Silver Creek and Price's Creek, along with names that it might have been given by local indigenous communities. The picture is a watercolour from the late 1800s, showing the creek leaving the Avoca area, where it supposedly powered Price's Mill -- one of many along the creek.

Participants at the 2026 Evergreen Conference gathered at the Brick Works on May 6 and 7. The conference program explored many aspects of the role of public spaces – including throughout Toronto's ravine network – in sustaining resilient and inclusive communities. Kicking off the second day of the program, Councillor Saxe discussed how Toronto's connected green spaces provide answers to so many different challenges, such as accessible, quality housing, congestion relief, mental health, air quality, and recreation, to name a few. A panel on public spaces stressed the importance of community partnerships and the need to integrate natural and human systems.  

There were extensive exhibits providing details on the Evergreen-led Loop Trail project, which is a 72km off-road trail system connecting communities around the City. The midtown ravines, including the Vale of Avoca, offer many local loop connections, while directly tying to the main Loop Trail at the Brick Works, and to the Beltline providing a cross-town connection.  

Councillor Saxe discussing the connection between the Avoca and Loop trails with TJ Maguire (senior designer with Evergreen) and Tom Connell of the Midtown Ravines Group. (Photo credit:  Office of Councillor Saxe)  

Environmentally Significant Areas (ESAs) are key concepts in Toronto's planning framework as well as its Ravine Strategy. Toronto currently has 89 designated ESAs that cover almost 2,700 hectares of the City's land area. The designation plays an important role in protection of our green spaces and the habitats they contain.

In 2025, the City's Urban Forestry group, which is responsible for the Ravine Strategy, updated its framework for the management of ESAs. Read more about Guidelines for ESA Management Plans, including the expanded role for community engagement in the planning process.

This year we expect progress to be made on the significant upgrade to the Rosedale Valley Road multi-use trail, focusing on the main section running from Park Road to Bayview Avenue. The current trail is a substandard design and is in poor condition. We understand that the City will begin working on the trail corridor in the second half of the year, starting with tree removal and grading. Trail construction will be completed in the first half of next year.

See the project description including a conceptual design map on the City's 

project website. We expect this site will also include project updates when they're issued.    

Speaking of Don River trail connections, it seems that the closed section of the Lower Don Trail in the Riverdale area may be open in "late spring" according to the project website. This trail runs from Pottery Road down to Corktown. The Lower Don Trail Project is upgrading the riverside trail, and adding a ramp between the trail and the Riverdale Park Pedestrian Bridge.