Mimico Creek Trail, Part 1 – Wayne Crockett’s Frustrating Pre-hike from May 23, 2020

Hosting Club: Toronto
Category: Urban Walk
Location (Google Maps): Meet at Kipling Subway Station for 10 am, at the west end of bus platforms by the washrooms to catch the #111, The East Mall at 10:02. It is a 15-minute bus ride that will take us to the start of the hike at The East Mall & Eglinton Avenue West. If coming directly to the hike by car there is parking by trail access point at the end of West Deane Valley Road (curbside parking). West Deane Valley Road runs east from the East Mall. If you are exercising this option, please arrive by 10:15, walk down along the trail to the bridge and wait for the group to arrive. It is necessary to inform the hike leaders ahead of time or you may miss us.

Hike Leader(s): Andrew Proczek; Tom Swales Click here to contact Hike Leader(s)

Pace: Moderate
Terrain: Flat, Variable
Distance: 12.5 km

Description

In November we lost one of the most dedicated and personable hike leaders our club has ever seen in Wayne Crockett. As well as his impeccable leadership skills and knowledge of Canadian history, Wayne was known for his dry-wit humor. Attempting the Mimico Creek Trail, south of Bloor Street, on an early morning in Spring, during another Covid lockdown, Wayne posted on his Facebook page, "...based on someone once telling me that with a little perseverance, you can find a path along the Mimico Creek from Bloor to the lake shore (about 4 km in a straight line). They lied or I misremembered. I did find some nice stretches of natural path running within a metre or two of the creek but they always dead ended and I had to retrace and do some road walking to find another point of access... Not going to be added to my repertoire, there would be a mutiny for sure." And commenting on his own picture of some ducks lounging in the creek he wrote, "They were laughing. Ha, this Hooman just walked by here going the other way five minutes ago...." I plan to keep a few of Wayne's frustrations as part of the hike, with the group not knowing if we are passing through or having to double back. Let the ducks laugh! Little did you know, Wayne, that we would follow you anywhere.

Come join Tom Swales and I as we undertake to hike the Mimico Creek Trail in two parts. Part 2 will go in January 2023. Originally planned as one long hike, upon a second pre-hike we realized that because we are now in winter conditions with packed snow and icy patches that a longer hike will be too exhausting. Also we are waiting for the Berry St. footbridge to reopen so we can hike the preferred route and avoid any unnecessary road walking. Wayne's prophecy of mutiny may well have come to pass!

Wayne began his hike at Tom Riley Park from Dundas Street and meandered his way to Humber Bay Park and then east along the waterfront trail towards home. We will begin Part 1 much further north from Eglington Avenue, walking on beautiful forest trails on the west side of the creek through West Deane Park as far as past Rathburn Road. Next doubling back on Martin Grove Road we will cross over and pick up the trail on the east side at Ravenscrest Park. Further on there will be a stretch of road walking along Burnhamthorpe Road (not too unpleasant) before we reach Tom Riley Park and then begin to follow Wayne's route to his first frustration. Reaching the Van Dusen Blvd footbridge we will head in an easterly direction towards Park Lawn Cemetery, leaving south of Van Dusen for Part 2. Wayne loved to come to Park Lawn Cemetery in recent years to sight a group deer that make there home there during the winter months. With any luck we may spot them. Passing through the cemetery we will join up with the Humber River Trail and finish our hike at Old Mill Subway Station.

Dropouts at Bloor St. (at 8.3 km, Islington Subway Station is just steps west of there), Royal York Road (at 9.6 km, #76 Bus takes you to Royal York Station or you can walk up in 15 minutes.

The route: https://onthegomap.com/s/64r55jlm

Please pack a lunch and have your icers with you in case we need them.