…with visitor centre options…
2018 trails
The Ontario government belatedly announced the transfer of some of the previously committed to provincial lands on Saturday, October 21 in a brief ceremony! This new announcement transferred 6.5 square KM to the new Parks Canada urban national park.
MPP Ted Arnott was critical that the government had not yet transferred the remaining 15 square KM as per the previous agreement between the Federal and Provincial governments, the provincial Liberal government stating that this transfer will be announced at a later date.
Slowly but surely Rouge National Urban Park project marches toward completion, but it looks like there is still a way to go before a full appreciation of what this unique Canadian National Park can be.
Check with the House of Commons Hansard service and read the debate transcript from November 24 re the various changes and amendments to the above-mentioned.
Yellow Jewelweed
pink Jewlled Himalayan Balsam-Touch-me-Not
Orange Jewel weed, Touch-me-Not
Staghorn Sumac
Farmer’s Fields, Woodland
Dog Strangling Vine
False Solomon’s Seal
Wild Grape
Birds Heading South
Chicory
Goldenrod
Posted in birds, conservation, environment, Fall Colours, Farmland, Hiking, Nature Walks, Rouge National Urban Park, Wildflowers
Tagged Fall Colours
…to the new Rouge National Urban Park by Province of Ontario to honour earlier agreement at last! Whoopie!
This 1/2 century pick-your own strawberry operation, once expropriated for the Pickering Airport, now re-acquired by the family is Ontario’s largest ‘Pick-Your-Own’.
Read all about it in the attached Scarborough Mirror article by Larry Noonan.
Some Rouge Park proponents are stumbling over the term ‘environmental integrity’ as it applies to the current Rouge Park. The term is generally understood to mean land virtually untouched or unmarked by humankind and these-thinking proponents ignore the fact that Rouge National Urban Park cannot possibly be considered as úntouched’, particularly when one considers that the earliest North Americans have been treading on the land in the Rouge Valley for some 10,000 tears, regularly leaving their mark: such as with organized burial sites, evidence of campsites, as a carrying place from Lake Ontario north, and the like. Today there are three rail lines crossing the park area, many roads and a corridor of hydro lines- don’t forget the more modern settlement efforts starting in the early 180o’s, many of these dwellings still being utilized.
But although the valley has been ‘touched’ regularly and many times, there are still 1700 species of plants, fish, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians. Did I mention salmon? And some good farmland, too!
It is still wild down there in the valley! Hence our usage of the term ‘Wild in the City’ as it applies to the Rouge. In the City it is, but you wouldn’t know it when you are down deep in there. When the Arctic Wolves escaped their pen at the Metro Zoo (surrounded by the park) a number of years ago they were quite happy to remain in the valley until re-captured. You can’t fool a wolf. It is still wild in the valley!
Posted in conservation, environment, Farmland, Wild in the City
Tagged Environmental itegrity
Three new park area Scarborough and Markham Liberal MP’s will meet to discuss aspects of the new Rouge National Urban Park. Gary Anandasangaree, MP for Scarborough Rouge River said ‘ We’ll work hard to get the full dream that Rouge really was’.
Park farmer leasees may have some worries as their long-time champion, defeated MP Paul Calandra won’t be around to offer his usually supportive voice.
Lets all support the new area MP’s efforts to work towards a realistic, positive and rapid completion of this major unique national park concept…
Previously, a few park proponents got caught up in irrelevant and non-applicable terminologies, thereby slowing down the whole park development process.
Let’s wish them all God speed and good luck in their proceedings…
…look forward to seeing you all on the trails in the Rouge!
The Canadian Government has committed an additional $26.8 million for the Rouge after announcing the transfer of an additional 5200 acres from the former Pickering airport lands. This is added to the already committed to $142 million federal government funds for the development of the new Rouge National Urban Park over the next 10 years.
All that is left to complete the planned park is for the Ontario Government to live up to their signed commitment to transfer those adjacent provincial lands to Parks Canada so that the entire new park system can be managed to the highest park and environmental standards that Parks Canada is famous world-wide for…
Protected, too, are those Class 1 agricultural lands found within the Park boundaries, these to be operated to the highest possible and practical standards.
Baltimore Checkerspot
