TORONTO SERIES—
SECRET HOLLOWS
MILE HIGH GLACIERS MELTED 12,000 YEARS AGO AND SHAPED TORONTO’S FIVE
WATERSHEDS AS THE GLACIERS RETREATED. RAPIDLY FLOWING MELT WATER CARVED DEEP
RAVINES OUT OF THE GLACIAL TILL. AS THE CITY DEVELOPED, THESE RAVINES BECAME
CORRIDORS FOR RAIL, CARS, SEWERS, UTILITIES, AND DUMPS FOR CONSTRUCTION DEBRIS.
FORTUNATELY, THE STEEP RAVINE WALLS AND HIGH WATER TABLE PREVENTED FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT. SO POCKETS OF WILDERNESS STILL REMAIN AND ARE EVEN EXPANDING
IN SOME LOCALES. THANKS TO EFFORTS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES—OR SOMETIMES
JUST NEGLECT—THE RAVINES’ NATURAL FLORA AND FAUNA ARE GROWING.
AND SIGNAGE RECENTLY APPEARED ON THE HUNDREDS OF BRIDGES THAT TRAVERSE THE
RAVINES, ACKNOWLEDGING FOR THE FIRST TIME THE CREEKS AND RIVERS BELOW.
The 401, 2004.
