Bluffers Park

To the east of the city, but West to the historical area of Guildwood, lies one of the most beautiful and breathtaking beaches in the city. The gorge is hidden from the rest of the cities bustling life, with only a few steep stairs to hint at its existence. Bluffers Park boasts pristine sandy beaches, incredible rock formations, and a popular marina, which in the summer time plays host to many recreational activities such as boating, sailing, swimming and more.

Located at the edge of the Scarborough Bluffs at 1 Brimley Road, the park stretches 14km along the Lake Ontario shore from the eastern beach of Toronto to West Hill. Bluffer’s park was designed to improve public access to the waterfront, and is Toronto’s only full service marina in the summertime. Even during the colder months, the park has major hiking trails, including a trail up to the parks highest point, Cathedral Bluffs, which rises 90 meters above Lake Ontario!

Did You Know? The unique geological rock formations of Bluffers park resulted from the accumulation of sedimentary deposits when the Wisconsin Glacier advanced and retreated nearly 12,000 years ago. Natural processes of wind and water erosion from Lake Ontario formed the resulting cliffs. 

Environmental Tip: Taking the TTC or carpooling is much less stressful then taking a car. I hear that parking in the summertime is horrid, apparently drivers get into scraps over parking spots, and it’s not free. The best TTC route is to take the Kingston Road 12 Eastbound bus from Victoria Station. Lessen your carbon footprint, and save your money!

Tommy Thompson Park

Situated on a man-made peninsula called the Leslie Street Spit, Tommy Thompson Park is an urban wilderness located a few steps away from Toronto's downtown. The Leslie Spit construction began in the 1950's where the area became filled with concrete, dredged sand and construction debris. It now stretches 5 kilometers into the lake. The spit along with the park are owned by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

Tommy Thompson Park is known as the largest existing natural habitat on the Toronto waterfront. Wildflower meadows, cottonwood forests, coastal marshes, cobble beaches and sand dunes are just some of the existent habitats. Presence of flourishing nature and wildlife makes up for one extraordinary nature-watching site in Toronto. In addition to an impressive natural habitat, the park provides an opportunity to engage in various recreational activities including hiking, cycling, rollerblading and fishing.


Things to do in March
Tommy Thompson is an admirable place to experience the great outdoors. The park is arguably the best in the city bird-watching spot, with over 300 observable species. Also, the park hosts a system of hiking trails and cycling paths which both make up for great spring-time activities. In addition to above activities, the location of the park provides unobscured and picturesque views of the Toronto's famous skyline.

Bird Sanctuary
The Tommy Thompson Park Bird Research Station (TTPBRS) was established in 2003 for protection of birds and their habitats through monitoring, education and research. It is an initiative started by Toronto and Regional Conservation. The bird sanctuary at the park is recognized as a globally significant Important Bird Area or IBA by Birdlife International. The close proximity to a large city and integration of urban wilderness makes the park an ideal venue for bird studies. Education is central to the sanctuary's operations and for this purpose they have developed a curriculum-based program for schools called Winged Migration which provides children with an interactive and exploratory introduction to the world of birds, ecology and conservation. In addition to this program, the TTPBRS offers regular talks and bird banding demonstrations to the general public. The research also runs a number of monitoring and conservation projects. To find out more about the program, you can go to http://www.tommythompsonpark.ca/ttpbrs/index.dot

Natural Heritage

Tommy Thompson Park has developed into a complex of habitats and diverse communities of flora and fauna species. The complex of plant communities found at the park, as well as the rare and significant plant species are a result of the highly variable soil of the site. Because the site was formed through the dumping of construction residues, soil fertility and composition can vary dramatically within very small areas. The area's diverse biological communities and location on Lake Ontario make it an important stopover point for migrating birds, butterflies and other insects.

Seasonal pools are also important breeding areas for amphibians. Although the upland areas do not currently support a great variety of amphibians, as the wooded communities mature, the park has the potential to be one of the few locations across the waterfront capable of supporting woodland dependent amphibians. The ecological value of Tommy Thompson will continue to increase dramatically as the habitat communities mature, and as the lands are enhanced through new and continuing restoration projects.

Habitat Restoration

Toronto and Region Conservation is an industry leader in habitat creation and restoration. The goals
of restoration work at Tommy Thompson Park are to preserve rare species, protect environmentally
significant areas and enhance aquatic and terrestrial habitat. This approach integrates a variety of
wildlife habitats and areas of natural succession to create functional habitats.

For more information visit http://www.tommythompsonpark.ca/

Guildwood Park

Guildwood Park is one of the hidden gems situated at the edge of the city. Located to the eastern edges of Toronto’s lakeshore at 20 Guildwood Parkway, this park is just as much a historical museum as it is a green haven. The park features mature forests, serene walking trails, and historic stone sculptures and arches.

Guildwood Park has been a haven for the arts since 1932 for more than 100 artists and their families to live and work. The private residence was owned by the Clark family however was converted into a base for the woman’s royal navy during the Second World War. The property was returned to the family after the war was over.

Things to do in March: The park has two winding nature trails to suit the needs of various hikers. The first is not for the faint of heart, and makes for a physically active adventure. The trail winds along the lake over the cliffs edge, which makes for breathtaking views and picture perfect scenery. The second is for those who may want to take a shorter and less physically demanding trip, which winds through the forest towards the Guild Inn.

Guildwood Park is more or less a photographers dream. Aside from the amazing scenic views, the park features a vast array of historical artifacts, including a greek style amphitheater, with columns taken from the first Bank of Canada building in Toronto. You can also see an old log cabin dating back to 1795, with a slab of decorative concrete beside it taken from what once was the tallest skyscraper in the British Empire in 1895. The building was at the corner of Toronto’s very own Bay and Richmond! 

Guildwood Park is also a major destination for weddings and other major events. So if wedding crashing is your thing, you know where to go!