Etienne Brule Park
Encyclopedia
Etienne Brulé Park is located in the Humber River
valley just north of Bloor Street
West in Toronto
, Ontario
. It is named after Étienne Brûlé
, an early French
explorer in the Toronto area.
(1793) and early Toronto
. A bridge has stood over the Humber River at this location since 1837. The present arched stone bridge was built in 1916. Both the mill and the bridge are historically significant and have been designated under the Ontario Heritage Act
.
Etienne Brulé Park can be entered at the south from Old Mill Road or at the north from Lundy Avenue. The park is only five minutes walk from Old Mill subway station
. Pedestrians and cyclists can also travel through the park on the Tommy Thompson Trail, using entrances at Pasadena Gardens and Lundy Avenue.
Humber River (Ontario)
The Humber River is one of two major rivers on either side of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, the other being the Don River to the east. It was designated a Canadian Heritage River on September 24, 1999....
valley just north of Bloor Street
Bloor Street
Bloor Street is a major east–west residential and commercial thoroughfare in Toronto, in the Canadian province of Ontario. Bloor Street runs from the Prince Edward Viaduct westward into Mississauga, where it ends at Central Parkway. East of the viaduct, Danforth Avenue continues along the same...
West in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It is named after Étienne Brûlé
Étienne Brûlé
Étienne Brûlé , was the first of European French explorers to journey along the St. Lawrence River with the Native Americans and to view Georgian Bay and Lake Huron Canada in the 17th century. A rugged outdoorsman, he took to the lifestyle of the First Nations and had a unique contribution to the...
, an early French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
explorer in the Toronto area.
Characteristic features
The Old Mill and The Old Mill Bridge - Mills have existed at this site since 1793 when King’s Mill, Toronto’s first industrial building, supplied wood for the construction of Fort YorkFort York
Fort York is a historic site of military fortifications and related buildings on the west side of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The fort was built by the British Army and Canadian militia troops in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, to defend the settlement and the new capital of the...
(1793) and early Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. A bridge has stood over the Humber River at this location since 1837. The present arched stone bridge was built in 1916. Both the mill and the bridge are historically significant and have been designated under the Ontario Heritage Act
Ontario Heritage Act
The Ontario Heritage Act, first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Province of Ontario, Canada, as being of cultural heritage value or interest....
.
Fishing at the park
Significant improvements are being made to the health of this fishery based on the Humber River Fisheries Management Plan.- One of the projects is to improve fish movement in the watershed. Many of the dams from the Old Mill to Palgrave in the Town of CaledonCaledon, OntarioCaledon is a town in the Regional Municipality of Peel in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada. In terms of land use, Caledon is somewhat urban, though it is primarily rural in nature...
have already been modified to enhance fish migration and the access to 70 km of fish habitat that has been disconnected from Lake OntarioLake OntarioLake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
for over 150 years. - Other initiatives to help protect fish during the sensitive life cycle periods and to promote angling opportunities are also underway.
Entrances and public transit
Old Mill (TTC)
Old Mill is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 2672 Bloor Street West at Old Mill Terrace/Humber Boulevard.The station is built into the side of the Humber River valley...
. Pedestrians and cyclists can also travel through the park on the Tommy Thompson Trail, using entrances at Pasadena Gardens and Lundy Avenue.