Mimico Creek
Encyclopedia
Mimico Creek is a 33 km watercourse with its headwaters in Brampton, Ontario
, and its mouth in Toronto
, Ontario
.
The watershed lies between the Humber River to the east and Etobicoke Creek
to the west.
It flows through the community of Malton
, Ontario
, Canada, now part of Mississauga
;
It flows southeast, past Pearson Airport
; through a shallow valley surrounded by the urban neighbourhoods of Islington and Mimico
, now part of Toronto
.
The creek is often encased in a concrete spillway
to contain the fast flowing water that occurs during rainstorms. Mimico Creek crosses Bloor Street
near the Islington Subway Station
. It empties into Lake Ontario
about 1 km west of the mouth of the Humber.
In the 1990s a large park called Humber Bay Park
was constructed at the mouth of Mimico Creek. The park consists of two headlands built on landfill from local construction projects. Due to the name of the park, Mimico Creek is often mistaken for the Humber River.
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton is the third-largest city in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, Canada and the seat of Peel Region. As of the 2006 census, Brampton's population stood at 433,806, making it the 11th largest city in Canada. It is also one of Canada's fastest growing municipalities, with an average...
, and its mouth 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....
.
The watershed lies between the Humber River to the east and Etobicoke Creek
Etobicoke Creek
Etobicoke Creek is one of the many creeks running through Toronto, Ontario and the Toronto Area into Lake Ontario, often characterized by their winding paths through deep ravines and distinctive shale banks....
to the west.
It flows through the community of Malton
Malton, Ontario
Malton is a neighbourhood in the northeastern part of the city of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, located to the northwest of Toronto. The neighbourhood has a population of approximately 36,400 as of 2002....
, 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....
, Canada, now part of Mississauga
Mississauga, Ontario
Mississauga is a city in Southern Ontario located in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and in the western part of the Greater Toronto Area. With an estimated population of 734,000, it is Canada's sixth-most populous municipality, and has almost doubled in population in each of the last two decades...
;
It flows southeast, past Pearson Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
; through a shallow valley surrounded by the urban neighbourhoods of Islington and Mimico
Mimico
The historic Town of Mimico is a neighbourhood in the south-western part of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the south-east corner of the former Township of Etobicoke, and was an independent municipality from 1911 to 1967....
, now part of 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...
.
The creek is often encased in a concrete spillway
Spillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
to contain the fast flowing water that occurs during rainstorms. Mimico Creek crosses 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...
near the Islington Subway Station
Islington (TTC)
Islington is a station on the Bloor–Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. It is located at 3286 Bloor Street West at Islington Avenue. A central platform serves trains running in both directions....
. It empties into Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake 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...
about 1 km west of the mouth of the Humber.
In the 1990s a large park called Humber Bay Park
Humber Bay Park
Humber Bay Park is a waterfront park located in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada. The park consists of two landspits situated at the mouth of Mimico Creek. The park is on Lake Shore Boulevard West at Park Lawn Road. Humber Bay Park East, connecting to the Humber Bay neighbourhood that existed there...
was constructed at the mouth of Mimico Creek. The park consists of two headlands built on landfill from local construction projects. Due to the name of the park, Mimico Creek is often mistaken for the Humber River.
