Task Force to Bring Back the Don
Encyclopedia
The Task Force to Bring Back the Don is a citizen advisory committee
that advises Toronto
city council
on issues concerning the Don River
and its watershed
. It consists of 20 citizen members and 3 council members.
attended by about 500 people who were interested in cleaning up the Don. At the time the Don River was seriously neglected and polluted. At the same time, an article entitled Rebirth of a River was published in the Globe and Mail that detailed the current state of the river and its issues and challenges http://www.toronto.ca/don/pdf/rebirth_river.pdf.
In 1991, the Task Force published a book entitled Bringing Back the Don. The book detailed visions for restoration of the Don and potential methods for doing so.
In addition to the advisory committee, the Task Force sponsors restoration
projects. These include tree
plantings and wetland
restoration. In 1996 the Task Force initiated a major wetland restoration project. Initially called the Demonstration Wetland, it was later renamed as Chester Springs Marsh. Two basins were excavated adjacent to the river and these periodically flood with river water http://www.harrington-hoyle.com/eco.htm.
Since 1996, the Task Force has either created or enhanced four more wetlands in the Don Valley and another three in nearby tributary ravines http://www.toronto.ca/don/wetlands.htm.
The Task Force has advised the city on several environment related issues including the sewer use bylaw http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_681.pdf, road salt reduction, snow dump sites, the Wet Weather Flow Master Plan http://www.toronto.ca/water/protecting_quality/wwfmmp/index.htm, and flood protection of the lower Don http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/newsrel012706.htm.
Currently the main focus is the creation of a naturalized mouth for the Don River. It currently empties into a concrete lined harbour waterway called the Keating Channel
.
The Task Force has three sub-committees called teams where individual members get together to discuss issues in detail. The teams report back to the Task Force once per month and table motions if necessary. The teams are Habitat Restoration; Policy & Planning; and Communications, Outreach, and Marketing.
The Task Force has the support of some city staff that are more or less dedicated to Task Force business. The city clerk's office assigns a person who sends out a printed agenda and takes minutes during the monthly meetings. Another employee in the Planning Department assists with editing the newsletter which is produced twice per year; website updates; and other Task Force material including educational material.
To support the Task Force's restoration initiatives, there is an employee in the city's Parks and Forestry
department who is responsible for projects in the Lower Don. Originally the person was hired specifically for the Task Force but the position has evolved to include other similar responsibilities.
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
that advises 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...
city council
Toronto City Council
The Toronto City Council is the governing body of the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Members represent wards throughout the city, and are known as councillors....
on issues concerning the Don River
Don River (Toronto)
The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
and its watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
. It consists of 20 citizen members and 3 council members.
History
On September 7, 1989, city council established the Interim Task Force on the Don River Clean-Up http://www.toronto.ca/don/faq.htm. The impetus for the creation of the Task Force was a public meeting held 5 months earlier on April 1, 1989 at the Ontario Science CentreOntario Science Centre
Ontario Science Centre is a science museum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, near the Don Valley Parkway about northeast of downtown on Don Mills Road just south of Eglinton Avenue East...
attended by about 500 people who were interested in cleaning up the Don. At the time the Don River was seriously neglected and polluted. At the same time, an article entitled Rebirth of a River was published in the Globe and Mail that detailed the current state of the river and its issues and challenges http://www.toronto.ca/don/pdf/rebirth_river.pdf.
In 1991, the Task Force published a book entitled Bringing Back the Don. The book detailed visions for restoration of the Don and potential methods for doing so.
In addition to the advisory committee, the Task Force sponsors restoration
Restoration ecology
-Definition:Restoration ecology is the scientific study and practice of renewing and restoring degraded, damaged, or destroyed ecosystems and habitats in the environment by active human intervention and action, within a short time frame...
projects. These include tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
plantings and wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
restoration. In 1996 the Task Force initiated a major wetland restoration project. Initially called the Demonstration Wetland, it was later renamed as Chester Springs Marsh. Two basins were excavated adjacent to the river and these periodically flood with river water http://www.harrington-hoyle.com/eco.htm.
Since 1996, the Task Force has either created or enhanced four more wetlands in the Don Valley and another three in nearby tributary ravines http://www.toronto.ca/don/wetlands.htm.
The Task Force has advised the city on several environment related issues including the sewer use bylaw http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/municode/1184_681.pdf, road salt reduction, snow dump sites, the Wet Weather Flow Master Plan http://www.toronto.ca/water/protecting_quality/wwfmmp/index.htm, and flood protection of the lower Don http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/newsrel012706.htm.
Currently the main focus is the creation of a naturalized mouth for the Don River. It currently empties into a concrete lined harbour waterway called the Keating Channel
Keating Channel
The Keating Channel is a short waterway in the inner harbour of Toronto, Ontario on Lake Ontario. It connects the Don River into Toronto Harbour . The channel is named after Edward Henry Keating , a city engineer who proposed the creation of the channel in 1893...
.
Structure
Members of the Task Force are appointed for a three year term in parallel with the current term of council. One member is appointed as chair by the committee for the same three year term. Since 2001, the committee has also appointed a vice-chair who chairs meetings whenever the chair is unavailable or declares a conflict during a point of discussion. Members are recruited through the city appointment process. However, the Task Force interviews prospective members to ensure that they have an interest in the Don River and can participate in the goals of the committee.The Task Force has three sub-committees called teams where individual members get together to discuss issues in detail. The teams report back to the Task Force once per month and table motions if necessary. The teams are Habitat Restoration; Policy & Planning; and Communications, Outreach, and Marketing.
The Task Force has the support of some city staff that are more or less dedicated to Task Force business. The city clerk's office assigns a person who sends out a printed agenda and takes minutes during the monthly meetings. Another employee in the Planning Department assists with editing the newsletter which is produced twice per year; website updates; and other Task Force material including educational material.
To support the Task Force's restoration initiatives, there is an employee in the city's Parks and Forestry
Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
The City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division is the division of the Toronto municipal government responsible for city-owned parks, forests, and recreation centres...
department who is responsible for projects in the Lower Don. Originally the person was hired specifically for the Task Force but the position has evolved to include other similar responsibilities.