David J. Culham Trail - Mississauga

What a fantastic weekend, and so long in coming!  It seemed like winter would never end!! I almost didn't put away our winter clothes into storage because I was so sure that the ice would come, snow fall again, and the icebox would remain open.  But, alas with spring well behind us and summer simmering into the shadows I really think we can do just that.  Stow away our long coats, rainy boots, snowy boots and woolen mittens.

Without further ado, my summertime blog is underway with more treks and trails to explore.  Super-stoked and looking forward to it this year.

We headed for the David Culham Trail on Saturday with the plan that we would do a couple of kilometres after our lunch.  It turned out to be over 12 kilometres and it really didn't feel much like it at all.  We actually picked up the David Culham Trail after scouting through a few parts a little north east of it first (Credit River and River Run).  It's a very secluded neighbourhood with no throughway traffic permitted and I think they like that way and I don't blame them, so finding the entry point where we did was sheer luck and nothing else as it's not publicized.

The David Culham trail breaks up into two sections.  Dundas Street to Mississauga Road (which is Streetsville) and Church Street to the U of T Campus in Mississauga (Erindale park).

The Trail runs along the Credit River for most of the way but does share both urban and nature settings.  This is part of how the land is used and mostly due to urban development as the city grows so there's no way around having to share the peace of the forest with the noise of the city,  especially if you think you can ever get any peace when you're just minutes away.  If you are looking for that type of seclusion, you'll have to drive quite a lot further away from this trail I'm afraid.

Like other namesakes, I'm interested in the historical aspect of how trails are named or better yet who the person was behind the namesake.  This was an easy one and thanks to Google, it never takes long before we can find answers to any questions we have.

Don't you think that that has become a bit of a curse and a blessing?  I remember we as kids had to go to the local library to look up famous people, or explore historical facts like this.  Going to the library required effort, and gave us a purpose of some kind.  We met people, asked for help, shared ideas, listened and learned from others.  Now it's at your fingertips.  I'm not saying anything no one else has ever thought about, I'm sure.  My sons both have a keen interest in knowledge finding answers to everything.  That I respect in them.


Back to my story here about namesakes.  Who was David Culham?  He was a one time sitting Councillor in Ward 6 of the City of Mississauga from 1973 to 2000 making him one of the longest serving Councillors in Mississauga.  Before that he was a city planner after earning a BA degree from Laurier and a Masters in Geography and Planning from Western University.   In his career he was a teacher and a school principal.  What I was interested in was that David Culham had developed several initiatives while he was in politics, one of which was the "blue box recycling program" and here's where the naming of the trail comes in... He developed a policy of dedication of valley land by developers in Mississauga to allow for the creation of a trail system and the preservation of the Credit River Valley.   So there you have it. 


That's what I call a career, and a great vision to future generations.

East Don Parkland Trail

 Although the first of June called for rain later in the afternoon, we never saw a hint of it.  It was moderately warm with sapphire blue skies threaded with white lace.  Preparing to get rained on I wanted us to set out early Saturday morning so I could get a good dose of vitamin D and catch a few shots with my dusty camera.

Speaking about vitamin D, did you know that it’s pretty common for Canadians to develop a deficiency due to our inclement weather and long winters covering our skin up when we go outside.  

A deficiency can cause bone pain, tiredness and even depression.  So a good vitamin D supplement in the cooler months just to get yourself back on track if you develop these symptoms is a good idea (1000mm).

We started our trail at the corner of Don Mills Road and McNichol Avenue and walked northwest through Duncan Creek park until we reached Leslie street.  It was only 1.5 km walk and certainly not enough to feel like it was worth the trip so we crossed Leslie and did the East Don Parkland trail as well before going for lunch.

The East Don Parkland Trail is about a 6 Km hike, through moderately trafficked walk starting from Leslie and Steeles to Leslie and Sheppard.  It is mostly a paved, shared pathway with cyclists, joggers and trail blazers.  It is located in the valley so it will always be parkland as there’s nothing else that can really be done to it since condominiums won’t be built in a valley. 

It’s just wonderful that the City has the vision of keeping this land as it is and there are so many parks and trails in Toronto that feel at times that you’ve traveled a distance outside of the city to get the same natural settings as you experience here.

Niagara Parks Commission Trail (Niagara Falls)

The next time you're in the Niagara Falls area sightseeing or trying your luck at the casino, take a long walk along the Niagara Parks Commission Trail Route along River Road.  There's a tourist attraction as part of the Rapids in the Niagara River where you can take a chute down and walk along the about a half mile of a wooden boardwalk, where you'll see the grand rapids up close.

It's exciting to watch and to listen to.  The roar of the powerful cyclonic water smashing against rocks can be terrifying, but that's about all you get down there and for the money, I don't really think it's worth it even if it's a one-time deal.   Along River Road you'll be able to see some good views as well as stretch your legs after a long drive. 

Here are just a few:









By the way on the way back towards the hyper action of the casino and other Niagara sites, you can check out the Olympic Torch Run Legacy Trail which runs perpendicular to Palmer avenue from Niagara Parkway northeast to Niagara Falls City Hall (it's not very long)  only 1and a half kilometres, but it's worth noting.


By the way:

If you are a die-hard tourist though and really need to say you've done it, then you'll walk along to 4330 River Road.  The Attraction is called, "White Water Walk"

J.C. Saddington Park

This photo-op park is located at 53 Lake Street and is at the mouth of the Credit river in the village of Port Credit.  It's part of the waterfront trail that I've done quite a few times now.

This segment is to the west of Samuel Smith Park and offers super-sized picnic areas, barbecues, comfort stations, walking trails for joggers and cyclists and a children's playground as well as a pond.

If you come from the west of Mississauga Road and south of Lakeshore Park you will see about 73 acres of brown space known as the Imperial Oil Lands.

I took a few pictures of the Thomas Nightingale opened a brickyard on the west side of the Credit River in the 1880’s. He added a stone crusher which increased the production until the 1900s when there wasn't enough local labour to run the brickyards.

A series of bunkhouses were constructed and Italian workers were brought in to meet the demand.


After the First World War, the clay was becoming exhausted and the yards started operating at a loss. By 1929 the brickyards were closed.  This brick was found on the property of the old brickyards where it was made, perhaps over 100 years ago.

In 1933 the Lloyd Refining Company purchased part of the property to build a modern refinery capable of producing 1,500 barrels a day.  The refinery changed hands a few times including 1937 and 1946.  In 1955 the property was purchased by Texaco and their Canadian subsidiary McColl-Frontenac began operating the refinery.  In 1959 the name was changed to Texaco Canada Ltd.  Petrochemicals were produced here beginning in 1978 but by 1985 it was starting to be decommissioned.  The oil tank farm was removed first and by 1987 it was fully closed.  Only one small building remains on site along with a storage shed.

The property has sat vacant for a couple of decades now and is highly contaminated from its years as an oil refinery.  As of March 2017, Imperial Oil is selling the property to a developer who plans to develop a waterfront park, mid-rise condos and affordable housing on the site.  Today the property is home to a large selection of wildlife.  Coyote scat is everywhere and rabbits and squirrels provide food for them as well as the hawks.  A white tailed deer was casually feeding just inside the fence from Mississauga Road.

Roadways and concrete pads mark the locations of the former tanks and buildings.  The property is marked as no trespassing because of the numerous hazards that exist throughout.  This story is presented to preserve the site as it exists at this moment in time.  Soon it will change forever and this chapter will be lost.  Choosing to explore here is solely your responsibility.  A large man-made pond covers a section of the property and may feature in redevelopment plans for a central park within the community.  The pond is currently full of pipes that have started to break apart over the years of abandonment.

The lower corner of the pond still has the dam and flood control devices intact.  Two sluice gates could be opened by turning handwheels.  The cover photo shows a closer look at the mechanics of the system.

Outflow from the pond was transferred to a series of settling ponds to remove solids from the water.  From here it was carried through a concrete pipe and released into the lake.

We made our way to the end of the concrete pipe that discharged the water from the pond on the Imperial Oil Lands.  The round concrete pipe has been encased in a concrete shell to protect it from the effects of the lake.

The Waterfront Trail takes the name Imperial Oil Trail as it passes along the lake side of the property.  We followed it west to where you are forced briefly to follow the road.  That wasn’t such a bad thing as we were treated to a broad-winged hawk sitting on a hydro wire.  These birds usually winter in the south and I wonder if this one was noticing the -20-celsius wind and wishing it hadn’t come back yet.

Ben Machree Park has some interesting wood carvings by Jim Menkin.  Jim has converted dead tree stumps into art with his chainsaw in many parts of Ontario including Orangeville and Mississauga.  This park features three wood carvings named “Sirens of Homer’s Odyssey”.

We returned along the Imperial Oil Trail east toward the mouth of the Credit River.  Just east of the concrete drainage pipe from the oil lands is a lengthy finger pier extending out into Lake Ontario.  This pier provides great views to the west looking toward Rattray Marsh.  To the east, you can see the Ridgetown with the city of Toronto in the background. The ship is partially sunk at the mouth of the Credit River to provide shelter for the marina.  Our post on the Ridgetown contains its fascinating history.

In the 1940’s Port Credit ended at Lake Street, of all places!  Today it extends out into the lake in the form of J. C. Saddington Park.  This park is built on a decommissioned dump that was in use from 1949 to 1970. A pond has been created for recreation and fishing and benches positioned around for relaxation. The pond has a thin layer of ice on it from the past two days of cold weather and a light dusting of snow.  A sliver of the moon can be seen above the trees in the middle of the picture.

Three historic buildings stand in the corner of the parking lot. Dating from 1922 to 1923 the Port Credit Waterworks pumping station was a major advancement in the infrastructure of Port Credit.

Swans, Canada Geese and several species of ducks were all to be seen in the lake today.  Of interest was the fact that they have gone back into pairs after spending the winter in groups.  Spring must be coming soon…
A 1973 Toronto Archive Aerial photo of the oil lands can be accessed here.