This will be my last post for awhile. Winter is coming and, although I enjoy walking in the winter, I can’t see that happening in my current condition. I will continue with my physiotherapist sessions and daily exercises so that I can start again in the Spring.

I have 2 ideas for trips next year – an Ontario road trip and Algonquin Park camping/canoeing. In the meantime, I’ll finish our Beltline walk. Eve and I picked up the trail from where we left off. Here we are at the entrance, just south of Oriole Park. On the left is the Beltline trail going north where we were yesterday.

We head south. On our left is the TTC Maintenance yard. The building in the centre is TTC headquarters.

In this stretch, the city recently had fitness equipment installed. There are instruction guides posted to help people to increase their exercise activity.

We cross the bridge over Yonge street. Another recent art installation – The Iron Horse by Robert Sprachman. It was a temporary installation in 1994. It was very popular and returned as a permanent work in 2019 thanks to the Midtown BIA. Eve is bored and wants to get to the trail.

The title is in reference to the railway steam engine – otherwise known as the iron horse. The bridge was originally used by horses until tracks were laid for the train.

After crossing the bridge, we come to another commemorative Belt Line Railway station – Yonge. It is at the entrance to Mount Pleasant Cemetery, which I covered in another post.

We continue on the trail. The cemetery is off to the right. There are always lots of dogs on this part of the trail. However, it is also a bike path. I’ve seen a number of times where a dog has been off leash and a bike is travelling at top speed. Shudder.

At one point, the Belt Line Railway went through what is now Mount Pleasant Cemetery. We now have to walk through the cemetery to get to Moore Ravine. At the entrance is a wall mural by some local high school students. It pays tribute to the Belt Line Railway.

Also, for years, this was the location of the Dominon Coal and Wood silos, which is incorporated into the mural.

We enter the cemetery property. To get to the trail, follow the grey paint line on the road.

I stopped to do some research on the cemetery for the other blog post.

Although the railway was removed to expand the cemetery, a part of it was kept and included in the Garden of Remembrance.

Just before we reach Moore Avenue, I stop to sit at one of my favourite benches.

The city has worked to improve the Moore Ravine area over the last few years. One of the first welcoming additions was a cross walk at Moore Ave. The street was very busy and trying to cross from the cemetery exit to the trail was often dangerous because of the speed the traffic was going.

Notice how gentle the grading is of this slope. For years it was cracked, broken pavement with a very sharp descent. Not for the faint of heart on a bike. Now it is a pleasure to walk down

The work has also included helping Mud Creek to flow better. Looking down at the creek, it is hard to believe that this was so vital to the building of Toronto. As noted in the Evergreen Brickworks blog, water was diverted from Mud Creek for the making of bricks.

Here is a Before picture of Mud Creek struggling to get through. It shows the erosion of the banks from water flow.

The new work helps the water flow from the storm sewers after a major rain fall.

I had not seen this construction work before. Building a retainer wall to create a backyard for the houses.

The Cat’s Eye bridge which is another entrance to the Moore Ravine Beltline from Heath St.

It is a ravine so the houses are farther from the trail than the Kay Gardener section.

Sat down on the only bench on the trail to ease my back. As I was listening to the sound of Mud Creek, I heard a tapping behind me. Woody Woodpecker was hunting for bugs.

Another later addition to the Brickworks was this bridge. For years one had to bypass the meadow to get to the steps. This bridge was built and takes you to the top end of the meadow.

I’ve already written about the meadow so we continue to the old entrance. Before we get there, have a look at the Chorely Park switchback.

For years there was a steep path that led up to the area known as Chorely Park. The park once held the residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario. It was a magnificent mansion that was torn down because no one wanted to maintain the expense.

So many people used the hill to get to the Beltline that a path was formed. When the Moore Ravine renovation was being planned, a paved switchback path was incorporated into it.

This is the old entrance. In the beginning, there was just the steps going down. The Weston Family provided funding for the Quarry Garden and accessibility path leading to it.

We headed through the Brickworks to the TTC bus stop. However, before I finish, I want to share one more photo. On January 1, 2007, the weather was exceptional warm; t-shirt weather. My first thought was to take the boys out for a long walk. We ended up going down the Moore Ravine to the Brickworks meadow.

Dublin, Dante, Odin. It was a magical moment considering it was January 1st. The place was empty. Guess no one else thought to come down here that day. I will come back here again in 2024 to enjoy this urban paradise again.