Taddle Creek

There are two plaques about this creek.
Both can be seen on this page.

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted August, 2010

This University of Toronto plaque is on Philosopher's Walk near Hoskin Avenue. Thanks to contributor Wayne Adam for informing me about it. Here's what it says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.66533 -79.394841

This naturalistic ravine park setting know as Philosopher's Walk was once host to Taddle Creek, which over time has become 'lost' to Toronto's citizens. Taddle Creek flowed south for approximately 6 km from its source area on the edge of the old Glacial Lake Iroquois shoreline near St. Clair Avenue where it joined the Don River as it entered Toronto harbour near the Distillery District. Water quality was maintained by natural vegetation covering the watershed and aquatic organisms in the stream course. Taddle Creek provided habitat for fish and wildlife and a gathering place for Toronto's early inhabitants, notable the Ojibway.

As a result of the damming of McCaul's Pond to the south, impeding the natural flow of Taddle Creek, and contamination that polluted the river and brought about the risk of typhus and other disease, the creek was buried south of College Street by the 1850's and north of Bloor Street by the 1870's. The old town of York had grown and the surrounding neighbourhoods had intensified, making an underground sanitation and sewage system a priority. The part of Taddle Creek remaining at the surface on University lands was diverted to this subterranean system and buried by 1884. The topography of this ravine remains as a tangible reminder of Taddle Creek, with the dips and valleys defining the original river banks and the walkway itself following much the same path as the 'lost river'.

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted May, 2007

The other is here on the ground between the trees on the left in front of the Terrence Donnelly Centre at 160 College Street on the University of Toronto grounds. Here's what it says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.659656 -79.392845

Near this location, a major stream once wove its way through the St. George Campus of the University of Toronto. Know as "Taddle Creek", the watercourse followed from headwaters in present-day Wychwood Park, off Bathurst Street, and followed a course that meandered south and southeast to enter Lake Ontario near Parliament Street. Taddle Creek was used by aboriginal peoples and European settlers as a navigation route and for drinking water. "University Creek", the watercourse, was a source of delight for the university. With the growth of the city, the creek became a popular location for fishing, skating and other recreational pursuits. In 1859, part of Taddle Creek was dammed to create McCaul's Pond (now site of Hart House Green) and a botanical garden.

Beginning in the mid 19th century the urbanization of Toronto led into sections of Taddle Creek being buried or channelled into the city's sewer system. The watercourse was completely buried in 1884. Today, Philosopher's Walk, winding through the north end of the campus from Bloor Street West to Hoskin Avenue, is the only visible remnant of the former Taddle Creek ravine. Taddle Creek Road, just west of this site, recalls the path of the stream through the south end of the campus on its journey toward the lake.

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Rivers and Waterways

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted March 31, 2011
A lovely web page on the history of Taddle Creek, and its relationship with the Philosopher's Walk. Very enriching to learn about the area. The little bio. on Taddle Creek, (pg 32 of the Spring 2011 Magazine of the Royal Ontario Museum) lead me to this web page, by searching Taddle Creek history. What a beautiful image on the Toronto Historical Board plaque, Taddle Creek- Lost River- 1884. I look forward to checking it out on my next walk through the campus park. Carol Brook

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