Vale of Avoca Footbridge Commemorative Plaque, 2020.
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Resource ID
8181
Access
Open
Date of Creation
2020
Program Category
Caption
Vale of Avoca Footbridge Commemorative Plaque, 2020.
Description
These stone pillars once flanked a historic footbridge that crossed Yellow Creek. Built in the late 19th century, the bridge was part of a trail system in Reservoir Park (now David A. Balfour Park). The bridge, which had decorative stone shards on its pillars, was a popular place for taking photographs. The Vale of Avoca is the name of the northwestern reach of the Rosedale Ravine. Its natural beauty was an escape from the pollution of downtown Toronto. The names of Deer Park and Mashquoteh, two nearby colonial estates, referenced the local animals and geography. Mashkode means prairie or open plain in Anishinaabemowin, the language of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, whose Treaty 13 lands include Toronto. Yellow Creek, a tributary of the Don River, was mostly buried in the last century. It emerges only in the Vale of Avoca. The footbridge was closed for safety reasons and was neglected. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority began emergency erosion control works in the ravine in 2019. With local citizens, the footbridge was identified as a heritage feature and the two eastern pillars were preserved.