Toronto's Ravines: Conditions and Visitor Perspectives

Abstract

This thesis evaluates whether there are significant similarities and/or differences between how visitors perceive ravine park management and the consultation process in six sites across the City of Toronto. This was done with the aim of evaluating the condition and maintenance of ravine parks in order to develop recommendations for future planning efforts under Toronto’s new Ravine Strategy. A short survey with closed and open-ended questions was completed by 140 on-site visitors. To complement this data, each site was audited with a park audit tool and photographs were taken. Results highlight that people who visit ravines feel broadly positively about them when it comes to their maintenance and management, the safety of these sites, and the features and facilities within them. The most positively identified features were: naturalization and conservation work, art features, and educational features. The most unattractive features and conditions were: lack of way finding and signage, lack of garbage facilities, prevalence of litter, and poor water quality.

Additionally, there is general disagreement about the ravine planning process, equal proportions of respondents expressed cynicism, uncertainty, and optimism about the parks planning and consultation process. Results provide new insight into what the public perceives as the strengths and weaknesses of their local ravine parks which is important to inform future management efforts as the City has repeatedly stated that ravine park improvements are meant to be driven by the public. Recommendations are made to the future implementation plan of Toronto’s Ravine Strategy to conclude the thesis.