November 22, 2024 Reimagining Underutilized Urban Space: A Walk Through the Meadoway On August 27, 2024, members of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute (OPPI) embarked on an evening tour of The Meadoway, a pioneering ecological restoration project transforming Scarborough's Gatineau hydro corridor into vibrant, connected green spaces. The tour, organized by Michael Matthys (Planning Lead at SvN Architects + Planners Inc.) and Erin L. Smith (Director of the TOC Program at Infrastructure Ontario), brought together urban planners to experience firsthand the environmental, recreational, and urban planning benefits this project brings to the city. The Meadoway is an evolving initiative led by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), in partnership with the City of Toronto and Hydro One, made possible by the generous support of the Weston Family Foundation. What started in 2012 as the Scarborough Centre Butterfly Trail – a 3.25-kilometre meadow restoration pilot project – has grown into a vision for a 16-kilometre urban greenspace that will one day connect Rouge National Urban Park to downtown Toronto. While implementation of the full 16 kilometres is still in progress, several key sections have been completed, making significant contributions to Toronto's environmental and recreational goals. During the tour, attendees explored two key sections. Section 4, known as the Scarborough Centre Butterfly Trail, spans 25 hectares of meadow and nearly 5 kilometres of trail, running from Thomson Memorial Park to Scarborough Golf Club Road. This established area demonstrates how meadow restoration can bring biodiversity back to urban environments. In Section 5, called The Ravines, which stretches from Scarborough Golf Club Road to Neilson Road, 16 hectares of meadow and 2 kilometres of trail were restored as the first segment fully implemented by TRCA. Section 5 is now nearing a significant milestone: the design of public realm features, including seating, signage, and gathering spaces, which will further support the corridor as a community hub for recreation and education. This reimagined hydro corridor now provides vital habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, while offering residents a place to connect with nature. Meadow restoration goes beyond aesthetics; by reintroducing native plants and controlling invasive species, The Meadoway enhances biodiversity, improves water management, and strengthens the resilience of the local ecosystem. The integration of trails, public spaces, and restored ecosystems highlights the project’s holistic approach to urban planning – one that supports environmental sustainability, fosters community engagement, and helps meet the recreational needs of the city’s residents. The tour sparked discussions on the broader challenges encountered during the planning and implementation phases. Topics such as governance, partnerships, land ownership, and community involvement were key, as the project spans city-owned land and TRCA-managed spaces. Public consultation played a crucial role in shaping the project, ensuring that it meets the needs of surrounding communities. The Meadoway stands as an ambitious model for sustainable urban planning, offering valuable insights for both planners and environmentalists. Its focus on ecological restoration, active transportation, and thoughtful public realm design sets a precedent for how underutilized urban spaces can be reimagined to benefit both people and the environment. For those interested in learning more, OPPI members are encouraged to explore The Meadoway on their own to witness firsthand how this project is transforming Toronto's urban green spaces. Visit The Meadoway Website to learn more! Follow us on social media: @TRCA_Meadoway @themeadoway The Meadoway Post by Amanda Lazarevski, Project Coordinator, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority The views expressed in this blog post are those of the author(s), and may not reflect the position of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. Post by Amanda Lazarevski conservation, meadoway, OPPI, Toronto Print FaceBook Share Link LinkedIn Share Link Twitter Share Link Email Share Link Back To Home Recent Posts Link to: Reimagining Underutilized Urban Space: A Walk Through the Meadoway Reimagining Underutilized Urban Space: A Walk Through the Meadoway November 22, 2024 Link to: Reimagining Underutilized Urban Space: A Walk Through the Meadoway Link to: Municipal agri-food systems planning capacity: lessons learned from across Ontario Municipal agri-food systems planning capacity: lessons learned from across Ontario November 15, 2024 Link to: Municipal agri-food systems planning capacity: lessons learned from across Ontario Link to: Trent Hills Active Transportation & Trails Plan Trent Hills Active Transportation & Trails Plan October 24, 2024 Link to: Trent Hills Active Transportation & Trails Plan