Archaeological site.
Details of Site Location: At Berry Road on the Mimico Creek channel, north of the Queensway.
PDM: Borden # AjGu 10, easting 621,000, northing 4,832,150.
Boundary History: The boundaries of the site are unknown.
Current Use of Property: Open land, although streets with housing reach into the site.
Historical Description: On the basis of current information, this site is believed to be that of an aboriginal village of undetermined date and culture. It was reported by George Chowns and recorded in 1971 by Victor Konrad. A local resident has a collection of ceramics and points, but the locations from which these were taken was not recorded. The property is owned by the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. Because of channelling of Mimico Creek, it is expected that the site will have been disturbed, but only archaeological investigation can determine to what extent it may have been destroyed.
Relative Importance: The area should be flagged for its heritage significance, which was ranked by archaeologist Konrad as 5/5 in importance and 5/5 threatened.
Planning Implications: Archaeology is imperative at this property, as the site has already been affected. A canvassing of residents in the area to determine what artefacts may exist in private hands is also necessary. The records of TRCA need to be consulted by the resident archaeologist, Bob Burger, who should be asked to arrange for a dig.
Local residents need to be informed of their responsibilities where archaeological artefacts are concerned and about how they may help to understand a part of the city’s 10,000 years of aboriginal habitation. The risk in disseminating this information is that the site could be further disturbed or vandalized, and materials removed for marketing through dealers.
Reference Sources: Victor A. Konrad, The Archaeological Resources of the Metropolitan Toronto Planning Area: Inventory and Prospect (Department of Geography, York University, Discussion Paper Series #10, 1973); Etobicoke LACAC.
Acknowledgements: Maps Project; Etobicoke Historical Society; Ontario Archaeological Society, Toronto Branch; Province of Ontario Archaeological Database.