Archaeological site, probably stratified.
Details of Site Location: On the east bank of the Humber River south of Bloor Street, at the upper end of Brûlé Gardens.
PDM: Borden # AjGn 3, easting 621,900, northing 4,833,200.
Boundary History: The boundaries of the site are unknown but are limited by the river on the west side and a high embankment on the east side.
Current Use of Property: Wild area and parkland with trails running through.
Historical Description: Konrad here identified an aboriginal village site, and he noted that a local resident had collected bones, points, and other lithics. It was recorded as a burial site. It is also the area of the later Dennis Shipyard. The route of the Humber was used for centuries by aboriginal peoples, and the banks of the river have many archaeological sites; the east bank in particular relates intimately to the Toronto Carrying Place Trail, which runs along this bank. The fact that burials were not made in village locations raises many questions about periods and types of usage and the need for archaeological investigation. Given its later and present uses, the site must be regarded as disturbed if not partially destroyed, and the action of Hurricane Hazel may well have removed material.
Relative Importance: In the 1971 survey, Konrad ranked the site as 5/5 in importance and 5/5 threatened. No further investigation has been made by the city.
Planning Implications: The site must be flagged for its heritage significance and archaeological investigation scheduled. The First Nations must be involved if human remains are found. The site should not be marked in any way until investigation is complete, in view of the area’s high use and fairly dense population. But local residents should be made aware of the site as archaeological investigation begins and should under¬stand that their local heritage asset really belongs to all of Ontario. A survey of residents should be made to determine the extent to which others have collected artefacts.
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); Maps Project files.
Acknowledgements: Ontario Archaeological Society, Toronto Branch; Maps Project; Province of Ontario Archaeological Database.