Route of an original creek, now buried but still active, that was a major influence on the development of the city and the primary reason for Toronto’s nickname of “Muddy York.”
Details of Site Location: The Taddle extended from the Third Concession west of Bathurst Street and north of St. Clair Avenue, crossed the city from northwest to southeast, and entered the harbour west of the foot of Parliament Street. En route, it picked up several tributaries.
Historical Description: From the plateau on top of the escarpment, the Taddle gathered its waters from the area west of Bathurst well north of St. Clair. At St. Clair, just west of Christie Street, the creek crossed into the Second Concession and spread out in the area known today as the TTC’s former Wychwood Yards. This swampy area was called Poverty Pond by local people. When Wychwood Park was first being developed, Poverty Pond was drained, and the creek channelled into the centre of the subdivision where it was named Wychwood Pond. From here, the creek crossed Davenport Road and flowed through the MacNamara Market Garden (now the TTC’s Hillcrest Yards). At Bathurst, the creek may have picked up an ancient flow which cut a swale in the escarpment. But the ancient flow is not shown on early maps, and it is not known how long ago it dried up. South of Davenport the creek crossed Bathurst and flowed into Seaton Village and meandered through the Annex. Up until the 1870s, the Taddle flowed freely across Baldwin lands, and only when these farmlands were being developed were efforts made to bury the creek as a nuisance. A tributary flowing directly south, parallel to Bedford Road, was picked up north of Bloor, and the merged waters crossed into Yorkville’s southwest corner near Lowther Avenue. At Prince Arthur Avenue, the creek ponded at the rear of today’s 23 Prince Arthur; in earlier years it watered the famous gardens of Mayor John Shaw. The pond was drained when the east–west subway was built and channelled into a storm sewer, but the flow may still be seen in the Bedford subway station tunnel. Crossing Bloor, the creek ran due south through Queen’s Park to McCaul’s Pond, which was used for boating, fishing, and college highjinks. Turning slightly eastward near Wellesley, the creek then flowed south again, picking up other tiny tributaries and with them forming a huge swamp on the north side of College. The swamp was so large that it forced the relocation of College Street northwards at least twice. Still west of Yonge, the creek flowed south again to cross Yonge near Shuter Street. During its most active years, a bridge had been built to allow Yonge Street traffic to cross the flow. That flow may still be seen in the subway tunnel at that location, and in the foundations of the bank building at 199 Yonge. At Church Street, another tributary was picked up, from which point the creek passed through the oldest part of the city to enter the harbour just west of the foot of Parliament Street.
Relative Importance: The Taddle’s importance should not be underestimated: it affected almost all of the city below the escarpment, and was the cause of York’s muddiness.
Planning Implications: In planning for the future, Taddle Creek could be marked as a walking trail, with plaques at various historic points along its route where old bridges, ponds, and buildings once existed.
Reference Sources: Miles Atlas of York County (1878); Goad’s Atlases of 1884, 1890, 1900, 1910; Ian Montagnes, The Taddle.
Acknowledgements: Toronto Field Naturalists; Lost Rivers Project; Community History Project files.