A long-standing Toronto tradition could soon return to the Don River after a years-long hiatus.
The city is pushing to revive Paddle the Don – a popular event that began in 1993 and saw hundreds of paddling enthusiasts canoe or kayak along the Don River to promote watershed awareness and environmental stewardship.
Coun. Paula Fletcher says the timing is right to bring the event back after major flood protection and river restoration work in the Port Lands.
“We have a brand new river mouth,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be exciting to be able to take your canoe right down to the launching area near the Inner Harbour instead of into that Keating Channel, which was basically a walled zone?”
The Don River’s new mouth, a result of the Port Lands Flood Protection project, will allow paddlers to make their way to Toronto’s Inner Harbour. Previously, the harbour could only be accessed through the less scenic Keating Channel. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
Toronto city council recently approved a motion asking the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to explore bringing back Paddle the Don in 2027.
In a statement, TRCA CEO, John MacKenzie, said he’s aware of the city’s request and while there are “logistical considerations” related to work in and around the Lower Don River, “TRCA is committed to collaborating with the city and our partners to explore opportunities that promote environmental education, highlight the importance of healthy urban waterways, and enhance connections to regional river systems including the Don River.”
‘A unique perspective’
Paddle the Don ran annually until 2020 but was paused due to COVID-19 pandemic, extensive construction linked to the Port Lands Flood Protection Project, and “broader operational, safety, and financial considerations associated with delivering the event,” MacKenzie said.
For longtime paddler Brian Jackson, the event’s possible return is welcome news.
“I was definitely worried it would never come back,” he said.
Jackson has participated in Paddle the Don six or seven times and feels the event offers a rare point of view on Toronto’s landscape.
(Submitted by Brian Jackson)
“You’re blending the wildlife and nature that Toronto has to offer with that urban landscape,” he said. “You look one direction and see the CN Tower. You’re paddling under the Danforth, under subway tracks and GO train tracks. It’s a unique perspective.”
He also said the event fostered a strong sense of community, with volunteers helping paddlers navigate portages and rapids along the route.
“It made you feel more connected with the other citizens of Toronto,” he said.
He’s also excited to see the results of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project.
The restoration efforts began in 2017 with work reshaping the lower Don River into a more naturalized waterway designed to reduce flood risk in Toronto’s east end while restoring wildlife habitat and public access to the waterfront, the TRCA website says.
Opportunity to show off Port Lands restoration
Fletcher feels Paddle the Don would be a great opportunity to show off all of those improvements.
“This was … a billion-dollar project with three levels of government,” she said. “Exploring that all the way from Sunnybrook Park right down to the Inner Harbor would probably be one of the most exciting things people can think about doing.”
The councillor also pointed to ecological restoration efforts along the river, including the replanting of native species grown from seeds believed to have been dormant for more than a century.
Fletcher acknowledged that reviving Paddle the Don would require co-ordination among multiple partners and likely a major sponsor. But she remains optimistic.
“If we can build a new river mouth,” she said, “we can get people down it in canoes.”