User:Alaney2k/Bridges of the Lower Don Valley

The Lower Don valley is located between Lake Ontario, north to the forks of the Don. The Lower Don was a former bay of Lake Iroquois from the area of today's Prince Edward Viaduct, north and east to the Forks. The area south of the Viaduct was exposed when Lake Iroquois drained below the level of today's Lake Ontario, then a higher floodplain emerged from deposition after Lake Ontario rose to its present level, reducing the speed of the water and slope of the Lower Don to today's approximate course.

The Don used to meet Lake Ontario in the area of Toronto Harbour into a large wetlands. The wetlands were filled in, and the Don was re-routed into today's Keating Channel. The Don's channel from the Keating north, to north of today's Gerrard Street was straightened in the Don Improvement Project and roadways were built on both banks of the river. As part of the Don Valley Parkway project, the west bank roadway was connected to Bayview Avenue to the north. The east roadway was developed and widened into the Parkway. Part of the east side roadway, which climbed up to the intersection of Danforth Avenue and Broadview Avenue, was converted into an on-ramp to the northbound Parkway.

One of the first bridges across the Don was at the current Queen Street location, dating from 1800. The bridge was maintained by Henry Scadding, who had a cabin nearby. The cabin now resides at Exhibition Place. Another bridge across the Don was in the vicinity of today's Riverdale Park bridge. It was an extension of Winchester Street from the village of Don Vale, in the area of today's Riverdale Farm, across the Don connecting to the original Don Mills Road, now known as Broadview Avenue.

Lower Don bridges
The bridges of the Lower Don valley, from south (location of the mouth) to north. At Don Mills Road, the Don forks into the West Don River, the East Don River and Taylor Massey Creek.