Rouge Park

Rouge Park is a large natural environment park in Canada's most urbanized area, located in east Toronto and the large neighbouring town of Markham, in York Region. The lands now in the park were once home to resorts and cottages from the late 1800s to the 1950s. It is the only large valley land area in Toronto where people can still enjoy a wilderness experience, since other rivers in the city are now surrounded by urban development. People can still live a rural life, and even farm in the park. It is the only remaining countryside landscape within the city of Toronto.

Established in 1995 by the Province of Ontario, the park consists of 50 square kilometres (12356 acres) of parkland, in Toronto and Markham. The park protects 12% of the Rouge River watershed, with park lands also protecting small parts of the Petticoat Creek and Duffins Creek watersheds, to the East. The Rouge River remains the healthiest river that flows through Toronto. Ecological preservation and restoration were needed. Preservation of near-urban agriculture is the park's main objective.

Rouge is the largest nature park within an urban area in North America. It stretches from Lake Ontario in the south, Lake Ontario north to the post-glacial Oak Ridges Moraine in York Region.

The park is open with free admission to visitors year-round. Camping fees at seasonal campground apply. There are 12 km of rustic hiking trails in the Toronto part of the park. In Toronto, the park is accessible by public transport by TTC buses, and GO transit trains and buses.

ee also

* 10,000 Trees for the Rouge Valley

References

* [http://www.rougepark.com/ Rouge Park website]