Rouge River (Ontario)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- This article is about the river that flows through Toronto. For other rivers with the same name, see Rouge River.
The Rouge River is a two river system Little Rouge and Rouge River in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begins at the Oak Ridges Moraine near Richmond Hill. These rivers flow past:
- Markham, Ontario, northwest, central, to south, including a couple of conservation areas.
- Eastern edge of Scarborough
- Rouge Valley Park[1]
At the southern end, the Rouge River system is the boundary between Toronto and southwestern Pickering. Rouge River empties into Lake Ontario.
Its original name in Iroquois was Katabokokonk.
The Rouge River is part of the Rouge Park which claims to be the largest urban park in North America, although South Mountain Park in Phoenix, Arizona is larger. It is one of a few wilderness areas left in South-Central Ontario, and has been virtually untouched by development since the arrival of Europeans. While many exclusive homes and conclaves border this area on the southern tip, it is currently surrounded largely by agricultural land. It is even devoid of recreational development but sports a considerable network of walking or bicycle paths. Unlike other rivers in the Toronto area, is allowed to fill its entire flood plain on a regular basis rather than being forced through an artificial channel. However, parts of its watershed include the Toronto Zoo and the Beare Road Landfill.
In the former city of Scarborough, the Rouge was the "third rail" issue of municipal politics, and many minor candidates for mayor often ran on a platform to preserve it. However, since Scarborough was annexed into the city of Toronto, Toronto City Council has voted on occasion to allow development around the river.
Currently, there is a degree of abandonment in the area, of former farm lands, and historic houses. There also remains many historic houses which are still lived in, some even farmed. Research on Toronto's website listing its holdings of historic properties reveals over 20 historic buildings in the area, including Hillside PS, Scarborough's first schoolhouse, which sits across the street from a house built by the Pearse family in 1855.
