Oak Ridges Corridor Park
The Oak Ridges Corridor Park is 428 ha (1,057acres) that runs from Bathurst Street east to Bayview Avenue south of King Road. It is rolling countryside dotted with wetlands that are headwaters of the Humber River. It also features two sensitive kettle lakes, Bond and Phillips, which are both considered Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSIs).
In addition to the wonderful natural characteristics, its geographic position is of great significance. The Park is the last natural corridor crossing Yonge Street on the whole Oak Ridges Moraine. This is an important feature for wildlife migration. As such it became ground zero in the efforts to save as much of the Moraine as possible from urban development. Over 1700 people attended a Richmond Hill Council meeting in February, 2000 (held in a hotel ballroom to accommodate the crowd) to protest a development application for this property. Largely due to this overwhelming expression of public interest, when the Oak Ridges Moraine Act was passed in 2001, it included a provision for a “land swap” that would trade this sensitive land in Oak Ridges for provincially owned property elsewhere. This deal, whereby developers received an equitable amount of land in the Seaton area of Pickering for the Corridor Park property, was completed in 2007 when the Province took ownership. The Province engaged the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) to develop a management plan for the Park and has now completed an agreement with them to manage the property.
In developing the management plan for the Corridor Park, one of the first steps was to create a vision for the property. This is:
The Oak Ridges Corridor Park will be a sanctuary for nature and an essential ecological linkage on the Oak Ridges Moraine where visitors can learn about ecosystem features and functions, wildlife and human influences, and enjoy activities that are compatible with the natural and cultural values of the park.
Indeed it is a wonderful place to enjoy nature. As part of the agreement with the developers, a “spine trail” has been 
installed that runs from Bathurst Glen Golf Course at the west end to Sandbanks Drive near Bayview Avenue at the east end. This is part of the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail and will be linked at both ends to the 250 km of trail across the whole moraine. In the future, there will also be links to the new community centre at Sunset Beach Park and to the East Lands on the east side of Bayview Avenue. For a map of the trail visit www.richmondhill.ca. Parking is available at the golf course during its operating months and in a small lot off Old Colony Road just west of Bayview Avenue. There is a pedestrian traffic light at Yonge Street to allow safe passage across that road.
More information on the Oak Ridges Corridor Park Trail
