Fall in the Ravines: Community-Led Events Bringing People Together

This past Fall, as golden leaves lined Toronto’s winding trails, communities across the city gathered once again to celebrate Ravine Days, a city-wide celebration honouring the natural beauty and importance of Toronto’s ravine system. In partnership with the City of Toronto, Park People’s InTO the Ravines program continues to support local leaders and grassroots groups who are finding creative ways to connect people to nature, community, and care for these vital green spaces.

This year, the stories emerging from the ravines remind us that connection can take many forms, whether through the quiet wonder of a starry sky, the joyful presence of our pets, or the rhythmic heartbeat of a drum.

Exploring the Night with The Scarborough Sky

On a crisp September evening, a group of curious Torontonians gathered at Morningside Park’s Highland Creek Ravine for something extraordinary: a chance to look up.

Hosted by The Scarborough Sky, a 2025 InTO the Ravines Alumni Microgrant recipient, the event invited participants to explore the relationship between urban light, nature, and the night sky. Using the ravine’s natural landscape to shield some of the city’s glow, guests were able to see Saturn and its iconic rings, trace constellations, and even catch a glimpse of a drone show lighting up the horizon.

For many, it was their first time peering through a telescope, testing out the provided equipment, learning the basics of astronomy, and rediscovering a sense of awe that can be hard to find in the city. The event was more than a stargazing night; it was a reminder that the ravines are not only spaces for animal habitat and stewardship and restoration, but also for wonder, learning, and connection to the vastness beyond us.

Protecting Nature—One Paw at a Time

Over in High Park, another 2025 InTO the Ravines Microgrant recipient, Paws for Parks, brought together a different kind of community: people and their pups!

In partnership with the High Park Nature Centre, this volunteer-led group hosted a fun and educational event where 25 dog owners and their four-legged friends joined a guided walk through the park. Along the way, they learned practical tips for keeping parks safe and healthy for all creatures, human and otherwise.

The group’s message was simple yet powerful: small actions make a big difference. By picking up after our pets, keeping dogs leashed (except in designated areas), staying on trails, and being mindful of wildlife, we can all play a role in protecting the green spaces we love. The day ended with a shared meal, laughter, and new friendships, a beautiful example of how care for nature and community go hand-in-hand or in this case: paw-in-paw.

Healing Through Art and Nature with Vera & Teresa

On a sunny afternoon, community members gathered near the St. Clair West Station with Teresa to take part in a guided walk and ceremony celebrating the rich natural and cultural history of the Cedarvale Ravine. The event opened with a land acknowledgement and a brief discussion about the ravine’s wetlands—an essential ecosystem that supports local wildlife, improves urban biodiversity, and provides meaningful opportunities for nature connection in the heart of the city. Participants were then honoured to join an Indigenous ceremony led by Anishinaabe grandmother Vivian Recollet, who shared teachings while offering water and strawberries, grounding the group in gratitude and respect for the land.

Volunteers were equipped with gloves and garbage bags to help clean the trail as they explored the ravine’s winding paths. Along the way, organizers highlighted wetland features and pointed out wildlife spotted throughout the route, deepening participants’ appreciation of the ravine’s ecological importance. Midway through, the group paused at a picnic area to enjoy snacks and juice while taking part in a hands-on craft activity: creating ribbon-braid bracelets in blue, green, and yellow to represent the sky, trees, and sun. The event created a meaningful blend of environmental stewardship, cultural learning, and joyful community connection.

Community members gathered at Cedar Ridge Park and Gardens with Vera, overlooking the beautiful Highland Creek ravine, for a meaningful afternoon of cultural learning and nature connection. The event opened with a Land Acknowledgement, followed by an Indigenous smudging and drumming ceremony that grounded participants in gratitude and respect for the land. These opening moments set a reflective tone, honouring the deep relationships Indigenous peoples hold with the ravines and inviting participants to approach the day with openness and intention.

From there, attendees began a guided hike into the ravine, accompanied by Indigenous Elders who offered teachings on place, stewardship, and the importance of slowing down to build personal relationships with nature. Along the trail, participants took part in an “En Plein Air” outdoor art experience, choosing either open-air sketching and painting or quiet journaling as a way to deepen their connection to the landscape. This creative practice encouraged participants not only to observe the ravine but to truly sit with it, reflect on it, and express their experiences. The activity also served as an invitation for people to return on their own in the future to continue sketching, writing, and connecting with Cedar Ridge’s unique natural spaces. The event blended learning, creativity, and community in a way that strengthened participants’ sense of belonging and stewardship for the ravine.

Celebrating Community Leadership in the Ravines

Each of these events, though unique, reflects a shared vision: empowering local leaders to bring their communities together in the ravines through creativity, stewardship, and connection.

From astronomy nights under the stars to mindful walks with our pets, and drum-led healing circles, the 2025 InTO the Ravines program continues to highlight how community-driven events can spark curiosity, responsibility, and care for these essential green spaces. 

As Ravine Days and the Into the Ravines Program wrap up for another year, the echoes of laughter and sometimes barking, music, and discovery linger among the trees and through the rumbling of the ravine, reminding us that when we connect with our ravines, we connect with each other, with nature, and with the city we call home.