1.
The university reach of Taddle Creek begins at Bloor Street. Long before many of the buildings on the modern St. George campus existed, this now entirely underground waterway flowed through their current locations. Throughout the 1800s, the creek was covered up. Now there are only a few pieces of evidence left of its former glory.
2.
Philosopher’s Walk traces the course that Taddle Creek once followed. The Royal Conservatory of Music, the Royal Ontario Museum, the Edward Johnson Building, and Trinity College flank the creek’s former path. It stretches from Bloor Street to Hoskin Avenue.
3.
One of the valleys created by Taddle Creek can be seen alongside Philosopher’s Walk. Efforts were made to turn Taddle Creek back into an aboveground waterway using this valley—a process known as “daylighting.” The project aimed to re-establish the creek to a more natural state. But because a suitable water source was unobtainable, the plan was never realized. Rainwater runoff from the roofs of neighbouring buildings was one of the options considered. However, that idea was abandoned as it would have produced inconsistent water flow. During periods of heavy rainfall the creek would be full, but a lack of precipitation would leave the valley with a series of pools.
4.
Evidence of Taddle Creek disappears until just past Hart House, where another of the waterway’s former valleys can be seen.
5.
The six-kilometer-long underground creek continues beyond the university reach, all the way to the Don River.
