Located at the confluence of the Rouge River and Lake Ontario, the Rouge Park is the largest natural and cultural heritage park in an urban area in North America. It has played a vital role in the cultural development of the Toronto area and contains significant archaeological and geological sites, along with outstanding diversity.
The purpose of The Rouge North Management Plan (RNMP) was to develop a document to guide the definition and implementation of the Rouge Park from Steeles Avenue northward to the Oak Ridges Moraine. This will result in the creation of a continuous park along the corridors of the Rouge River from Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine, resulting in the creation of North America’s largest urban natural environment park. Although the Plan was developed based on watershed planning principles and makes recommendations for the implementation of watershed-wide initiatives, it is primarily a plan for the Rouge Park, which is envisioned as the spine of the watershed ecosystem. The RNMP sets out a framework for the creation of a linear park system along the stream corridors within the Rouge River watershed north of Steeles Avenue.
The RNMP was prepared with recognition of and respect for the intrinsic and interwoven relationship between the health of the watershed and the sustainability of the resources within the park. The Plan sets out recommendations to guide the stewardship, protection, restoration, management, accessibility and use of Rouge Park North lands. The Plan was focused on characterizing the watershed, formulating a strategic approach to define the park and achieving consensus on the principles, objectives and methodologies explored. The Plan also sets out guidelines and recommendations for the planning and development of lands adjacent to the Park to ensure that a compatible social, physical and ecological interface is achieved.
