Leslie Street Spit

Tommy Thompson Park is located on a portion of the Leslie Street Spit. Tommy Thompson Park is owned by the Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) and co-managed with the City of Toronto. The remaining lands on the Leslie Street Spit are owned by Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry and leased to PortsToronto for the purposes of industrial activities such as depositing natural materials dredged from the Toronto harbour into confinement cells and the maintenance of shoreline alignment. These lands are managed by PortsToronto from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday for the purposes of such activities, and managed outside of these hours by TRCA when this area reverts to public access.

Dredging

Each year, PortsToronto removes approximately 30,0000 to 40,000 cubic metres of dredged material from the mouth of the Don River, with the goal of preventing future flooding and stemming the flow of unwanted material into Toronto’s Harbour which can pose a risk to boater navigation and public safety. Once removed from the channel bed, the muddy mixture of debris and sediment is transported by barge to the Leslie Street Spit for proper containment in what is called a “cell” or Confined Disposal Facility (CDF). Each of the cells located at the Spit were designed by PortsToronto to properly and safely contain natural material dredged from the Keating Channel.

Wetland Creation Project

Cell 1

In 2007, PortsToronto and TRCA completed the Cell 1 Wetland Creation Project, converting the CDF into a seven-hectare coastal wetland. Cell 1 is now home to marsh birds, including nesting Common Terns, turtles, amphibians, small mammals and native fish. Cell 1 has been very successful to date with reports of significantly increased fish populations and the return of pike and muskie to the harbour.

Cell 2

PortsToronto began sealing Cell 2 with a layer of clean fill in December 2014. In September 2016, PortsToronto, together with the TRCA, completed work on “Cell 2” to provide a second nine-hectare habitat that will benefit fish, migratory birds and various other species of wildlife.

Cell 3

The final cell, Cell 3, continues to be used for dredged materials, with approximately 30 to 40 years of capacity remaining.

Additional Information

With the completion of Cell 2 capping, the TRCA is no longer accepting fill (e.g. concrete, bricks or blocks) at the Leslie Street Spit.

The general public is welcome to use the Spit for recreational purposes during the following hours:

Weekdays 4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Weekends & Holidays 5:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Open all holidays except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.   

More information is available at tommythompsonpark.ca