Next in my #DrawnToToronto series is The Don Valley Brickworks - an industrial quarry site turned city park and cultural centre operated by Evergreen. This victorian brick making factory operated for nearly 100 years and provided bricks for most of the city’s old iconic buildings including Casa Loma, Osgoode Hall and Massey Hall. - In 1994 the quarry was filled in using material from the excavation of the Scotia Plaza downtown. It was then landscaped and ponds were formed from Mud Creek. These ponds now hold a variety of wildlife including abandoned goldfish, blue herons and mossy snapping turtles who will float by the boardwalk to beg for food from visitors. - There’s a great Children’s garden that allows kids to build with natural materials, dig, plant and get dirty playing with nature. There’s also a fire pizza oven that is operated during the summer. The buildings also play host to farmer’s markets, weddings and corporate events. In the winter there’s a figure eight skating rink in the courtyard. - In the late 1800’s a geologist named Coleman discovered a 130,000 year old giant beaver tooth in the walls of the quarry. This beaver species was one of the largest rodents to have ever walked the earth at 7 feet long and more than 200 pounds. They went extinct after the Ice Age around 10,000 BC. - My favourite way to get to the Brickworks is by biking along Lake Ontario and up the Don Valley. - - #torontobrickworks #donvalley #donvalleybrickworks #giantbeaver #snappingturtle #naturalenvironment #environmentalism #artinthedon #farmersmarket #toronto #yyz #the6ix #ontario #canada #seagull #gull #bird #illustration #illustrationart #illustrationoftheday #procreate #design #creativity #torontoillustrators #cityliving #passionproject #passiontopaid https://www.instagram.com/p/BphbymEnNxn/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=16rma5hoftx2v