The Leslie Street Spit, Tommy Thompson Park is a public urban wilderness on a man-made peninsula at the southern extension of Leslie Street. During the 60s and 70s, the spit was used as a disposal site for rubble and soil generated by urban growth. However, over time, nature has reclaimed the Spit with a variety of vegetation and some of thelargest existing habitat. Over 290 migratory birds visit the Spit every year and a good number of them breed there. Hence it has been declared an Important Bird Area (IBA)
The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority currently owns the land and the water bodies including Tommy Thompson Park. The original purpose of the headlands was to provide a break from the increased shipping traffic at the Toronto Outer Harbour. It was never part of the City's plan for it to be evolved into an urban wilderness. In 2006, the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp. announced that it will incorporate the Spit into the larger Lake Ontario Park.
Follow this link for more photos about the Spit
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