Item - 2021.NY28.19

North York Community Council:

1. Requested the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consult the nearby community and report back on naming the pathway from Westgate Boulevard into the Earl Bales Ravine in memory of Gerald Spring.

There is a pathway located in the Armour Heights neighbourhood, starting at Westgate Boulevard and leading into the Earl Bales Ravine, which is an extremely important and vital public space for the local community. Over the years, the path has been paved and extended throughout Earl Bales Park becoming a popular and frequented route by residents, visitors, dog walkers, and hikers from the area. The path and its natural beauty have been and continue to be a great source of pride and inspiration for the community at large.

Currently unnamed, the Summit Heights community has mobilized and gathered over 800 signatures to name the pathway after a local resident who passed away last month due to cancer. The resident, Gerald Spring, was an active member of the community and had a profound impact on his family, friends, neighbors, and the broader community. The attached petition and letters of support received by our Office attest to this fact. As a result, naming opportunities for the pathway or nearby alternatives in memory of Gerald Spring should be explored.