Heart Lake Conservation Area

Heart Lake Conservation Area (HLCA) occupies 169 hectares (418 acres) in the Etobicoke Creek watershed, within the City of Brampton, Ontario. It is owned and managed by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).

Heart Lake at the Heart Lake Conservation Area
LocationBrampton
Coordinates43.742°N 79.795°W / 43.742; -79.795
Websitetrca.ca/parks/heart-lake-conservation-area/

HLCA’s diverse ecosystem includes Heart Lake, the headwaters for Spring Creek, a wetland complex, one of the largest individual blocks of forest in the Etobicoke Creek watershed, and surficial geology of glacial till and river deposits.[1]

HLCA offers many activities to the public, including hiking, fishing, swimming, Treetop Trekking and more. The conservation area is open to the public from the end of April to Thanksgiving weekend, weather permitting.

The opening of a Medicine Wheel Garden was celebrated May 20, 2010. It came as a vision from a male elder of the Anishnawbe Nation.[2] Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Peel Aboriginal Network, Heart Lake Community Action Area Group and the City of Brampton, created the Medicine Wheel Garden (Gitigaan Mashkiki).[3]

Hiking Trails

Heart Lake Conservation Area is home to five hiking trails, with 11 km of trails in total. Pokemon Go stops have been added to TRCA parks including Heart Lake.[4]

These include:

TrailLength (km)
Peel Trail3.8 km
Terry Fox Trail3.2 km
Rayner Trail0.7 km
Heart Lake - Esker Trail2.8 km
Connector Trail0.6 km

In spring 2017, a new fitness trail was added with strength training and enhanced stretching.[5]

Heart Lake

Heart Lake is the main focus of HLCA, offering users many water-based activities including fishing, boating and canoeing.

Fishing

HLCA offers visitors the ability to fish lakeside or from boats.

Heart Lake is stocked with rainbow trout, raised by TRCA at Glen Haffy Conservation Area’s Fish Hatchery each year. Other fish found in Heart Lake include bass and sunfish. During the summer, Heart Lake is one of the hosts for the Learn to Fish Program.[6]

Boating

Visitors at HLCA can enjoy boating activities on Heart Lake. HLCA offers boat rentals on-site.

Pool and Splash Pad

The Wild Wetland Splash and Pool Facility at HLCA includes an 840 sq metre, beach-entry swimming pool, with the deep end being 8 ft. in depth. Along with a heated swimming pool, the water facility also includes over thirty wetland-themed water features.[7]

Treetop Trekking
Treetop Trekking facilities at Heart Lake Conservation Area

Treetop Trekking Brampton is an aerial ropes and zip-line course located within HLCA. The course offers visitors 6 aerial courses, 7 zip lines and over 65 aerial games to enjoy.[8]

The course became a part of HLCA in 2013.

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References
  1. Heart Lake Conservation Area Master Plan Advisory Committee, TRCA. "Heart Lake Conservation Area Master Plan" (PDF). Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
  2. "Heart Lake Conservation Area - Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA)". Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA). Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  3. "Heart Lake Conservation Area - Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA)". Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA). Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  4. "Pokémon Go - Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA)". Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA). Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  5. "Heart Lake Conservation Area - Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA)". Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA). Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  6. "Learn to Fish". ontario.ca. Retrieved 2017-09-12.
  7. "Swimming & Splash". Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Toronto and Region Conservation.
  8. "Brampton Park". Treetop Trekking. n.p.
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