Pottery Road Bridge

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 The Miller, Scottish Traditional

Not the first time I’ve explored and recorded under the Pottery Road Bridge, hidden away in the depths of the Don Valley, and I’m sure it won’t be the last - this is one of my favourite ‘secret spaces’ to play in, and not just for the wonderful acoustics. The historical significance of this area might be of particular interest to Toronto readers: peering back in time, Muddy York’s original industry and manifestations of enterprise were once located all around this very spot. At a time when bear and cougar were commonplace through this area – one still sees foxes, coyote and deer in our urban midsts – many early and extremely successful mills lined the banks of the Don River amidst massive stands of pine and thick, original forest.

The Don River has undergone concerted and ongoing efforts for revitalization in recent years and is the living, breathing heart of our bustling metropolis: Toronto is renowned internationally for its stunning network of  protected ravines, the Don being one of the main arteries, which offer a network of well-used bike and hiking trails, not to mention the exceptional Don Valley Parkway, surely one of North America’s finest highway approaches to a major city. All in all, a splendid example of ‘Nature in the City’.

There is a sense of wonderment to be discovered under this bridge - my concern is less to do with any wildlife I might encounter as it is the sense that I might run into graffiti artists with attitude. I like to think that I could hold my own, and figure they’d actually dig the sound of the flute in this echo-chamber. I can even imagine them tagging while I play, adding detail to the colourful mural that can be seen here across the river. This bridge is not so much claustrophobic as isolated - edgy yet oddly restful and tranquil all at once. And I love how the ambient, pervasive sound of the traffic on the wet pavement overhead weaves in and out of the reverberations of the flute.

My first ventures capturing soundscapes for Urban Flute Project were just down the Bayview Extension from this location at the sprawling Brickworks site. A year and a half ago it was an extended Indian Summer, and I was admittedly a little obsessive about getting in as much outdoor recording as possible before winter moved in. The cold doesn’t stop me now, especially for short recording stints like this: hey, it’s Canada after all!  ‘The Miller’ featured here is an ancient Scottish melody, apropo given that Toronto’s earliest history can be traced back to the mills of the area. Understandably, most of those original structures are now long-since vanished; however some remarkable buildings are still existent and can be discovered just steps from the Pottery Road Bridge at Todmorden Mills. If you haven’t taken time to explore hidden pockets of the Don Valley you should really check it out – any time of year!

Lynx I mean links to follow – please check back soon!