A push is underway to protect Bond Lake and its surrounding green space in Richmond Hill by transforming the area into an urban provincial park.
City council is urging Premier Doug Ford’s government to take action as concerns mount over the environmental impact of unregulated public use.
According to an article by The Argus, Described as a “real jewel” by Mayor David West, Bond Lake is nestled within the Oak Ridges Corridor Conservation Reserve (ORCCR) — 600 hectares of moraine land stretching between Bathurst and Leslie streets.
Despite being off limits to activities like boating, swimming, and picnicking, the lake has become a seasonal hotspot, often overwhelmed by visitors.
“The potential there is great,” said West during a July council meeting. “That really needs to be opened up for our residents and for the public.”
In recent summers, visitors have brought boats and party supplies on makeshift trails, damaging sensitive vegetation, littering, and creating parking challenges for nearby residents.
Enforcement by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), which manages the area, has been limited.
West also raised safety concerns, noting that emergency services often struggle to reach visitors in distress.
People could enjoy the lake responsibly if proper infrastructure were in place, he argued. “Trails, parking, maybe a couple of boardwalk outlooks” would make the area more accessible and help manage its use.
He’s calling on Infrastructure Ontario — the provincial agency that owns much of the land — to invest in making the ORCCR more usable while protecting its ecological integrity.
He also pointed to the creation of an urban provincial park in Uxbridge on moraine land last year as a model.
The corridor’s current management plan expires in 2027, creating an opportunity for new investment and a park designation.
Regional and local Councillor Joe DiPaola supported the mayor’s motion but issued a word of caution.
“Bond is relatively untouched compared to other kettle lakes; if a new park is too highly publicized, it might be overrun and the lake contaminated,” he said.
Local councillor Carol Davidson echoed the call for urgency. “Each year, the lake attracts more visitors and is more degraded,” she said.
Kettle lakes like Bond are particularly fragile, relying solely on rain and groundwater to maintain their ecosystems.
Development and heavy recreational use can trigger runoff, nutrient overload, and invasive species, which degrade water quality.
In a statement, the advocacy group Save The Oak Ridges Moraine (STORM) said it supports the city’s proposal — with conditions.
“Without careful land use planning, kettle lakes can be overloaded with nutrients and contaminants, leading to algae blooms, supporting the spread of invasive species and increasing the loss of aquatic habitat,” said STORM co-chair Robert Brown.
“We’ve seen this pattern unfold at Lake Wilcox, where decades of urban sprawl have diminished water quality and now threaten the lake’s ecological health. Bond Lake is vulnerable to the same pressures if proactive steps are not taken.”
STORM, which played a role in past efforts to protect the area, said it would support provincial park designation as long as moraine-specific protections remain in place.
The group also called for an inclusive, non-partisan process to shape the next management plan.
“This would send a strong signal that these lands are not only ecologically important, but also central to the quality of life and environmental health of communities across the region,” the group’s statement said.
Bond Lake was once a recreational destination operated by Toronto’s radial car line owners in the early 20th century.
Today, few traces of that era remain — but its future, many hope, could lie in a renewed commitment to conservation and public stewardship.