Bond Lake is a 55-acre (22 ha) glacial kettle lake in the Oak Ridges Moraine.[1] It is located on the east side of Yonge Street in the north end of Richmond Hill, Ontario.
| Bond Lake | |
|---|---|
 Bond Lake seen from the eastern shore. | |
  Bond Lake | |
| Location | Richmond Hill, Ontario |
| Coordinates | 43°55′59″N 79°26′56″W / 43.933°N 79.449°W |
| Type | Kettle lake |
| Primary inflows | Underground springs |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | ~1,000 metres (3,300 ft) |
| Max. width | ~200 metres (660 ft) |
| Surface area | 55 acres (0.22 km2) |
| Max. depth | 32 metres (105 ft) |
| Settlements | Richmond Hill |
History
editPrior to the late 1800s the lake was surrounded by farms by various land holders: Whitneys' and Mortons', (William) Websters, whom acquired from Chief Justice Sir John Robinson, 1st Baronet, of Toronto with tenant lease to James Legge. In the 1790s (1794 and 1797) 200 acres around the lake was granted to former Queen's York Rangers Sergeant William Bond.[2][3] Initially called Bond's Pond and later as Bond Lake.[4] William Bell would sell his portion to developers responsible for Bond Lake Park.
Bond Lake Park was a recreation park from 1899 to 1929 owned by the Metropolitan Street Railway (Toronto) (MSR).[5] The park closed as the MSR was owned by the Toronto Transportation Commission (since 1922) and had little interest in owning non transit assets.
Today the lake and lands are part of a 175 acres Oakridges Corridor Conservation Reserves under the Toronto Region Conservation Authority.[6]
Ecology
editDue to rapid urbanization of adjacent lands, the lake is experiencing deterioration in water quality and loss of biodiversity. The most significant factor is contaminated surface runoff, especially external phosphorus loading.[7] The lake, together with the adjacent bog, is designated as an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest.[8]
Fish
editThe species diversity of the lake is low due its isolated nature.[1] The only species found in the lake are northern pike, emerald shiner, brown bullhead, banded killifish and pumpkinseed.
References
edit- ^ a b Barrett, Suzanne; Scheinman, Andre (August 2006). Oak Ridges Corridor Park Management Plan (PDF). Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. pp. 23–24. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
- ^ "Early Days in Richmond Hill: A History of the Community to 1930 : Electronic edition. : Appendices". Bond spent little time here and was living and working in York.
- ^ Simcoe, Elizabeth; Robertson, John Ross (1911). "The Diary of MRS. John Graves Simcoe: Wife of the First Lieutenant-governor of the Province of Upper Canada, 1792-6; with Notes and a Biography".
- ^ "Early Days in Richmond Hill: A History of the Community to 1930 : Electronic edition. : The European Settlers Arrive".
- ^ "Bond Lake". 13 September 2016.
- ^ "Oak Ridges Corridor Conservation Reserve".
- ^ Roe, Helen M.; Patterson, R. Timothy; Swindles, Graeme T. (10 October 2009). "Controls on the contemporary distribution of lake thecamoebians (testate amoebae) within the Greater Toronto Area and their potential as water quality indicators". Journal of Paleolimnology. 43 (4): 955–975. doi:10.1007/s10933-009-9380-1.
- ^ Prior, Paul; Gonsalves, Natasha; Moleirinho, Patricia (2015). Town of Richmond Hill: Terrestrial Biological Inventory and Assessment (PDF). Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. p. 4. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
Literature cited
- White, Tecia Lyn. The Hydrogeological Function of Kettle Lakes on the Oak Ridges Moraine, Ontario, Canada. University of Toronto. ISBN 0612914852.