Dick's Creek is one of the few streams that flows down near the core of St. Catharines and represents the most natural part of the downtown sector. The creek is apart of the deep and interesting city's history, the creek itself is named after a soldier who aided the British in fighting off the American Continental army during the early 1780s (Brock University & Tourism Niagara, 2012). This soldier, Richard 'Captain Dick' Pierpont is one of the original settlers to the St. Catharines area, black loyalist, and former slave. Richard Pierpont was a soldier in the Butler's Rangers and after being discharged gained the 80 hectares of land between what is now Geneva St. and Oakdale Ave. and the stream between became known as Dick's Creek (Brock University & Tourism Niagara, 2012).

As a tributary and watershed of the 12 Mile Creek (Aqua Resource Inc. & Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, 2009, p. 3), Dick's Creek is an important park area of the city. Dick's Creek consists of a narrow stream flowing through the Centennial gardens area with the Merritt trail running around it. The creek itself is an important part of the area as it brings in a natural area close to the downtown core of the city, is a place of historical significance to the area, and has certain uses such as a drainage spot to nearby parts of the city. Within it's history, Dick's Creek has changed quite a bit over time, the creek seen today is covered up in a large part of it by parts of the 406 and the construction of the Meridian Center. Humans have used Dick's creek for a long time with it being owned by Richard Pierpont originally and being apart of the original Welland Canal for a piece (Old Welland Canals Field Guide, n.d.). Down by the creek, noticeable drainage pipes from culverts on the streets flow into the creek and bring any contaminants from the road with it.

Municipality: St. Catharines

Local area name: St. Catharines

Other identifying names or descriptions: Near Downtown St. Catharines

Latitude and longitude: 43.16141262546696 and -79.23438176986696

Physical Dimensions

Length: 3,440 m/3.44 km

Width: 12 m/0.012 km

Surface Area: 40,581 m²/40.581 km

Elevation:

Highest / lowest point: 130 m/87 m

The fresh water stream known as Dick's Creek in St. Catharines, Ontario is a narrow small stream that flows in a general North West direction eventually exiting into the Twelve Mile Creek. Dick's Creek is a big part of the natural areas within the city of St. Catharines as the creek flows through several the cities more natural areas and crosses through garden and along well-known trails in the city such as Centennial gardens, and along the Merritt and Laura Secord trails. Nature and history come together at Dick's Creek bringing about stories of the City's history with the old Welland Canal and some of the first settlers to the area that is now known as St. Catharines. Dick's Creek, the small yet significant part of the St. Catharines area.

Map 1: Dick's Creek flows in the green space between highway 406 and Oakdale avenue. The creek flows northward from the Burgoyne woods area right to where the 406 passes over and the stream disappears underground to resurface into Twelve Mile Creek.

As mentioned previously, Dick's Creek represents an area of a more natural setting. The creek itself runs along Oakdale Avenue for the majority of it's length but is surrounded by a forested section separating it from the streets and other parts of the city. In an ecosystem, forests regulate the water flow of streams and rivers, in return, the underground water works to maintain the forests health, this important to remember for a feature such as Dick's Creek as it provides importance for the natural setting surrounding a stream system (Hough, 2004, p. 88). The vegetation surrounding Dicks' creek consists of tree and plant species that grows in the region (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). Southern Deciduous forests with more than 80 different species are native to the region although being in an urban environment this is limited to a degree as well as tampering humans have done to the area (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). Species such as Sugar Maple and Beech are dominant, Red Elm, Black Maple, Black Cherry, White Ash and Bass wood will also be predominant in wet areas such as around a creek (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). Certain southern plant species including Flowering Dogwood, Chestnut, Hill's Oaks, Sweet Pignut, Pignut, King nut Hickories, Sweet Chestnut, Red Mulberry, Sassafras, Tulip Tree, Kentucky Coffee tree, Hackberry, Cucumber Magnolia, Sycamore, Sour Gum and Honey Locust (Bliss, Strong, Taylor, Meidinger, Coupland, Maycock, Scott and Bird, 2015). These are all plant species significant to the southern regions of Canada and could appear around Dick's creek although likely would not due to urbanization and human change on the area. Steep valleys and headwaters of Dick's creek would also contain a more limited variety in plant species as these areas are more prone to poor soil due to erosion (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). There will also be more wetlands bringing in a specific vegetation at the mouth of creeks and on flat areas on sections at the top of the Niagara escarpment (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). In terms of wildlife in the area, urbanization and agricultural clearing in the past have greatly reduced the amount of wildlife especially in an area such as Dick's creek being so close to the most developed parts of the city (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). The largest remaining habitat areas would be spots in the Burgoyne Woods area of the creek or around the headwaters (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). In terms of species, mostly typical urban forest wildlife would be found, squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, skunks, and deer in the headwater areas (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). A larger variety of bird species would exist closer to Pelham and aquatic species of Cyprindis, Rainbow Trout, Sucker, and American Eel (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 37). Because Dick's Creek is so shallow however, it is likely not many of these aquatic species would be in Dick's creek despite being in the area as the creek is not only shallow but also cut off by human development of the 406 from the larger Twelve Mile Creek now. Due to culverts, such as the one between Dick's creek and its entrance to Twelve Mile, it is suspected that Brook Trout populations have fallen as these species now have a harder time finding spawning grounds due to human development in the streams and habitat loss from the change in the ecosystem (Niagara Conservation, 2000, p. 40).

Dick's Creek sits in an area of immense geomorphological features. The Niagara Escarpment is a well known and significant feature for the Niagara Region, not only is it a drastic change in elevation that allows for many different systems in the area, but it is comprised of a very specific material. The escarpment itself is comprised of coral reefs, sediments, and compaction of successive layer that formed into shale, sandstone, and dolostone that currently makes up the integrity of the Niagara Escarpment (Gilhepsy, 2015, p. 23). Over the last 250 million years layers of shale have continually been eroding away cutting at the harder sandstone underneath and breaking off pieces creating the steeper cliffs on the Bruce Peninsula area of the Escarpment and seen with waterfalls in Niagara (Gilhepsy, 2015, p. 23). Glaciers that came around 12000 years ago, shaped the escarpment's features through glacial meltwater which eroded at the escarpment and brought hard boulders and cobles from farther north on the Canadian Shield regions into this area and leaving them all over the region, they are known as erratics (Gilhepsy, 2015, p. 23). In the Niagara Region, three main layers make up the Escarpment, the bottom layer, Queenston shale, the top, Lockport-amabel dolostone (Gilhepsy, 2015, p. 23). These two layers are constant for the most part from Niagara to Hamilton areas, middle layers of shale, dolostone, sandstone, and even some limestone vary (Gilhepsy, 2015, p. 23). From the escarpment, the soil and bed of Dick's Creek is comprised of the same sort of material, lying in the area known as the Iroquois plain, the soil is relatively deep sandy loams from the base of ancient lakes, these soils developed from imperfectly drained silty clay to moderately well-drained sandy loam (Brown, Middleton, & Vaughan, 2010, p. 45). Despite all of this, the other probably more major change that occurred to Dick's Creek was the creation of the first and second Welland Canal through Dick's Creek (Old Welland Canals Field Guide, n.d.). During the usage of both the first and second Welland canal, Dick's creek was a small section of the Welland canal used to veer off of Twelve Mile Creek and head towards Lake Erie (Old Welland Canals Field Guide, n.d.). During this time, Dick's Creek would have also been quite a bit wider and deeper, today there is much less water in the creek as a result of the new being blocked off for use of the current Welland Canal. The creek is much narrower and much too shallow for boats to go through, but the evidence of development still exists including concrete embankments.

With any component of the ecosystem involving water, the water cycle comes into play. This cycle represents a very important part of any ecosystem and its ability to function by integrating the different processes, physical, chemical, and biological that sustain life (Alberti, 2008, p. 133). Now with human development and interaction into the greater ecosystem, household use and urban integration into that water cycle also make up a part of the water cycle (Alberti, 2008, p. 133). Dick's Creek itself is not a major stream system but it is one of the 6 sub watersheds of the larger Twelve Mile Creek (NPCA, 2014, p. 10). Dick Creek, along with Upper Twelve Mile Creek, Lake Gibson System, Richardson Creek, Francis Creek, and the Lower Twelve Mile creek all feed into Twelve Mile Creek and bring in water and carry sediment from different areas (NPCA, 2014, p. 10). Dick's creek enters Twelve Mile at the point where highway 406 now fills in Dick's creek near the Meridian Center and from there, Twelve Mile Creek flows north to Martindale Pond which exits into Lake Ontario. Because Dick's Creek was blocked off from the Welland Canal when the third installment of the canal was constructed, the creek doesn't receive as much volume of water as it used to and at the point of entry to Twelve Mile Creek due to the fill added to allow the 406 to pass over, Dick's creek enters Twelve Mile Creek through underground or underwater seepage. Dick's Creek has the same formation history of almost any stream system in the area. 12000 years ago, glaciers covered this area and through their movement and eventual melting, the rivers and streams of the area were carved into the landscape, this includes Dick's Creek, its original form (Gilhepsy, 2015, p. 23). Over time this has changed however, the on-going process of weathering is always happening, precipitation and wind erode at the banks of the stream and at the Escarpment, this brings sediment down from the escarpment through Dick's Creek eroding away at the banks at the same time, this in turn breaks down and changes the stream over time. In recent history however, humans are responsibly for the biggest change to the creek through development of the land and the Welland Canal. Previous development of Dick's Creek into the Welland Canal changed the stream in ways natural processes couldn't do for a very long period. The enormous influx of water through Dick's Creek while it was apart of the Welland Canal made it much deeper and much wider than the stream seen today. This was how the stream was until 1881 when the third instalment of the Canal was made, and Dick's Creek was blocked off from the larger water body, causing the stream to lose it's volume of water until it became the narrow shallow stream seen today (Niagara Greenbelt, n.d.). Human causes represent the biggest change in Dick's Creek since glaciation, the construction of the Welland Canal through Dick's Creek made the stream what it is today and shows what human development does to the water systems of the ecosystem.

A region's climate is dependant on different natural factors such as the average amounts of precipitation, wind, temperature, humidity, and sunlight (Hough, 2004, p. 189). Certain components of the land can also alter an areas climate or microclimate. Components such as topography, different kinds of landforms, bodies of water, and plants (Hough, 2004, p. 189). For the area Dick's Creek lies in, there area a few of theses features creating a microclimate for the area. Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment create a constant circulation of off shore breezes in between right where St. Catharines and Dick's Creek are located (VQA Ontario, n.d., p. 3). Here, the Niagara Escarpment creates a barrier much like a mountain range would, being a major rise in elevation for the mostly flat region prevents wind currents from travelling farther inland and keeps the circulation from Lake Ontario, the large body of water for the area, enclosed. Because of this there is a more moderate seasonal microclimate in the Niagara area, warmer fall seasons are created from warm breezes from the lake still warm from the summer heat, raising land temperatures and preventing colder air from settling in the low areas of the region (VQA Ontario, n.d., p. 3). This is important for maintaining a longer growing season and lengthens winter's arrival. In the spring, cold breezes from the lake due to winter cooling of the water slow down the warming temperatures of spring (VQA Ontario, n.d., p. 3). This holds back fruit bud development until the possibility of a late spring frost has passed, creates the more moderate temperatures and fruit accustomed climate known for the area. These effects are specific to having a larger body of water nearby and distance from the lakeshore does change these effects significantly (VQA Ontario, n.d., p. 3). Other than the effects of landforms and water bodies of the area, the city of St. Catharines would affect Dick's Creek. Because Dick's Creek is situated so close to St. Catharines, an area of large concrete and building covering, it receives change from the urban heat island effect. The urban heat island effect is the raising of the local air temperature because of the trapping of solar radiation by closely packed concrete surfaces and buildings (Climate Atlas of Canada, n.d.). These surfaces also amplify heat from the sun due to their albedo and building heat generation from furnaces, air conditioners and vehicles, all these processes generate additional heat for the area, heating the air and ground surfaces noticeably (Climate Atlas of Canada, n.d.). Dick's Creek would be warmed by this heat creating a slightly warmer air and surface temperature than the other natural areas outside of the city. This is the impact humans have on the climate of the feature.

Archeological Influences: Before the area was developed and settled in by the Europeans, the First Nations communities lived in this region between 1300 and 1400 A.d. (Niagarafrontier.com, 2015). One of the earliest tribes to the area was the Onguiaahra, from there some early settlers were an Iroquois group of Native Americans known as the Atiquandaronk or the name given by their enemies as the Huron Native Americans and the Iroquois Native Americans (Niagara Falls Info, 2018). French explorers to the area gave the name of Neutral Native Americans, the leaders of ten different tribes of the Iroquois Nation, as well as tribes such as Seneca, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Petun, Erie and the Susquehannock tribes (Niagara Falls Info, 2018). This neutral tribe had a population of 20-40000 in the early 1600's and represent the beginning of industry to Niagara (Niagara Falls Info, 2018). At the time these people were mainly a hunting and gathering type of society and made very little changes to the land compared to what is done in present day until cultivation of crops came around and started focusing on developing parts of the land for human needs (Info Niagara, n.d.).

Land Use History: The area of Dick's Creek was originally settled in by a man known as Richard 'Captain Dick' Pierpont, a black loyalist settler and former slave who fought with the British against the American Continental army in the early 1780s (Niagara Greenbelt, n.d.). Richard Pierpont was one of the original settlers to the St. Catharines area and after gaining his freedom from his imprisoning in Pennsylvania, he came to Niagara in 1780 (Niagara Greenbelt, n.d.). Pierpont owned the 80 hectares of farmland that encompassed between where Geneva street and Oakdale avenue now are near the St. Catharines hospital. The creek that would be known as Dick's Creek, from Richard, flowed through his property (Niagara Greenbelt, n.d.). Overtime this area changed, with the need for transportation routes and easier access across Ontario the Welland Canal became an important part of the area. Dick's Creek became apart of the original and second installments of this canal and was developed by mills and ships passing through along with the dug-out bank while in creation (Niagara Greenbelt, n.d.). Dick's Creek was transformed then from the natural stream it had been to a key piece of the industrial waterway travelling through the area.

Educational/Interpretation: Dick's Creek today is much different then what it once was but still holds true as an important piece of the region's history. Along the Centennial Garden stretch of the creek and along the Merritt trail which follows the creek is an area where different signs and posts providing information on the significance of the creek to the Welland Canal and how it has been changed since then. These posts are also apart of different games and recreational activities designed to get people out into the nature of the city are such as Frisbee golf.

Architectural/Heritage: The area around Dick's Creek which at one time would have been full of different buildings and mills along the banks have now been allowed to grow in with vegetation. In areas along the creek are areas of old architecture, such as an old museum which is now only broken concrete pillars amongst the trees or old evidence of the Welland Canal through concrete embankments along the creek banks. The old industrial parts of Dick's Creek are gone with only evidence of some development with the creek now representing green areas of the city.

Recreational Uses: Like many green space areas of the city, Dick's Creek is connected by different trail systems that connect to the well-known Bruce trail stretching all the way to Tobermory, Ontario. The Merritt trail is the most significant trail to Dick's Creek, following the creek's trajectory for the largest parts of the creek, almost from the headwaters all the way to where the stream exits into Twelve Mile Creek. This trail is commonly used for walking, jogging, biking. A frisbee golf course is along the Centennial Gardens stretch of the stream along with being right near by the St. Catharines golf and Country club. Dick's Creek is a significant recreational piece of the city for people looking to get outside on weekends or just for a walk down a quiet little stream.

Dick's Creek, for the most part is public green space within the city of St. Catharines. The Merritt trail, which is a public trail system, open to everyone and anyone for usage, runs along the majority of the creek. This trail system is used by the public recreationally for walking, jogging, and biking purposes mainly. Certain areas, such as Centennial Gardens, Canal Valley, and Princess Park. These areas are all maintained by the city of St. Catharines as is any green space or park in the municipality (City of St Catharines, n.d.). The city does general lawn maintenance along with other general maintenance of the trails, any facilities including washrooms (City of St Catharines, n.d.). At the exit of Dick's Creek into Twelve Mile Creek, there are areas owned by Ontario power generation. This area would not be apart of the City of St. Catharines but privately owned by Ontario Power Generation and is not accessibly in parts to the public. Dick's Creek is also apart of the Niagara Greenbelt and Ontario's Greenbelt which is a conservation area of Ontario that represents green spaces protected by the Niagara Escarpment plan, the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, and the Greenbelt Plan (Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, 2018).

Dick's Creek represents an area connected to the greater ecosystem in St. Catharines. This was talked about earlier with regards to Twelve Mile Creek, but it goes farther than being a sub watershed for another creek. Dick's Creek feeds one of the most important streams in St. Catharines, Twelve Mile Creek is connected to numerous other watersheds along with different facilities which provide necessities for the city such as the Ontario Power Generation plant sending water down hill from Lake Moodie into Twelve Mile Creek and generating electricity for the city in the process. In terms of other features, Twelve Mile Creek also feeds into Martindale Pond which brings other aspects of urban landscapes to form. Martindale Pond is a known area for water recreation such as kayaking, fishing, and of greater importance to Martindale specifically, Rowing. The rowing team from Brock University trains and competes at times in Martindale Pond and people training or learning can get involved with rowing at Martindale. Urban landscapes are landscapes that connect to both human and ecological components (Alberti, 2008, p. 93). Martindale pond represents this very well by bringing human recreation and an aquatic system that connects the Twelve Mile Creek and Lake Ontario together. Highway 406 is another major urban landscape feature that is connected to Dick's Creek. A major highway that runs through downtown St. Catharines and connects the city to Thorold and Welland through a direct line. Urban landscapes that connect to Dick's Creek and connect Dick's Creek to the greater ecosystem are also going to be in constant change, highway 406 has only existed since 1965 (The King's Highway 406, n.d.) and before than people used alternative routes, Martindale pond was once a part of the Welland Canal just like Twelve Mile Creek and Dick's Creek (Old Welland Canals Field Guide, n.d.).

References

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Brown, D. T., Middleton, J., & Vaughan, K. S. (2010). The land between lakes: An overview of the Niagara region.

City of St Catharines. (n.d.). Parks, recreation and culture services. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from City of St Catharines website: https://www.stcatharines.ca/en/governin/Parks-Recreation-and-Culture-Services.asp

Climate Atlas of Canada. (n.d.). Urban heat island effect. In Climate atlas of Canada. Retrieved from Climate Atlas of Canada database.

Gilhepsy, B. (2015, Spring). Escarpment geology: Another part of our living landscape. Bruce Trail Magazine. Retrieved from https://brucetrail.org/system/downloads/0000/0782/BT_Magazine_-_Spring_2015_Escarpment_Geology.pdf

Hough, M. (2004). Cities and Natural Process (Vol. 2nd ed). London: Routledge. Retrieved from https://proxy.library.brocku.ca/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=114942&site=eds-live&scope=site

Info Niagara. (n.d.). NOTL exploring the past: First nations and Aboriginals - an introduction. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from Info Niagara website: http://www.infoniagara.com/niagararegion/notl/index.aspx

The King's Highway 406. (n.d.). The king's highway 406. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from The King's Highway 406 website: http://www.thekingshighway.ca/Highway406.htm

Niagara conservation authority. (2000). Retrieved from http://www.thedirtyhandsproject.com/pdf/12%20mile%20creek%20strategy2%20.pdf

Niagara Falls Info. (2018). Native American settlement in Niagara. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from Niagara Falls Info website: https://www.niagarafallsinfo.com/niagara-falls-history/niagara-falls-municipal-history/the-chronicles-of-settlement-in-niagara/native-american-settlement-in-niagara/

Niagarafrontier.com. (2015, August 18). Niagara falls: Chronicles of our settlers. In Niagarafrontier.com. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from http://www.niagarafrontier.com/work.html

Niagara Greenbelt. (n.d.). Dick's creek. In Niagara greenbelt. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from http://brocku.niagaragreenbelt.com/listings/17-canals/791-dick-creek.html

Niagara Region. (2018). Dick's creek (1934) [Map]. Retrieved from Niagara Region database.

Niagara Region. (2018). Dick's creek, twelve mile creek, and Martindale pond [Map]. Retrieved from Niagara Region database.

Niagara Region. (2018). Dick's creek (2000) [Map]. Retrieved from Niagara Region database.

NPCA. (2014). Niagara peninsula source protection area. Retrieved from http://www.sourceprotection-niagara.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Chapter-2.pdf

Old Welland Canals Field Guide. (n.d.). A history of the old Welland canals. In Old Welland canals field guide. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from http://oldwellandcanals.wikidot.com/history

Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. (2018, July 11). Greenbelt protection. In Ontario ministry of municipal affairs and housing. Retrieved November 18, 2018, from http://www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page187.aspx

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This Local Landscape Report was prepared by Nathan Kamstra for the Brock University course TMGT 2P94: Human Dominated Ecosystems on November 18, 2018.

All copyrights for cited material rest with the original copyright owners.