High Park is the largest park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It spans 161 hectares (398 acres, 1.61 km²). It is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology.
The park is located to the west of downtown, north of Humber Bay. It stretches south from Bloor Street West to The Queensway, just north of Lake Ontario. It is bounded on the west by Ellis Park Road and Grenadier Pond and on the east by Parkside Drive.
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In 1836, John George Howard purchased a 160-acre (0.65 km2) property in the County of York, to the west of Toronto, for a sheep farm, at the cost of $1,000.00.[2] It was here that Howard designed and built Colborne Lodge, a Regency-style picturesque cottage in 1837 to complement its natural surroundings[3] as the residence for himself and his wife Jemima Frances Meikle. The Howards named their property 'High Park' as it was situated on the highest point of land along the Humber Bay shoreline. After a successful career as architect, engineer and land surveyor to the City of Toronto, Howard retired here in 1855.
Map of High Park, 1870s
In 1873, Howard and his wife agreed to convey their country property to the City of Toronto.There were several conditions to the conveyance, including that the Howards continue to live at their residence, no alcohol ever be served in the park, and that the City hold the park "for the free use, benefit and enjoyment of the Citizens of Toronto for ever and to be called and designated at all times thereafter High Park". The city council voted 13 to 2 to accept the Howard's conditions. The two dissenters felt the park was too far away from the city to be of any use to its citizens. At the time, direct access to the Howard property was only by boat, the Great Western Railway line to the south or a toll road. Soon afterwards the "Road to High Park" was built from the Lake Road to the park lands, today's Spring Road and Centre Road. Howard received a lifetime pension from the City in exchange for the property.
In 1876 a 120-acre (0.49 km2) portion of the Howard's property formed the original park, along with 176 acres (0.71 km2) bought from Percival Ridout east of the Howard farm. The remaining southern 40 acres (160,000 m2) of Howard's property, including Colborne Lodge, passed to the city after John Howard's death in 1890. The western addition of 71.8 acres (291,000 m2) added in 1930 was purchased from the Chapman estate. The Howards are buried in High Park, under a stone monument that is fronted by a portion of fencing from St. Paul's Cathedral in London, England, across the street from Colborne Lodge. Today, Colborne Lodge is a museum containing many of the original Howard furnishings including John Howard's watercolours of early Toronto. The museum is open year-round.
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Eastern ravine
The eastern ravine starts at the north-east corner at Bloor and Keele Streets as a forested area around a spring-fed pond. The ravine has a small stream winding south to small ponds just north of The Queensway. South of the forested area are the grassy, developed areas for picnicking, the adventure playground, and the zoo. The ponds, which also hold back storm water, drain into pipes and into Lake Ontario.
The eastern ravine lies over a buried river. In 2003, city workers found strong evidence of the pre-glacial Laurentian River System when capping two artesian wells at the pond at the north-east corner of the Park. The wells began spewing a plume of water, sand, shale and gravel 15 metres into the air. With this discovery, geologists finally pinpointed the southern terminus of this ancient river system whose southerly flow begins near Georgian Bay. The watercourse, flowing 50 metres below the surface in pure bedrock, has remained undisturbed for thousands of years.[6][7] The water probably originates around Georgian Bay; it tastes of iron.
Central plain and savannah
The central section is a large plain encompassing most of the northern boundary, slowly narrowing to a point overlooking the lake, which is the location of Colborne Lodge. While most of the plain is developed for picnicking, gardens and sports fields, it has a stretch of open habitat called oak savannah, of which there are few other examples in Ontario. The towering black oak trees found throughout High Park are a characteristic of this habitat. The savannah is under the special care of the City and volunteer conservationists.[1] Forested areas of High Park are maintained to mimic natural conditions, with downed trees left to decay. Regular controlled burns are done to mimic forest fires and their beneficial effects for oaks. Non-native plants outside the ornamental gardens are weeded out by volunteers. There is, however, no shortage of non-native trees including Colorado Spruce, Scots Pine and Northern Catalpa.
Grenadier Pond
Grenadier Pond, is a large ( (14.2 hectares (35 acres)) )[8] body of water located on the western edge of the park. It is named after the local Town of York garrison of the 1800s and their use of the pond for fishing. There are two local myths circulating about the Pond. One is that British Grenadiers fell through its thin ice when crossing to defend the city in the War of 1812. Other myths include that the pond is 'bottomless', that is, its depth cannot be measured due to the amount of mud. Fishing remains a popular pastime. Fish caught in the pond are safe to eat, and fishing derbies and casting contests have been held there.
Initiatives have been made to improve the Pond's health and environment. Grenadier Pond receives some of its water from Wendigo Creek, Wendigo Pond and underground streams feeding it from the north. The northern end of the Pond was naturalized, building a wetland to filter the waters the Pond receives from the stream. The southern and south-western shore of the Pond was also naturalized, removing the manicured lawn and concrete bank to improve the Pond's health and discourage Canada geese. Signs now ask people not to feed the waterfowl. Grenadier Pond is home to multiple species of bird and marsh wildlife.
Wendigo Creek, Wendigo Pond and Wendigo Way are likely named after the wendigo, mythical cannibalistic creatures of Algonquian mythology. Algonquins did not have a settlement in the park, but are believed to have used it for hunting and fishing and cultivating corn on the sandy uplands of the park
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S C H O O L S
High Park Alternative Jr., 265 Annette St., (416) 393-9040
(Public School)
Keele St. Jr., 99 Mountview Ave., (416) 393-9035
(Public School)
Mountview Alternative Jr., 99 Mountview Ave., (416) 393-9037
(Public School)
Runnymede Jr. & Sr., 357 Runnymede Rd., (416) 393-9055
(Public School)
Annette Jr.& Sr., 265 Annette St., (416) 393-9040
(Public School)
Humberside Collegiate Institute, 280 Quebec Ave., (416) 393-0000
(Public High School)
Western Technical Commercial School, 125 Evelyn Cres., (416) 393-0500
(Public High School)
St. Cecelia, 355 Annette St., (416) 393-5218
(Separate School)
Montessori High Park School, 35 High Park Gdns., (416) 763-6097
(Private School)
Montessori Humberside School, 411 Clendenan Ave., (416) 762-8888
(Private School)
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T R A N S P O R T A T I O N
The Bloor Street Subway serves the High Park neighbourhood at "Runnymede", "High Park", and "Keele" stations. It is also about a five minute drive from the Queensway, which connects to Lakeshore Boulevard and the Gardiner Expressway.
