Queen's Park (Toronto)

The park is nearly an enclave of the University of Toronto, which occupies most of the surrounding lands. In 1859, the land was leased by the University of Toronto to the City of Toronto government for a 999-year term.^[6] In 1880, a "portion of the Queen's Park [was] selected [and given to] the Government of Ontario, as a site for the erection of new Legislative and Departmental buildings".^[2] The land that is occupied by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario is owned by the Government of Ontario. The north park is owned by the University of Toronto and leased to the city. Ministry buildings of the Ontario government occupy other properties to the east of the park, in an area between Wellesley Street and Grosvenor Street.

Shortly after King's College (later renamed the University of Toronto) was established in 1827, the institution purchased 68 hectares (170 acres) from two farming estates north of the Town of York (present-day Toronto), including present day Queen's Park.^[7][8]


This was part of the 150 acres (61 ha) from portions of three park lots:^[9]


The cornerstone for one of the college's earliest buildings was laid at the site on 23 April 1842.^[1] The building was built on the present site of the east wing of the Ontario Legislative Building, and was completed in 1843; although it remained vacant until 1845.^[1] The building was initially planned to be the southeast wing for a larger building, although these additional wings were never built as a result of budget shortfalls.^[1] The building was situated within a landscaped park surrounded by tree-lined avenues, and was accessed through two gates to the north and south.^[10] While the university occupied the property it was known as University Park.^[8]


In 1853, the Parliament of the Province of Canada expropriated the building for its use; with the University of Toronto relocating classes held in that building to the Third Parliament Buildings of Upper Canada.^[1] The Parliament of the Province of Canada was based in Toronto from 1849 to 1853 and again from 1856 to 1858; having relocated several times within the Province of Canada during its existence.


Given the park's popularity with local residents, the municipal government of Toronto entered negotiations with the university to lease the land for the purposes of creating a public park;^[10] with a 999-year lease for 20 hectares (49 acres) of land eventually formalized on 29 August 1858.^[1][8] The terms of the lease also outlined that the government had the right to build a legislative building on the property if they so desired.^[10]


On 11 September 1860, the property was officially dedicated as Canada's first municipal park by Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII); and was named Queen's Park, in honour of Queen Victoria.^[4][8][10] The park was originally planned to be opened the previous Saturday, although heavy rain led the dedication ceremony to be rescheduled to Tuesday.^[11] During the ceremony, he also laid a cornerstone for an eventual statue of Queen Victoria at the southern apex of the park.^[11] However, financial difficulties and delays would eventually see this spot be occupied by a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada.^[11] The statue for Victoria would eventually be purchased and placed near the entrance to the legislative building in 1902.^[11]


In 1879, the provincial government acted on its option to construct a new legislature on the property and informed the city of its intention to do so.^[4] However, construction was delayed by inconclusive design competition, with the design commission finally awarded in 1886 to Richard A. Waite.^[4] Ownership of the southern portion of the park was also handed over to the provincial government in 1886.^[2][8] The Ontario Legislative Building was completed in 1892, and hosted its first legislative session on 4 April 1893.^[4] After the building's completion, Russian cannons originally placed at the southern tip of the park in 1859 were moved to the legislature's entrance.^[12] The Russian cannons were war prizes captured by British forces during the Crimean War, and gifted to the city of Toronto by Queen Victoria 1859.^[12]


Although the new legislative building split the park into two sections, local residents continued to congregate there for concerts, memorial services, military parades, and political gatherings.^[10] During the late-19th century, the northern portion of Queen's Park also hosted a public speakers' forum on Sunday.^[10] During the First World War, the park was used as a gathering point for soldiers of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.^[8]


In 1984, Queen's Park hosted two tree planting ceremonies for the eastern white pine, after it was declared the province's official tree that year.^[13] The first tree planting ceremony took place on 25 May 1984 by Bob Welch, the deputy premier of Ontario in order to commemorate Arbour Day.^[13] The second tree planting ceremony also took place that year at the same location, with Queen Elizabeth II and the then-Duke of Edinburgh planting two eastern white pines on 29 September 1984.^[13] A plaque marks the spot of the tree plantings, and the trees that grew from it.^[13]


In the early 2000s, Canadian poet Dennis Lee and poet advocate Richard Griffin led a campaign to erect a statue of Al Purdy, another Canadian poet, on the grounds of Queen's Park.^[14] The campaign specifically insisted that the statue should be located at Queen's Park, in order to demonstrate the significance of poetry and the arts in Canada's cultural life.^[14] The statue was eventually built and unveiled in 2008, making it the first statue at Queen's Park that commemorates an individual that was not a political figure or monarch.