Deer Park, Toronto
Encyclopedia
Deer Park is a neighbourhood in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
, centred on the intersection of Yonge Street
and St. Clair Avenue; its boundaries are the Vale of Avoca section of Rosedale ravine in the east, Farnham Avenue and Jackes Avenue in the south, Avenue Road and Oriole Parkway in the west, the Belt Line trail in the north on the west side of Yonge Street, and Glen Elm Avenue in the north on the east side of Yonge Street. For the purposes of social policy analysis & research, the city of Toronto’s Social Development & Administration division includes Deer Park within the City of Toronto's official "Rosedale-Moore Park" and "Yonge-St.Clair" neighbourhood profiles.
The commercial area along the main streets is known simply as Yonge and St. Clair. Marked by a cluster of office buildings, the area also includes a number of restaurants, shops and services, and the St. Clair subway station
, the terminus for the 512 St. Clair street car.
) and named it Deer Park. By the 1850s the neighbourhood included a racetrack
, a school, and a hotel at which patrons could feed deer which roamed the Heaths' property. The Heath property was subdivided in 1846 and was entirely sold off by 1874.
In 1891 Upper Canada College
moved from its urban location to the then still rural Deer Park area, establishing a large campus that remains in the same location today, interrupting Avenue Road north of St. Clair Avenue.
Deer Park was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1908, and by the 1930s it had become an upper-middle class residential district, which it remains today. The intersection of Yonge and St. Clair is also the site of extensive nodal commercial development.
Deer Park is also home to one of Toronto's oldest cemeteries. St. Michael's Cemetery (Toronto)
was opened by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto on September 28, 1855. There are some 29,000 graves in the cemetery. Ten acres in size, St. Michael's has the unusual characteristic of being surrounded on all sides by the backs of buildings, thus making it nearly invisible from the street. It is bound on the north by stores, apartments and office buildings along St. Clair Avenue West, on the west by houses along Foxbar Road, on the south by houses and a fire hall along Balmoral Avenue, and on the east by stores and office buildings along Yonge Street. Entrance to the cemetery is gained through an alley off Yonge Street. The cemetery's octagonal mortuary vault was used to store bodies in the winter until the ground thawed. Designed by architect Joseph Sheard
, who was also mayor of Toronto
in 1871-72, the vault was designated a historic property under the Ontario Heritage Act
in December 1975.
In 1999 Robert Fulford described the current character of the neighbourhood: "sandwiched between Forest Hill on its western flank and Moore Park to the east, Deer Park is utterly unlike either of them--it's more commercial, a fast-changing community dominated by apartment dwellers."
After a stakeout, Canada's most notorious bank robber of the day, Edwin Boyd
, leader of the Boyd Gang
, was captured in this house at 6:00AM on March 15, 1952. Even Toronto's mayor of the day, Allan Lamport
, got into the act, escorting Boyd out of the house accompanied by Sergeant Adolphus (Dolph) Payne of the Toronto police force.
50 Heath Street West
Constructed in 1923, the McNamara House http://spacing.ca/wire/2008/02/08/torontos-almost-missing-style/ is a rare example of the Prairie School
of architecture in Toronto.
Churches
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, centred on the intersection of Yonge Street
Yonge Street
Yonge Street is a major arterial route connecting the shores of Lake Ontario in Toronto to Lake Simcoe, a gateway to the Upper Great Lakes. It was formerly listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest street in the world at , and the construction of Yonge Street is designated an "Event of...
and St. Clair Avenue; its boundaries are the Vale of Avoca section of Rosedale ravine in the east, Farnham Avenue and Jackes Avenue in the south, Avenue Road and Oriole Parkway in the west, the Belt Line trail in the north on the west side of Yonge Street, and Glen Elm Avenue in the north on the east side of Yonge Street. For the purposes of social policy analysis & research, the city of Toronto’s Social Development & Administration division includes Deer Park within the City of Toronto's official "Rosedale-Moore Park" and "Yonge-St.Clair" neighbourhood profiles.
The commercial area along the main streets is known simply as Yonge and St. Clair. Marked by a cluster of office buildings, the area also includes a number of restaurants, shops and services, and the St. Clair subway station
St. Clair (TTC)
St. Clair is a station on the Yonge–University–Spadina line of the subway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its address is 1441 Yonge Street, at the intersection with St. Clair Avenue East, but its street entrances are on St. Clair and on Pleasant Boulevard. The station's site has no frontage on...
, the terminus for the 512 St. Clair street car.
History
The name dates from 1837, when the Heath family purchased 40 acres (162,000 m²) of land on the northwest corner of Yonge and St. Clair (then the Third Concession RoadConcession road
In Upper and Lower Canada, concession roads were laid out by the colonial government through undeveloped land to define lots to be developed; the name comes from a Lower Canadian French term for a row of lots. Concession roads are straight, and follow an approximately square grid, usually oriented...
) and named it Deer Park. By the 1850s the neighbourhood included a racetrack
Race track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
, a school, and a hotel at which patrons could feed deer which roamed the Heaths' property. The Heath property was subdivided in 1846 and was entirely sold off by 1874.
In 1891 Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College
Upper Canada College , located in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is an independent elementary and secondary school for boys between Senior Kindergarten and Grade Twelve, operating under the International Baccalaureate program. The secondary school segment is divided into ten houses; eight are...
moved from its urban location to the then still rural Deer Park area, establishing a large campus that remains in the same location today, interrupting Avenue Road north of St. Clair Avenue.
Deer Park was annexed by the City of Toronto in 1908, and by the 1930s it had become an upper-middle class residential district, which it remains today. The intersection of Yonge and St. Clair is also the site of extensive nodal commercial development.
Deer Park is also home to one of Toronto's oldest cemeteries. St. Michael's Cemetery (Toronto)
St. Michael's Cemetery (Toronto)
St. Michael's Cemetery is a historic Roman Catholic cemetery in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located just southwest of Yonge Street and St. Clair Avenue. The cemetery is invisible from the street, being located in the middle of a city block and ringed by homes and stores. It is accessible only...
was opened by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Toronto on September 28, 1855. There are some 29,000 graves in the cemetery. Ten acres in size, St. Michael's has the unusual characteristic of being surrounded on all sides by the backs of buildings, thus making it nearly invisible from the street. It is bound on the north by stores, apartments and office buildings along St. Clair Avenue West, on the west by houses along Foxbar Road, on the south by houses and a fire hall along Balmoral Avenue, and on the east by stores and office buildings along Yonge Street. Entrance to the cemetery is gained through an alley off Yonge Street. The cemetery's octagonal mortuary vault was used to store bodies in the winter until the ground thawed. Designed by architect Joseph Sheard
Joseph Sheard
Joseph Sheard was a Canadian architect and politician. He was Mayor of Toronto from 1871 to 1872.Born in Hornsea, near Hull, Yorkshire, England, his father died when he was only 6 weeks old, leaving 4 young children to be raised by his mother...
, who was also mayor of Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1871-72, the vault was designated a historic property under the Ontario Heritage Act
Ontario Heritage Act
The Ontario Heritage Act, first enacted on March 5, 1975, allows municipalities and the provincial government to designate individual properties and districts in the Province of Ontario, Canada, as being of cultural heritage value or interest....
in December 1975.
In 1999 Robert Fulford described the current character of the neighbourhood: "sandwiched between Forest Hill on its western flank and Moore Park to the east, Deer Park is utterly unlike either of them--it's more commercial, a fast-changing community dominated by apartment dwellers."
Notable houses
42 Heath Street WestAfter a stakeout, Canada's most notorious bank robber of the day, Edwin Boyd
Edwin Alonzo Boyd
Edwin Alonzo Boyd was a Canadian criminal and leader of the Boyd Gang. His career made him a notorious Canadian folk hero.-Early life:...
, leader of the Boyd Gang
Boyd Gang
The Boyd Gang was a notorious criminal gang based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named for member Edwin Alonzo Boyd. The gang was a favourite of the media at the time because of its sensational actions, which included bank robberies, jail breaks, beautiful women, gun fights, manhunts, and daring...
, was captured in this house at 6:00AM on March 15, 1952. Even Toronto's mayor of the day, Allan Lamport
Allan A. Lamport
Allan Austin Lamport, CM was Mayor of Toronto, Canada, from 1952 to 1954. Known as "Lampy", his most notable achievement was his opposition to Toronto's Blue laws which banned virtually any activities on Sundays. Lamport fought to allow professional sporting activities on Sundays...
, got into the act, escorting Boyd out of the house accompanied by Sergeant Adolphus (Dolph) Payne of the Toronto police force.
50 Heath Street West
Constructed in 1923, the McNamara House http://spacing.ca/wire/2008/02/08/torontos-almost-missing-style/ is a rare example of the Prairie School
Prairie School
Prairie School was a late 19th and early 20th century architectural style, most common to the Midwestern United States.The works of the Prairie School architects are usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in horizontal bands,...
of architecture in Toronto.
Famous former residents
- Classical pianist Glenn GouldGlenn GouldGlenn Herbert Gould was a Canadian pianist who became one of the best-known and most celebrated classical pianists of the 20th century. He was particularly renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard music of Johann Sebastian Bach...
(1932–82) lived in Apt. 902 at 110 St Clair Avenue West from 1962 until his death in 1982. He is buried in nearby Mount Pleasant CemeteryMount Pleasant Cemetery, TorontoMount Pleasant Cemetery is a cemetery located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.In the early 19th century, the only authorized cemeteries within the city of Toronto were limited to the members of either the Roman Catholic Church or the Church of England...
. - J. E. H. MacDonaldJ. E. H. MacDonaldJames Edward Hervey MacDonald was a member of the famous Group of Seven Canadian artists. He is the father of Thoreau MacDonald.-Life:...
, a founding member of the Group of Seven painters, lived at 40 Duggan for several years until his death on September 26, 1932. - Pierre SalingerPierre SalingerPierre Emil George Salinger was a White House Press Secretary to U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson...
(1925–2004) was press secretary to presidents John F. KennedyJohn F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Lyndon Johnson, and campaign manager to Robert F. KennedyRobert F. KennedyRobert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
. He was mere metres away when R.F.K. was assassinated. He lived at 37 Lonsdale Road, while very young, from 1929-1932/3. - Novelist Joy FieldingJoy FieldingJoy Fielding is a Canadian novelist and actress. She lives in Toronto, Ontario.-Biography:Born in Toronto, Ontario, she graduated from the University of Toronto in 1966, with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature...
(b. 1945) wrote Kiss Mommy Goodbye while living at 83 Lonsdale Road during the last three years of the '70s. - Writer Farley MowatFarley MowatFarley McGill Mowat, , born May 12, 1921 is a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books. He achieved fame with the publication of his books on the Canadian North, such as People of the...
(b. 1933) lived at 90 Lonsdale Road for six months in 1939-40. - Poet Margaret AvisonMargaret AvisonMargaret Avison, OC was a Canadian poet who twice won Canada's Governor General's Award and has also won its Griffin Poetry Prize. "Her work has often been praised for the beauty of its language and images."-Life:...
(1918–2007) lived in Apt. 104 at 150 St Clair Avenue WestSt. Clair AvenueSt. Clair Avenue is a major east-west street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was laid out in the late 18th century by the British as a concession road , north of Bloor Street and north of Queen Street....
from 1964-70. - Actor William HuttWilliam Hutt (actor)William Ian DeWitt Hutt, was a Canadian actor of stage, television and film. Hutt's distinguished career spanned more than fifty years and won him many accolades and awards...
(1920–2007) lived at 18 Ferndale Avenue for several years in his childhood.
Schools
- Deer Park Public SchoolDeer Park School, TorontoDeer Park is a school serving grades Junior Kindergarten through 8. Deer Park is located at 23 Ferndale Avenue, just north of St. Clair Avenue in the neighbourhood of Deer Park, Toronto. The school is serviced by the TTC by its St. Clair Station. Deer Park has been serving the community for almost...
- A public school located at 23 Ferndale Avenue. It has been serving the community for about 125 years. The current principal is Mike Howlett and the current vice-principal is Chris Gorczynski. Deer Park has many challenging academic, sport and art programs. They include basketball, football, ultimate frisbee, Me To We club, swim team and the theatre production. Deer Park serves students from kindergarten to grade 8. The senior school used to have a gifted program.
See also
Significant buildings- Imperial Oil BuildingImperial Oil Building (Toronto)The Imperial Oil Building, designed by Alvan Mathers, is a skyscraper outside the downtown financial core of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located at 111 St...
- Wittington TowerWittington Tower (Toronto)Designed by architect Leslie Rebanks, the Wittington Tower is a 20-storey octagonal tower located at 22 St. Clair Avenue East. It was completed in 1975 and its design received international acclaim and won several design awards. Part of the Weston Centre, the top two floors are occupied by the...
Churches
- Deer Park United ChurchDeer Park United ChurchDeer Park United Church began in 1881 as Deer Park Presbyterian Mission, and the first building was constructed on the northwest corner of Yonge Street and St Clair, now presently home of an office tower containing a few radio stations, including CFRB, 99.9 Mix FM and 97.3 EZ Rock. In 1913, a...
- Yorkminster Park Baptist ChurchYorkminster Park Baptist Church (Toronto)Yorkminster Park Baptist Church is the largest Baptist church in Canada, built 1926-8 by the architectural firm George, Moorhouse and King, and is named after the 10th century York Minster in York, England...
External links
- City of Toronto Rosedale-Moore Park neighbourhood profile
- mystclair.com
- http://catholic-cemeteries.com/st_mikes_history.html