The Dr. William D. Young Memorial is a drinking fountain

Fountain

A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....

 and memorial

Memorial

A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....

 that was erected on the eastern border of Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens (Toronto)

Kew Gardens is a large park in The Beaches neighbourhood of Toronto, Canada. The park stretches from Queen Street East to the lakeshore at Kew Beach....

 in 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...

, 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...

 in August 1920 by residents of the Beaches

The Beaches

The Beaches is a neighbourhood and popular tourist destination located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the east side of the "Old" City of Toronto. The original boundaries of the neighbourhood are from Fallingbrook Avenue on the east to Kingston Road on the north, to Woodbine Avenue...

 neighbourhood.

The memorial was dedicated to Dr. William D. Young (1874-1918), a local physician

Physician

A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...

 who, in the era before universal health care

Universal health care

Universal health care is a term referring to organized health care systems built around the principle of universal coverage for all members of society, combining mechanisms for health financing and service provision.-History:...

, had devoted himself to the health and welfare of children of the neighbourhood. Young died after being stricken with the flu while tending to the sick during an influenza epidemic. Young died almost penniless due to his pro bono work with local children.

The Italian Renaissance-style

Neo-Renaissance

Renaissance Revival is an all-encompassing designation that covers many 19th century architectural revival styles which were neither Grecian nor Gothic but which instead drew inspiration from a wide range of classicizing Italian modes...

 memorial was designed by M.D. Klein, and originally contained a statue of a child by Florence Wyle, later replaced by one by Frances Gage. Ivor Lewis

Ivor Lewis

Ivor Rhys Lewis was a Canadian artist and business director.Lewis was born in Wales, but emigrated to Canada as a small boy. He trained as an artist at the Ontario School of Art, and was hired in the art department of the Eaton's department store chain in Toronto...

 designed the medallions of Dr. Young. The words "Service Was His Aim" are inscribed at the top of the memorial.

The City of Toronto designated the memorial 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 1977. The designation by-law states:

The William D. Young Memorial Drinking Fountain, Kew Gardens, 1920 (Architect and Designer Morris D, Klein) is designated on architectural and historic grounds.

The elegantly designed fountain in the Italian Renaissance style displays the finest of craftmanship in stone and bronze. Erected in 1920 through public subscription, the Memorial Drinking Fountain symbolizes the philanthropic service of a distinguished doctor in the Beaches district at the turn of the Century.