Trinity Square (Toronto)
Encyclopedia
Trinity Square is a public square
in downtown Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. It is bounded by the Toronto Eaton Centre
, an office building known as Bell Trinity Square, and the Marriott
Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel. The square's primary feature is the Anglican
Church of the Holy Trinity. The Henry Scadding House and Holy Trinity Rectory are heritage buildings that are also located in the square. It includes a fountain and ornamental pond, and a labyrinth
path.
Trinity Square's primary street access is via James Street, which extends north from Queen Street
between the Eaton Centre and Toronto's Old City Hall
, although the square can also be accessed by walkways from Bay Street
and Dundas Street
, as well as through the Eaton Centre.
(Terauley Cottage), which was acquired by his father James Macaulay
in 1797. Macaulay sold his home and land in 1845, giving land for the construction of the Church of the Holy Trinity. By 1900, the area around the church became the Eaton's Annex
. The site of Bell Trinity Square, an office building built in 1982 by John B. Parkin Associates, was once home to the 10 floor Eaton's House Furnishing Building, built in 1919.
By the 1970s the Eaton's complex came down after a fire and demolition. The church and square were threatened by demolition to make way for the Toronto Eaton Centre. The parishioners of the church successfully resisted and forced the mall's design to be changed, preserving the church. Protests from Toronto citizens also led to the preservation of Old City Hall
south of the square.
. It also extends views of the church to Hagerman Street on the north side of Toronto City Hall
and to the podium of City Hall itself. At Bay Street, the walkway is flanked by two lanterns mounted on tall columns composed of exposed metal frames, painted blue. The columns are defined by three sections, with the widest at the bottom. They are positioned towards the edges of the walkway to compliment and frame the two towers of the Church of the Holy Trinity and to provide a formal entrance to the square.
Adjacent to the church is a clock tower similar in scale and construction to the columns at Bay Street. In addition, there are three large colonnade-like structures which serve as an entrance to the Toronto Public Labyrinth. The labyrinth
is an ancient symbol dating back more than three thousand years. It is a universal symbol of pilgrimage and of our journey through life. A labyrinth has only one path and, unlike a maze, it has no dead ends. The labyrinth pattern at Trinity Square is based on the eleven-circuit labyrinth constructed at the Chartres Cathedral in France, completed in the 13th century. As many labyrinths are found near the water, this labyrinth is located on the former course of Taddle Creek
, a stream that has been buried for more than one hundred and fifty years. The granite blocks that have been set into the paving at the entrance to the labyrinth and the nearby water feature in the square serve as reminders of this buried creek. The labyrinth is oriented in the direction of true north, as indicated by the directional lines created with the granite blocks.
Public Square
Public Square is the central plaza in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It takes up four city blocks; Superior Avenue and Ontario Street cross through it. Cleveland's three tallest buildings, Key Tower, 200 Public Square and the Terminal Tower, face the square...
in downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto
Downtown Toronto is the central business district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is approximately bounded by Bloor Street to the north, Lake Ontario to the south, the Don River to the east, and Bathurst Street to the west...
, 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...
. It is bounded by the Toronto Eaton Centre
Toronto Eaton Centre
The Toronto Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall and office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named after the now-defunct Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it. In terms of the number of visitors, the shopping mall is Toronto's top tourist attraction, with around one...
, an office building known as Bell Trinity Square, and the Marriott
Marriott International
Marriott International, Inc. is a worldwide operator and franchisor of a broad portfolio of hotels and related lodging facilities. Founded by J. Willard Marriott, the company is now led by son J.W. Marriott, Jr...
Downtown Eaton Centre Hotel. The square's primary feature is the Anglican
Anglican Church of Canada
The Anglican Church of Canada is the Province of the Anglican Communion in Canada. The official French name is l'Église Anglicane du Canada. The ACC is the third largest church in Canada after the Roman Catholic Church and the United Church of Canada, consisting of 800,000 registered members...
Church of the Holy Trinity. The Henry Scadding House and Holy Trinity Rectory are heritage buildings that are also located in the square. It includes a fountain and ornamental pond, and a labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
path.
Trinity Square's primary street access is via James Street, which extends north from Queen Street
Queen Street West
Queen Street West describes both the western branch of Queen Street, a major east-west thoroughfare, and a series of neighbourhoods or commercial districts, situated west of Yonge Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Queen Street begins in the west at the intersection of King Street, The...
between the Eaton Centre and Toronto's Old City Hall
Old City Hall (Toronto)
Toronto's Old City Hall was home to its city council from 1899 to 1966 and remains one of the city's most prominent structures. The building is located at the corner of Queen and Bay Streets, across Bay Street from Nathan Phillips Square and the new City Hall in the centre of downtown Toronto...
, although the square can also be accessed by walkways from Bay Street
Bay Street
Bay Street, originally known as Bear Street, is a major thoroughfare in Downtown Toronto. It is the centre of Toronto's Financial District and is often used by metonymy to refer to Canada's financial industry since succeeding Montreal's St. James Street in that role in the 1970s...
and Dundas Street
Dundas Street (Toronto)
Dundas Street, also known as Highway 5 west of Toronto, is a major arterial road connecting the centre of that city with its western suburbs and southwestern Ontario beyond...
, as well as through the Eaton Centre.
History
The Square was once the Terauley estate of John Simcoe MacaulayJohn Simcoe Macaulay
Colonel The Hon. John Simcoe Macaulay was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada. In 1845, he donated the land on which the Church of the Holy Trinity was built.-Early Life:...
(Terauley Cottage), which was acquired by his father James Macaulay
James Macaulay
James Macaulay was the Chief Medical Officer of Upper Canada.-Military career:In 1759, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, the son of a clergyman. He gained a commission into the army as a surgeon and served with the Queen's Rangers during the American Revolution. In 1785, he joined the 33rd Regiment...
in 1797. Macaulay sold his home and land in 1845, giving land for the construction of the Church of the Holy Trinity. By 1900, the area around the church became the Eaton's Annex
Eaton's Annex
Located on Albert Street, directly behind the Eaton's Main Store and Toronto's City Hall, the Eaton's Annex was a 10-storey building containing both retail and office space...
. The site of Bell Trinity Square, an office building built in 1982 by John B. Parkin Associates, was once home to the 10 floor Eaton's House Furnishing Building, built in 1919.
By the 1970s the Eaton's complex came down after a fire and demolition. The church and square were threatened by demolition to make way for the Toronto Eaton Centre. The parishioners of the church successfully resisted and forced the mall's design to be changed, preserving the church. Protests from Toronto citizens also led to the preservation of Old City Hall
Old City Hall (Toronto)
Toronto's Old City Hall was home to its city council from 1899 to 1966 and remains one of the city's most prominent structures. The building is located at the corner of Queen and Bay Streets, across Bay Street from Nathan Phillips Square and the new City Hall in the centre of downtown Toronto...
south of the square.
Design
The landscaped square is paved with a combination of granite and precast concrete block pavers arranged in different patterns. Its walkways are lined with densely planted trees. There is a water feature consisting of a tall outlet of water falling from a wall into an ornamental pond. Water also flows through an artificial stream beside the walkway to Bay Street. This walkway is designed with the Church of the Holy Trinity as a terminating vistaTerminating vista
In urban design, a terminating vista is a building or monument that stands at the end or in the middle of a road, so that when one is looking up the street the view ends with the site....
. It also extends views of the church to Hagerman Street on the north side of Toronto City Hall
Toronto City Hall
The City Hall of Toronto, Ontario, Canada is the home of the city's municipal government and one of its most distinctive landmarks. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and landscape architect Richard Strong, and engineered by Hannskarl Bandel, the building opened in 1965...
and to the podium of City Hall itself. At Bay Street, the walkway is flanked by two lanterns mounted on tall columns composed of exposed metal frames, painted blue. The columns are defined by three sections, with the widest at the bottom. They are positioned towards the edges of the walkway to compliment and frame the two towers of the Church of the Holy Trinity and to provide a formal entrance to the square.
Adjacent to the church is a clock tower similar in scale and construction to the columns at Bay Street. In addition, there are three large colonnade-like structures which serve as an entrance to the Toronto Public Labyrinth. The labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
is an ancient symbol dating back more than three thousand years. It is a universal symbol of pilgrimage and of our journey through life. A labyrinth has only one path and, unlike a maze, it has no dead ends. The labyrinth pattern at Trinity Square is based on the eleven-circuit labyrinth constructed at the Chartres Cathedral in France, completed in the 13th century. As many labyrinths are found near the water, this labyrinth is located on the former course of Taddle Creek
Taddle Creek
Taddle Creek is a buried stream in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that flowed a southeasterly course about six kilometres long, from the present site of Wychwood Park through the University of Toronto, into the Toronto Harbour near the Distillery District. During the 19th century, it was buried and...
, a stream that has been buried for more than one hundred and fifty years. The granite blocks that have been set into the paving at the entrance to the labyrinth and the nearby water feature in the square serve as reminders of this buried creek. The labyrinth is oriented in the direction of true north, as indicated by the directional lines created with the granite blocks.
External links
- Labyrinth Community Network – Toronto Public Labyrinth
- Trinity Square on Google MapsGoogle MapsGoogle Maps is a web mapping service application and technology provided by Google, free , that powers many map-based services, including the Google Maps website, Google Ride Finder, Google Transit, and maps embedded on third-party websites via the Google Maps API...