Queen's Park, Toronto
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Queen's Park is an historic green space in central Toronto, Ontario, Canada. This scenic park is also home to the Ontario Legislative Assembly and seat of the Government of Ontario.
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Location
Queen's Park is an oval park bounded by the University of Toronto to the west and northeast (the southeast quadrant of the park is primarily bounded by government offices). Located at the north end of University Avenue, it is circumnavigated by Queen's Park Crescent, and bisected east-to-west by Wellesley Street West. The park is officially owned by the university, but is leased from them for a dollar per year.
History
Queen's Park was named in 1860 in honour of Queen Victoria, by Edward, Prince of Wales (Edward VII). The Legislature was opened in 1892.
Sights
The south end of Queen's Park, south of Wellesley Street, is home to the captivating Ontario Legislative Building. Designed by Richard Waite, it was completed in 1892. The building is in the Richardsonian Romanesque style; Waite took advantage of its iron-frame construction to devote an uncharacteristically large area to windows, including a rose window. One tower was intended to hold a clock, but this was never installed. A large open area south of the legislature is often used for public gatherings and demonstrations, despite extensive tree cover.
The north end of the park is a British-style park dominated by large trees which provide extensive cover in summer. The north-south axis of this section is a path leading from an equestrian statue of Edward VII just north of Wellesley Street to the 48th Highlanders War Memorial at the extreme north end of the park. The statue of Edward VII is placed on a large mound with benches around it; the clearing necessary for the statue creates a picturesque focal point on sunny summer days, as it becomes by far the brightest spot in the park.
The Royal Ontario Museum is just a short walk to the north of the Park, and the University of Toronto is to the east and west. During the year the park is usually full of students heading to class. At night the park is often populated by students indulging in illegal substances that are banned on campus.
Statues
Monuments to the following important figures and events can be found gracing the Park:
- King Edward VII, which originally stood in India but was moved to Canada after their independence.
- George Brown
- King George V
- Sir John A. Macdonald
- John Sandfield Macdonald
- William Lyon Mackenzie
- Sir Oliver Mowat
- Northwest Rebellion Memorial
- John Graves Simcoe
- Queen Victoria
- Sir James Pliny Whitney
- campaigns of the 48th Highlanders of Canada
Government
As well as being a beautiful park in the heart of the city, Queen's Park is also the seat of the Ontario Government. The Government is often referred to, by metonymy, as "Queen's Park".
Missing image
2003.jpg
Image:2003.jpg
Seating Plan of Parliament as of 2004: Liberals in red, Progressive Conservatives in blue, New Democrats in orange.
Transportation
Queen's Park is at the north end of University Avenue, and is easily accessed by road. The park is encircled by Queen's Park Crescent, and to the north a street named Queen's Park runs the short distance to Bloor Street; north of Bloor it continues as Avenue Road.
The Queen's Park station on the TTC subway Yonge-University-Spadina Line serves the Park as well; it was built entirely in underground tunnels (rather than using cut-and-cover construction for the station, as is the TTC's usual practice) in order to avoid disrupting the Legislature. Museum station is just north of the park. The 5 Avenue Road and 94 Wellesley bus routes and the 506 Carlton streetcar route also serve the park.