Coronation Park (Toronto) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Coronation Park |
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View of Victory Peace Monument
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| Type | Urban park, Memorial |
| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Created | 1937 |
| Owned by | City of Toronto |
| Operated by | Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation |
Coronation Park is a special park and a place to remember veterans in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was built to honor the crowning of King George VI in 1937. The park has many trees planted to remember Canadian men and women who fought in World War I and other wars.
Coronation Park was built during a tough time called the Great Depression. Many people who needed jobs helped build it. The park is located on land that was created by filling in part of Lake Ontario. You can also find the Victory-Peace World War II monument right by the water. Nearby are HMCS York (a naval base), Fort York, and Exhibition Place.
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Building the Park
In 1934, Toronto was going through the Great Depression. Many people were out of work. The Toronto Harbour Commission regularly dug up the bottom of Toronto Harbour to keep it deep enough for ships.
The city decided to use this dug-up sand to create new land along the lake. This new land would become a park. This project helped give jobs to many people who were unemployed. About 75% of the workers were people who needed welfare support.
Building the park was very hard work. Even though steam shovels did some digging, workers moved a lot of soil by hand using wheelbarrows. The park was finished in time for a special tree planting on May 12, 1937. This day was called Coronation Day, a public holiday in Toronto.
A year later, on August 1, 1938, granite stones and plaques were placed next to each tree. These plaques explained which military group each tree represented. Veterans also gave park benches to the park that year.
More trees were planted when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visited Canada in 1939. A tree was planted for every public and separate school in Toronto. Later, 20 more trees were planted during the 2010 G20 Toronto summit.
Park Design and Memorials
The park has trees planted for each group of Canadian soldiers who fought in World War I. There is also a special tree for the King, called the "King's Oak." The idea for planting these memorial trees came from several people, including F. E. Robson and Thomas Hobbs.
The park's design groups trees around the central King's Oak. An inner circle of oak trees, called the "Empire Circle," represents different countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
To the north, a group of trees called the "Imperial Service triangle" represents the Royal Navy, Air Force, and Army. Other groups of maple trees represent different Canadian military divisions. These also include trees honoring Canadian nurses and veterans from earlier conflicts like the Second Boer War and the Fenian raids.
Victory-Peace Monument
A large war memorial was built in 1995 to mark 50 years since the end of World War II. It is located by the water. This monument is called the "Victory-Peace Monument."
The memorial is a large concrete circle on the ground. In the middle is a brass disk with "1939 1945 PEACE" written on it. The word "peace" is also etched in many other languages. Around the circle are concrete steps with black granite blocks. These blocks have words and pictures about Canada's role in the war.
There are also two bronze walls shaped like the front of a ship. Between these walls are maple leaves, and one is engraved with the word "Sacrifice." The artist who designed this monument was John McEwan. It was officially opened on November 14, 1995.
Right next to it is a tall flagpole with a "victory garden" planted around its base.
What to Do at the Park
Coronation Park has three baseball diamonds. These are used for softball and baseball games when it's not winter. During the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), the diamonds host a special youth baseball tournament.
In the winter, an outdoor ice rink is built at the park. People can use it for skating or playing ice hockey. The park also has an area where dogs can run without a leash. There's a building called Coronation Park Pavilion, built in 1995. It has washrooms, lockers, and showers for people using the sports fields.
A path called Remembrance Drive goes through the park. The Martin Goodman Trail, a popular path for walking and biking, also runs along the water's edge through the park.
Park History
Coronation Park was almost removed twice. Once, it was suggested to move Fort York to the park. Later, in 1971, there was a plan to expand Exhibition Place and turn the park into a new area for carnival rides. However, groups of veterans and workers successfully stopped these plans.
The memorial was rededicated on November 10, 2018. This was the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. Important people like Ontario's Lieutenant-Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell and Toronto Mayor John Tory attended the ceremony.
The memorial is being fixed up and restored. This project uses money from the Canadian government, the City of Toronto, and private donations. The goal is to make sure this important park and memorial stay in good condition for many years to come.
