Packed with diversity, a bustling food scene, a dynamic mix of tourist attractions and options for rest and relaxation, Toronto, the capital of Ontario and Canada’s largest city, has all the things you’re looking for in your next vacation. You can choose to visit museums, trendy restaurants and hip coffee shops, or take in the view from the world-famous CN Tower. Or you may visit Downsview Park, to discover adventure and nature right in the middle of the city.
Located in the heart of north Toronto, Downsview Park provides an escape to nature in an urban setting, offering a range of public activities and programs to connect with yourself, with others and with the outdoors. Accessed by Downsview Park Station on the Yonge-University Line 1, Torontonians and visitors alike look to Downsview Park year-round for events, sports, fun family activities, walks and kids camps. Whether you’re planning a fun-filled weekend visit to Toronto with your family or attending a concert on the Festival Terrace, you’re sure to find something to do at Downsview Park.
History of Downsview Park
Before Downsview Park was established in 1999, it was the site of the vast former Canadian Forces Base Toronto. About half of the over 500-acres were dedicated to new neighbourhood development and about half became Downsview Park. Canada Lands Company, a federal Crown corporation that specializes in real estate development and attractions management oversees Downsview Park. Canada Lands Company is also responsible for the Montréal Science Centre, Old Port of Montréal and the CN Tower.
Activities and Events
Downsview Park offers a mix of forests, ponds, trails, active and passive play areas, sports fields, gardens and a three-kilometre circuit path. Challenge yourself to a race up the Mound and take in the view of downtown Toronto and the CN Tower. Enjoy a picnic overlooking the lake. The Park hosts various outdoor music, cultural and community events year-round and draws tens of thousands of visitors each year. On July 1st Downsview Park is the perfect place to celebrate Canada Day for family fun that ends as the fireworks light up the night sky. In the spring, Earth Day comes alive, and in the Fall the Orchard Party celebrates the apple harvest.
Sports enthusiasts enjoy “The Hangar,” a 45,000-square-metre (485,000-square-foot) former aircraft hangar that is now home to several indoor and outdoor sports fields, as well as ball hockey, soccer leagues, a climbing gym, go-karting and more. The Park features an outdoor kids’ Play Zone, which features multi-use and basketball courts, and an aviation themed playground. The weekend Merchants Market offers an international food court, farmer’s market and market vendors.
Nature at the Park
For visitors who want to take in all that nature has to offer, you’re in luck: wildlife can be found throughout Downsview Park. Look up and you are likely to spot a hawk or other bird of prey soaring above you. Deer, squirrels and rabbits enjoy the fields and forest, while groundhogs can be spotted along Carl Hall Road.
Here are some other nature activities to explore:
Sesquicentennial Trail
The trail tells a story of the Downsview lands, recognizing its place in indigenous territory, and the passage of time that brought agriculture, pioneering aviation, military and today’s park uses. The “Sesqui” Trail features two gathering plazas, a lookout point and several public art installations.
Birdwatching
Downsview Park is a Toronto bird watching hot spot with more than 190 species of birds spotted in the Park. On most days, bird watchers can watch woodpeckers, a variety of songbirds and hawks. Lucky visitors may find great blue heron or snowy owls among the other bird species that visit Downsview Park.
Agriculture in the City
Gardens in the park are cultivated in the summer by visiting groups and community nature programs. The Park’s own fruit orchard ties together urban food production, community education, enhanced greenspaces and fresh produce for the community.
Discovery Centre
Fun things happen in the Park’s Discovery Centre. Schools, community groups, families and individuals participate in a variety of free or fee-for-service -quality educational programs. For example, the Jr. Forest Explorers is a free caregiver and toddler nature program held over the summer months helping kids connect with the natural world through hands-on outdoor activities. Adults can take in the Walk in the Park series of guided walks.
Downsview Park’s school programs are designed to support Ontario’s Ministry of Education Curriculum and include interactive outdoor lessons that connect curriculum to hands-on experiences. All school programs are half-day workshops, with the opportunity to enroll in two programs for a full day visit.
No matter if you’re in town for business, pleasure, or if you call Toronto home, visit Downsview Park, a destination not to be missed if you want to play outside, discover nature and connect with friends and family. The Park welcomes you.
