Group explore: info regarding the park
Interesting facts about the Trinity Bellwoods Park
• White squirrels: there have been white squirrels in the park for decades. Right now, there is a pair living in the trees within the circular path near the Queen St entrance.
• Oldest tree of the park: stands on the west side of the tennis courts, near the diagonal path that leads to and from the corner of Queen and Gore Vale.
• The Hickory Tree from the Ravine: just north of the bowl there’s an old hickory tree that’s surrounded by low, stone walls. It was protected when the ravine was filled by the dirt from the Bloor subway construction. It’s the last remaining growth from the woodlands that lined the original Garrison Creek Ravine.
• The Trinity Bellwoods Gate: they are originally part of the old Trinity College located north of the circular path; it is now on Queen St and has been restored.
• The John Gibson House: built in 1889, it was originally St. Hilda College residence for women. Now it is a senior residence.
The lost artefacts of Trinity Bellwoods
• Trinity college: just north of the circular path is where the old Trinity college once was. It was a neo-gothic structure, one of the finest architecture in Toronto until its demolition in 1956.
• Trinity chapel: it belonged to the Trinity College but was also demolished. Its foundation is now buried near the Tennis court.
• Crawford Street Bridge: built in 1915 across the ravine, it is buried under today’s Crawford Street during the construction of the Bloor-Danforth subway. Concrete hubs and railing roots are the only remains today
Lost nature of Trinity Bellwoods
• Garrison Creek: once the largest stream between Humber River and Don River, it was formed from the Wisconsinan Glacier 12 thousand years ago. It served as a protection area for the soldiers at Fort York in late 1700s, earning its name Garrison Creek. In early 1900s, as the area is urbanized and settlement grew dense, the creek became polluted by garbage. This raised health concerns among the municipal council which eventually leads to the burial of the creek.
• Garrison Creek Ravine: now known as the “pit”, it originally stretches across the entire park. It was used as a garbage dump during the construction of the Bloor-Danforth subway and was filled up in the 50s.