The park is 399 acres and was given to the city in 1873 by John Howard, an architect who lived there in a house he designed which they called Colbourne Lodge.
There were some conditions attached which would allow the Howards to continue to live in Colbourne Lodge ... no alcohol ever be served in the park and that the City hold the park "for the free use, benefit and enjoyment of the Citizens of Toronto for ever and to be called and designated at all times thereafter High Park".
We walked the west perimetre of the park, cut through the zoo and then walked the east perimetre.
This is looking over Grenadier Pond. The leaves are just starting to change colours.
The park was really busy ... there were lots of people out and about. Surprisingly the "train" was still running.
This is a cool tree.
We veered off onto the West Ravine Nature Trails.
This is looking south as we walked along Bloor Street W.
We walked through the small zoo.
There aren't that many animals but kids were excited about it. Hard to believe our A-Hole mayor wants to get rid of it!
Back on the trails again ... the Spring Creek Nature Trails that took us to Bloor Street W/Parkside.
Such a lovely place to spend the afternoon!
High Park is awesome. I do prefer it in the off season, less people, more wildlife... but it was a really beautiful day not to enjoy outside. And High Park is huge that you can still avoid people if you wanted to.
ReplyDeleteWe were planning to go there too and then ending up going to the Distillery District. It was such a gorgeous day. - Monica
ReplyDeletei LOVE the cool tree :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I first moved to Toronto and was very poor I lived a block from the park, the Zoo, the Dream, the Pond, the Trails, the Gardens, were all there to impress and amuse me for free. Loved it then and still do.
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