park play
Filed Under Places | August 17, 2010
The weather’s beautiful outside. The kids are restless. You rack your brain thinking of all the fun, outdoor places you could take them in the city. By the end of the summer you’ve done the city circuit (twice), and you want a wide-open space where trees abound and concrete is minimal. Lucky for the family, there’s the perfect place right in your backyard: High Park.
With over a million visitors each year, and 399 acres of natural beauty for city dwellers to enjoy, High Park is the largest park in Toronto and open year round. High Park dates back to 1836, when John George Howard purchased 160 acres in what is now known as Toronto, for a sheep farm. The Howard’s named their land “High Park” because of the height of the property.
Easily accessible by TTC, you could literally spend the entire day enjoying High Park with the family. Kids can feed the ducks at Grenadier Pond, or try their hand at one of the favourite fishing spots along the pond. The Hillside Gardens offer a stunning array of flowers and plants, and is the perfect spot for a family photo and an afternoon picnic. There are two soccer pitches, three baseball diamonds and tennis courts, splash pads, and an outdoor pool located right in the park.
Other highlights include the trackless train, which offers a scenic, 25-minute tour of High Park for a small fee, and the Jamie Bell Adventure playground, a massive castle structure that can only be described as a kid’s “dream” playground. Another feature not to be missed is the High Park Zoo, which is nestled right in the middle of the park and is home to bison, llamas, peacocks, deer, highland cattle, ostrich, and sheep.
Over a third of High Park still remains in a natural state, and is home to many species of wildlife, including birds, fish, and other animals. The conditions the Howards laid down to the City when they passed over the park are still in effect: no alcohol would ever be served in the park, it would always be free for Torontonians to enjoy, and would forever be called “High Park.”
After all the fresh-air playtime, the centrally located Grenadier Café offers repose for a quick bite to eat, or grab a cool treat from one of the ice cream trucks in the park. High Park also boasts an organic farmers market behind Grenadier Café, open weekends from May to October. As day turns to night, the family can catch Dream in High Park. This open-air theatre has become a summer tradition for Torontonians and visitors alike.
With endless trails, ample wildlife, natural settings, and well-thought out kid’s play areas, High Park is the perfect family escape – without ever having to leave the city!
High Park: www.toronto.ca/parks/highpark.htm
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