High Park

High Park’s origins date back to 1836 when John George Howard, a prominent architect and Toronto’s first city surveyor, purchased a 165-acre property for his country estate. Howard and his wife, Jemima, named their home Colborne Lodge and spent decades cultivating the land. In 1873, they made a generous deed to the City of Toronto, stipulating that the land remain for the free use, benefit and enjoyment of the citizens forever, while also ensuring that no alcohol would ever be sold on the premises. This act of philanthropy laid the foundation for what would become the city’s largest and most beloved public park. Over the following decades, the city expanded the park’s boundaries to its current 399 acres by acquiring adjacent lands. High Park witnessed the growth of Toronto from a small colonial outpost to a bustling metropolis, serving as a vital green lung during the rapid urbanization of the 20th century. It survived several development threats and ecological shifts, eventually becoming recognized not just for its recreational value but for its rare and fragile ecosystems, particularly the black oak savannahs that are remnants of the post-glacial landscape. Today, High Park is a diverse cultural and natural landmark that blends heritage with modern recreation. It is internationally famous for its Sakura cherry trees, a gift from the people of Tokyo in 1959, which draw hundreds of thousands of visitors every spring. The park also hosts the long-running Dream in High Park Shakespearean performances and maintains a small zoo, reflecting the Howards original vision of a space where nature, art, and community intersect harmoniously in the heart of the city.