Little Norway Park
| Little Norway Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location of the park in Toronto | |
| Type | Public Park |
| Location | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Coordinates | 43°38′04″N 79°23′54″W / 43.63444°N 79.39833°W |
| Area | 2.36 ha (5.8 acres) |
| Created | 1986 |
| Operated by | Toronto Parks |
| Website | Little Norway Park |
Little Norway Park is a small park in the Harbourfront area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at the southwest corner of Bathurst Street and Queens Quay West. The park is just north of the Western Channel into Toronto Harbour.[1] It was opened in 1986.
History
[edit]The park's name commemorates Little Norway, the exiled Royal Norwegian Air Force training base that had occupied the site during the Second World War.[2] In 1976, a 3,000 pound boulder from Norway was transported to the location as a permanent monument to that time. It was unveiled by Crown Prince Harald of Norway on September 18, 1976.[3] The base's location was cleared and, in the 1980s, an apartment complex was built along the western side. The rest of the former base was converted into a park and opened in 1986. The park was officially dedicated as Little Norway Park on November 20, 1987, in a ceremony with King Olav V of Norway.[4]
Operations
[edit]Park facilities include a baseball diamond and soccer pitch, a playground and wading pool, public washrooms, landscaped gardens and art installations.[2] It also has a wheelchair-accessible children's playground in its northwest corner.[5] There is a totem pole in the park near Queens Quay West.[6] A flagpole has a plaque at its base explaining the significance of the park and its history.
The park is also a meeting and protest site in downtown Toronto. In 2007, aboriginal peoples gathered at Little Norway Park to protest about broken treaties.[7]
City plans to create an "off-leash" area or dog park there in 2009 created some controversy, with residents complaining of the lack of notice or consultation and the proximity to children playing, and pointing out that there is another dog park 400 metres away.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ Aerial view of the Western Channel and Billy Bishop airport. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- ^ a b "Little Norway Park". Parks, Forestry & Recreation. City of Toronto. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
Its name commemorates the World War II training base, used by the Norwegian Air Force, that once existed on the site.
- ^ "Prince to Unveil Monument". Toronto Star. September 8, 1976. p. B01.
- ^ Reid, Susan (November 20, 1987). "King returns to wartime 'Little Norway'". Toronto Star. p. A06.
- ^ Aerial view of the park, looking southwest. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- Part of the wheelchair playground[permanent dead link]. Retrieved October 9, 2012. - ^ Merritt, Shaun (May 31, 2009). "Dreamwork of the whales". Spacing. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ Lewkowicz, Justine (June 29, 2007). "Aboriginal people gather in Little Norway Park". CFRB, Newstalk 1010. Archived from the original on June 15, 2007. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ Spice, Kimberly (June 9, 2009). "Fury unleashed in Little Norway Park dogs vs. kids feud". The Bulletin. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- Valliere, Leigh (April 22, 2009). "LETTER: Dogfight over Little Norway off-leash area". The Bulletin. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
- "Proposed Off-Leash Area in Little Norway Park and Coronation Park". Adam Vaughan, Toronto councillor. April 15, 2009. Archived from the original on April 18, 2009. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
External links
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