Bathurst Manor
Ron Baird Sculpture
4905 Dufferin Street
Standing outside of the Environment Canada building is a 33.5-metre high sculpture by artist Ron Baird. The sculpture is un-named, and is instead described by a 17-line poem found on a plaque at its base. A kinetic piece, parts of the structure interact with the wind, rain and elements, while spinning, turning and creating sound. The three headed, 31.75-tonne installation depicts the elements of air, fire and water.
G. Ross Lord Park
4801 Dufferin Street
G. Ross Lord Park was created as a means to help control flooding in the area where the west branch of the Don River flowed after Hurricane Hazel swept through Toronto in 1954. Named for the former Chairman of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the park and nearby reservoir opened in 1972. The parklands contain over four kilometers of fully accessible and maintained trails, cricket pitches, soccer fields, picnic sites and a fire pit. Birdwatchers flock to the park, schools of fishers gather at the reservoir, and teams of sports enthusiasts enjoy the fields. Several naturalization projects ongoing in the park help to support local wildlife and create a healthier park for all its patrons, humans and animals alike.
G. Ross Lord Dog Park
4777 Dufferin Street
Of special interest to our canine friends out for a stroll is the G. Ross Lord Park Off-Leash Dog Park. The fenced off area is accessible at the front of the park, and offers a large space for dogs to socialize and run free while allowing for proper drainage, so the park can keep looking its best. Dogs are to remain leashed in other areas of parks so everyone may enjoy the park and its trails to their fullest.
The Community Association for Riders with Disabilities (CARD)
4777 Dufferin Street
*Note: Private property. Please observe the animals from outside only. The Community Association for Riders with Disabilities (CARD) originally operated out of a private stable in Toronto. In the late 1970s, with support from former Mayor Mel Lastman and the City of North York, land in G. Ross Lord Park was set aside for a permanent facility. The stable complex cost $700,000 to build, and was officially opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne on November 16, 1979. The CARD site is fully accessible, with four paddocks, a 19-horse barn, and heated arena.
Garthdale Parkette
88A Garthdale Court
This small neighbourhood parkette on Garthdale Court contains a children's playground and open green space.
Charles H. Best Middle School
285 Wilmington Avenue
Charles H. Best Middle School was re-named in 1978 for one of the co-discoverers of insulin. The school is home to the CyberARTS program, a multi-disciplinary, arts and technology-focused curriculum offered at only seven middle schools in the Toronto District School Bord (TDSB). Charles H. Best has also been certified as a Platinum EcoSchool by EcoSchool Canada, the national arm of the global Foundation for Environmental Education. To qualify as a Platinum EcoSchool, schools must have followed a multi-step action plan, which may include waste-free lunches, school energy exploration or on-site pollinator gardens, among several other options.
Irving W. Chapley Community Centre and Park
205 Wilmington Avenue
The Irving W. Chapley Community Centre and Park occupies 4.6 hectares in the middle of the Bathurst Manor neighbourhood. This large park features two baseball diamonds, two tennis courts, a ball hockey rink, basketball court, splash pad and children's playgrounds. The Community Centre on the grounds has an outdoor pool and community use spaces. The park is named for Irving Chapley, North York City Councillor and member of the Metropolitan Toronto Council from 1974 to 1992. He was an active B'nai B'rith member (Jewish Human Rights organization) before joining local politics.
Tak Bui Artbox
10 Wilmington Avenue
This piece acknowledges the nearby Downsview airport and military base and depicts a First World War air battle in which renowned Canadian Lt Col Billy Bishop shot down a German plane.
Darchei Noam Synagogue
864 Sheppard Avenue West
*Note: Private Property. Please observe the building from the sidewalk only. While the Darchei Noam Synagogue may look like a simple building on the outside, it is anything but. When the congregation was looking to build their first permanent home, they looked far outside the box of what a synagogue could be. Working with BDP Quadrangle, a Toronto based design firm, the Reconstructionist Judaism principles of 'do not waste' and 'heal the world' were incorporated into many facets of the building. Solar panels on the roof provide electricity and the white roof itself helps to keep the building cool. High efficiency heating and cooling units manage the temperature where needed and sustainable materials were used wherever possible. The current Rabbi of Darchei Noam is part of a line of female rabbis with the congregation starting with Joy Levitt in 1979, one of the first women to hold this role in Toronto.
William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute
20 Tillplain Road
In 1962, a competition to rename this school resulted in naming it William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute. When the school first opened to eight hundred students, there likely wasn't the expectation that it would evolve into the world renowned programming that it offers today. The one of a kind MaCS (Math, Computers & Science) program provides a unique learning experience. FIT (Focus on Information Technology) allows students to earn industry standard certification in programming, engineering, and media arts. In addition to these scholastic ventures, the school has also participated in SWITCH (Solar and Wind Initiatives Towards Change) when solar panels were installed on the roof in 2007.
Explore Bathurst Manor
Now is the time for residents to experience all that tourists have been raving about for years. Discover shops, stops, places and spaces on city main streets. Stay curious, Toronto.
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Explore FREE Public Art Across the City. Toronto's Year of Public Art 2021-2022 is a year-long celebration of Toronto's exceptional public art collection and the creative community behind it.
We hope that you enjoyed exploring this Toronto neighbourhood and found many other points of interest along the way. While StrollTO highlights some of the 'hidden gems' in the neighbourhood, there may be others that could be included in a future edition. Would you like to share a point of interest that you discovered in the neighbourhood? Email us at [email protected].
Neighbourhood Stroll
Bordered by the west branch of the Don River, Bathurst Manor is a residential neighbourhood with more than a few hidden gems to discover as you roam through its tree-lined streets. Great local businesses can be found on Dufferin Street, Sheppard Avenue West, and Finch Avenue West.
- Ron Baird Sculpture
4905 Dufferin Street
Standing outside of the Environment Canada building is a 33.5-metre high sculpture by artist Ron Baird. The sculpture is un-named, and is instead described by a 17-line poem found on a plaque at its base. A kinetic piece, parts of the structure interact with the wind, rain and elements, while spinning, turning and creating sound. The three headed, 31.75-tonne installation depicts the elements of air, fire and water.
- G. Ross Lord Park
4801 Dufferin Street
G. Ross Lord Park was created as a means to help control flooding in the area where the west branch of the Don River flowed after Hurricane Hazel swept through Toronto in 1954. Named for the former Chairman of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the park and nearby reservoir opened in 1972. The parklands contain over four kilometers of fully accessible and maintained trails, cricket pitches, soccer fields, picnic sites and a fire pit. Birdwatchers flock to the park, schools of fishers gather at the reservoir, and teams of sports enthusiasts enjoy the fields. Several naturalization projects ongoing in the park help to support local wildlife and create a healthier park for all its patrons, humans and animals alike.
- G. Ross Lord Dog Park
4777 Dufferin Street
Of special interest to our canine friends out for a stroll is the G. Ross Lord Park Off-Leash Dog Park. The fenced off area is accessible at the front of the park, and offers a large space for dogs to socialize and run free while allowing for proper drainage, so the park can keep looking its best. Dogs are to remain leashed in other areas of parks so everyone may enjoy the park and its trails to their fullest.
- The Community Association for Riders with Disabilities (CARD)
4777 Dufferin Street
*Note: Private property. Please observe the animals from outside only. The Community Association for Riders with Disabilities (CARD) originally operated out of a private stable in Toronto. In the late 1970s, with support from former Mayor Mel Lastman and the City of North York, land in G. Ross Lord Park was set aside for a permanent facility. The stable complex cost $700,000 to build, and was officially opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne on November 16, 1979. The CARD site is fully accessible, with four paddocks, a 19-horse barn, and heated arena.
- Garthdale Parkette
88A Garthdale Court
This small neighbourhood parkette on Garthdale Court contains a children's playground and open green space.
- Charles H. Best Middle School
285 Wilmington Avenue
Charles H. Best Middle School was re-named in 1978 for one of the co-discoverers of insulin. The school is home to the CyberARTS program, a multi-disciplinary, arts and technology-focused curriculum offered at only seven middle schools in the Toronto District School Bord (TDSB). Charles H. Best has also been certified as a Platinum EcoSchool by EcoSchool Canada, the national arm of the global Foundation for Environmental Education. To qualify as a Platinum EcoSchool, schools must have followed a multi-step action plan, which may include waste-free lunches, school energy exploration or on-site pollinator gardens, among several other options.
- Irving W. Chapley Community Centre and Park
205 Wilmington Avenue
The Irving W. Chapley Community Centre and Park occupies 4.6 hectares in the middle of the Bathurst Manor neighbourhood. This large park features two baseball diamonds, two tennis courts, a ball hockey rink, basketball court, splash pad and children's playgrounds. The Community Centre on the grounds has an outdoor pool and community use spaces. The park is named for Irving Chapley, North York City Councillor and member of the Metropolitan Toronto Council from 1974 to 1992. He was an active B'nai B'rith member (Jewish Human Rights organization) before joining local politics.
- Tak Bui Artbox
10 Wilmington Avenue
This piece acknowledges the nearby Downsview airport and military base and depicts a First World War air battle in which renowned Canadian Lt Col Billy Bishop shot down a German plane.
- Darchei Noam Synagogue
864 Sheppard Avenue West
*Note: Private Property. Please observe the building from the sidewalk only. While the Darchei Noam Synagogue may look like a simple building on the outside, it is anything but. When the congregation was looking to build their first permanent home, they looked far outside the box of what a synagogue could be. Working with BDP Quadrangle, a Toronto based design firm, the Reconstructionist Judaism principles of 'do not waste' and 'heal the world' were incorporated into many facets of the building. Solar panels on the roof provide electricity and the white roof itself helps to keep the building cool. High efficiency heating and cooling units manage the temperature where needed and sustainable materials were used wherever possible. The current Rabbi of Darchei Noam is part of a line of female rabbis with the congregation starting with Joy Levitt in 1979, one of the first women to hold this role in Toronto.
- William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute
20 Tillplain Road
In 1962, a competition to rename this school resulted in naming it William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute. When the school first opened to eight hundred students, there likely wasn't the expectation that it would evolve into the world renowned programming that it offers today. The one of a kind MaCS (Math, Computers & Science) program provides a unique learning experience. FIT (Focus on Information Technology) allows students to earn industry standard certification in programming, engineering, and media arts. In addition to these scholastic ventures, the school has also participated in SWITCH (Solar and Wind Initiatives Towards Change) when solar panels were installed on the roof in 2007.
Accessibility information: All points of interest are visible from sidewalks or residential roads. The main roadways have level sidewalks, but some of the interior residential roads do not have sidewalk access. Residential roads are generally paved and level. Trails in G. Ross Lord Park are fully accessible and maintained.
The StrollTO itineraries may follow routes that do not receive winter maintenance. Please review winter safety tips and for more information contact 311.
Soundtracks of the City
From global superstars to local favourites and ones to watch, the Soundtracks of the City playlists all feature artists who have called Toronto home. Whether it’s a lyric about the neighborhood, an artist representing a cultural community, or a tie-in to the StrollTO itinerary itself, all the music reflects connections to an individual ward or the City as a whole.
Music was chosen based on an artist’s Spotify presence and each song’s broad appeal, as well as its associations with the cultures, languages and ethnicities that reflect Toronto’s neighborhoods and diverse music scene. Soundtracks of the City combines 425 songs that feature more than 500 different local artists or acts, showcasing songs in 23 different languages.