Chorley Park
Chorley Park was the fourth in a series of Government Houses, the official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario. Built between 1911 and 1915 by provincial architect Francis R. Heakes in French Renaissance style, it was as opulent as the castles in the Loire Valley of France. Surrounded by gardens and terraces, the building could be seen from the Don Valley and sat on 14 acres of secluded and undeveloped land in Toronto's Rosedale neighbourhood.
During the great depression, Ontario's Premier Mitchell Hepburn objected to the high maintenance expenses of the site and vowed to close it down once the Lieutenant-Governor left office. The building was closed in 1937 after 22 years of use. The city auctioned off much of the historical treasures from Chorley Hall. The building was used in coming years by the military, Red Cross, RCMP, and as a refugee camp. As the heritage building crumbled throughout the years, the city decided to demolish it in 1960 to create parkland.
Research by Olena Sullivan
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Comments
That is sad
Yes, I agree that it looks like it is leaning over a little. What a tragedy that the building couldn't have been restored but I guess 1937 was at the end of that other Great Depression so they weren't that keen on keeping historical buildings.
When I first looked at the picture - I thought it was Queen's Park
Was the building sinking in
Was the building sinking in this photograph? :)
G