Guild Park and Gardens
Historical Reference
TELLING THE STORY
The story of Relic Park can be told in many ways that chronicle the passage of time. The stone itself is ancient, formed millions of years ago through geological processes. As a construction material throughout the 19th and first half of the 20th century, stone symbolized permanence, quality and strength; and it was used in the building of the country’s great civic, commercial and financial institutions. The stone tools of newly arrived European immigrants carved the flourishes and details inspired by ancient Greece and iconic forms in nature.
Surrounding each relic from Toronto’s past is a richness of character. Carefully salvaged from the doomed structures, in the 1950’s to 70’s, the carved and dressed stones were selected to be transported for reconstruction at the Guild Park and Gardens site. Over the decades, staff repositioned the stone at various times and in one case drew from the stockpiles to create a new monument – the keystone wall. Some stones remained where they were first placed after relocation to Scarborough or in a compound behind one of the buildings on site. Nature went to work in the years that followed and the native woodland gradually began to claim the carvings as part of the forest tapestry. Massive White Pines and Oak periodically shed branches while ferns, mosses and other woodland flora engulfed the pieces to create a garden of Nature’s own design.
Ironically, this wild garden of relics at Guild Park and Gardens resonated a beauty that informed a strong meaning and rationale for Relic Park in downtown Toronto. The role that Guild Park and Gardens played in the lifeline of the relics is a critical piece of the story.
Without this intervention, Relic Park would never be discussed and the opportunity to interpret Toronto’s rich architectural history in the downtown core would be mute.
GUILD PARK AND GARDENS
Guild Park and Gardens is home to the architectural remnants of some of Toronto’s most significant lost
buildings. Rosa and Spencer Clark, supporters of the Arts and Crafts movement, were disheartened by the destruction of so many stone buildings in the mid-20th century and brought examples to their Scarborough property (popularly known as “The Guild”) for display. Showcased in a beautiful park, these monuments continue to serve as a reminder of the city’s past.
As Toronto’s architectural form transitioned from stones, bricks and mortar to glass and steel, architectural features of interest were saved at the time of demolition. The Clarks built about 42 monuments from fragments of salvaged buildiings; however, there remained a significant number of stones left in piles on the property, mostly around Building 191, the Clarks’ archive and office building. These piles of unused stones have been determined to be surplus to the collection. In Fall 2017, the City launched its plan to redevelop the existing Building 191 into the Clark Centre for the Arts, to house
art studios and art programming. The surplus stones have been temporarily relocated to allow for construction to proceed, and the City is looking for partners to display the stones for public interest and enjoyment, and to intepret the stories of the Clarks, Guild Park and Gardens, and the growth of Toronto.
SURPLUS STONES
In Spring 2018, the City deaccessioned a portion of Guild Park and Gardens’ carved stones to allow for more flexibility in how the stones are utilized. Installing a selection of the surplus stones in Relic Park provides an opportunity to showcase the pieces in an urban setting, close to their original building sites, and to tell a downtown audience the incredible story of the origin of the stones and why they have survived. Relic Park integrates a broad historical spectrum, from the Clarks’ rescue of the architectural pieces and ongoing stewardship of the Guild Stakeholders Groups, to the return of a selection of
pieces to the core of the city.
Relic Park will tell the story of the buildings, the workers who built them, the people who owned them, and the people who worked within the walls. The stone installations will be expressed playfully and in a way that enhances the public realm between the AGO and Campbell House Museum. As the stone pieces were in the process of deaccessioning, groupings of stones were reviewed by the main stakeholders, including the Project Team for Relic Park, who have identified appropriate pieces for installation at Relic Park. This is the first step to envisioning the potential of Relic Park to expand our idea
of a downtown park.
CREATING A DIALOGUE
The landscape approaches at Guild Park and Gardens and at Relic Park open up a conversation between
two city sites. At Guild Park and Gardens, a multihectare, suburban and mostly natural space of gardens
and forest is the site for monuments with strong architectural features. As illustrated at left, these
features bring order and grandeur to the landscape. In contrast, Relic Park is in a dense, urban environment; it aims to create a sense of over-grown stone fragment “relics” within a natural oasis, adding a sense of intimacy and disorder to city-dwellers’ regimented lives. Relic Park will also spark a dialogue about the state of architectural preservation and city-building today versus half-a-century ago. Relic Park honours people like the Clarks and others who have worked tirelessly to preserve our heritage.