Toronto's Vibrant, Revitalized City Park Has Skyscraper Views And Public Art

Once upon a time, the site now occupied by a popular Toronto park — a triangle-shaped property between Wellington, Front, and Scott Streets — was an abandoned lot. Today, it's the greenery-framed, art-filled Berczy Park, and thanks to the city's efforts to revitalize the space, it's a vibrant highlight for travelers exploring the city.

The one-acre Berczy Park is located in one of Toronto's oldest neighborhoods, St. Lawrence, which is itself part of Old Toronto, the city's original settlement, founded on the shoreline of Lake Ontario in 1834. It stands to reason that the park takes its name from a historic figure with a key role in the city's development: the German-born architect, painter, and writer William Berczy (he's considered one of the founders of modern Toronto, according to the city's Parks & Recreation website). 

Though the park has been in existence since 1980, it's improved drastically in recent years, as the City of Toronto has collaborated with local residents to make Berczy Park more beautiful and accessible. Key upgrades were carried out by the Montreal-based landscape architects Claude Cormier + Associés starting in 2015, including broadening the central plaza and paving it with granite mosaic, widening sidewalks, and planting garden beds and trees. A two-tiered Victorian-style fountain at the center of the park, installed in 2017, is topped by a golden bone and surrounded by a whimsical series of dog and cat sculptures.

Today, these recent enhancements have made Berczy Park a particularly pleasurable spot to take a break while exploring the oldest section of Toronto. Relax on a park bench and take in views of historic landmarks nearby, like the Gooderham "Flatiron" Building, which dates back to 1898. It's located on one side of the park's triangle. You can also see various Toronto skyscrapers from different points in the park, including the CN Tower, home to the tallest observation platform in the western hemisphere, and the modern high-rises of the adjacent financial district. 

Berczy Park's public artworks are just as notable. Look for "Jacob's Ladder," an eye-catching 2018 sculpture depicting a pair of larger-than-life human hands, cast in bronze by the Toronto-based artist Luis Jacob. On one side of the Flatiron Building, a playful trompe l'oeil mural by artist Derek Michael Besant plays tricks on the eye. Though it may appear current, the mural has been around since well before the park's recent glow-up. Besant painted it when the park first opened in 1980.

Berczy Park is easy to access if you're walking around downtown Toronto, but you can also get there on the bus, train, subway, or streetcar from other parts of town. Pick up picnic supplies at St. Lawrence Market, just a few blocks away, with more than a hundred vendors selling baked goods, sandwiches, specialty coffee drinks, and more. Looking for other gorgeous outdoor spaces with interesting views in Toronto? Don't miss Toronto Island Park, with clean, sandy beaches and lovely views over Lake Ontario and the city skyline.