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CFB Toronto | |
|---|---|
| Summary | |
| Opened | 1929 (1929) |
| Closed | April 1, 1996 (1996-04-01) |
| Occupants | Royal Canadian Air Force /Canadian Armed Forces |
| Coordinates | 43°44′38″N79°27′56″W / 43.74389°N 79.46556°W /43.74389; -79.46556 |
 Interactive map of CFB Toronto | |
Canadian Forces Base Toronto (alsoCFB Toronto) is a formerCanadian Forces base that operated at the site ofDownsview Airport inToronto, Ontario. The airfield is currently referred to as the 'YZD district' for residential and commercial redevelopment byNorthcrest Developments since purchasing property rights of the site on 17 August 2024, followingBombardier's relocation to a new facility at Toronto'sPearson Airport.
The Downsview Lands were part of an extensive land parcel acquired by theBritish Crown in 1787 from theMississauga Nation in what is referred to as theToronto Purchase. "Downsview" received its name in the 1830s after a farm on the property that was called "Downs View", attributed to its commanding vista ofLake Ontario to the south, looking "down" from the plateau.[1]: 45 In the 1950s, the area was connected with Toronto to the south whenDufferin Street and theToronto, Simcoe and Huron Railway were constructed.
In 1929de Havilland Aircraft of Canada constructed an aircraft manufacturing plant, hangar and airfield in the area then known asDownsview. The airfield was adjacent to the railway (then operated byCanadian National Railway) and affected the grid-like alignment of roads.[1]: 46 FollowingWorld War II, theDepartment of National Defence (DND) was in need of property for stationingRoyal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) squadrons to protect the concentration of industry and population in southern Ontario. In 1947, the federal government acquired and consolidated 270 properties in Downsview surrounding the De Havilland manufacturing plant, including land on both sides of the railway line. This large tract was developed in the ensuing years asRCAF Station Downsview and became part of the Canadian military's front-line defence of the region.
The 1 February 1968 unification of the RCAF,Royal Canadian Navy andCanadian Army to form theCanadian Forces saw RCAF Station Downsview renamedCanadian Forces Base Toronto (Downsview), later shortened toCanadian Forces Base Toronto (orCFB Toronto). Operational units continued to use CFB Toronto through the 1970s and 1980s.
The first of several non-military events took place in 1984 with the Papal Visit byPope John Paul II, during which he held an outdoor mass for hundreds of thousands of worshippers.
Declining use of the base led the Government of Canada to close and decommission CFB Toronto. When this was announced in 1994, the government stipulated "the existing DND-owned lands associated with the Downsview site will be held in perpetuity and in trust primarily as a unique urban recreational greenspace for the enjoyment of future generations."[1]: 45 The base closed on 1 April 1996, the 72nd anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, along with its Detachment on Avenue Road. In 1995, the "Downsview Framework Plan" was released and theCanada Lands Company was directed to manage the planning and development process for the property.
CFB Toronto is still represented in the area ofDenison Armoury, according to theCanadian Armed Forces official website map used to locate CFRC locations.
A series of homes for Canadian Forces personnel were built at the corner ofKeele Street andSheppard Avenue West (William Baker Park) and at the south end of the base property (Stanley Greene Park). Access to the north end housing on Robert Woodhead Crescent and John Drury Drive was restricted to base personnel and fenced off from the neighbouring properties, as was the south end housing on Frederick Tisdale circle.
Off base housing existed on Sunfield road and Sheppard avenue west of Keele St, it was called LDH's (low development housing) and housed military personnel from the 1950s to the 1990s. It consisted of row house units similar to Stanley Greene Park housing. The housing affectionately known as the "local dog houses" by military personnel and their dependents was demolished in the mid-1990s to make way for town homes.
In 2009, the Canadian Forces Housing Authority began the process of disposing of all military housing in Toronto, starting with the demolition of the Stanley Greene Park homes that were damaged by an explosion at the nearby Sunrise Propane storage facility in August 2008 (Reference: Canadian Forces Housing Authority). The remaining homes were demolished in 2012.
The William Baker Park homes were demolished in late 2014.
In 1998, Canada Lands Company incorporated a subsidiary named Parc Downsview Park (PDP, commonlyDownsview Park) to assume responsibility for managing the development of 236 hectares (583 acres) of the former military base. 24 hectares (61 acres) remained with the DND.[1]: 45 Public consultations and a design initiative took place through the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the goal of creating a leading-edge sustainable community, setting standards for urban design.[1]: 45 In 2004, the PDP's final design plan was announced and approved by a panel of landscape architects, architects and urban planners.[1]: 48 However, little development took place and the plans fell into dormancy.[2]
Parts of the property are currently undergoing development, while the airfield is being managed as the Toronto/Downsview Airport and is still in use by the successor to de Havilland Canada,Bombardier Aerospace.
The airfield was used in 2002 for another Papal Visit by Pope John Paul II for theWorld Youth Day celebrations and in 2003 the "Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto" concert featuringThe Rolling Stones saw 450,000 people visit Downsview Park.
Downsview Park still houses some Canadian Forces regular and reserve force units and was home to theCanadian Air and Space Museum. Numerous buildings have been demolished, especially on the west side of the former base. On the east-side, two of Downsview's old maintenance hangars, known as buildings 55 & 58, were demolished in March 2010. A desperate effort had been mounted by heritage organizations to save the hangars, built in 1942. Despite the fact that they had been designated as heritage buildings, they were ultimately demolished.
Despite CFB Toronto having been closed, a small military presence remains on the property with theDepartment of National Defence having retained several buildings in Parc Downsview Park for these units:
A list of military aircraft stationed at Downsview:
Several pieces of military equipment are located along Sheppard Avenue West outside LFC HQ:
Other pieces of military equipment are located next door outside ofDRDC Toronto:
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