Riverdale Park and Zoo

Off of Broadview Avenue down through the Riverdale East Park and west on the footbridge over the Don Valley, lives the the Riverdale Park and Zoo.  

Riverdale Park, Toronto

Footbridge

Never before have I been there that I can recollect; although my parents tell me I went there as a little girl, I don't remember any of it. The Riverdale Zoo was originally established in 1856 when the City of Toronto had bought 119 acres of land to establish a park and a 'jail farm'.  Ten years later the jail was moved away from the parklands.  I found it rather odd that one should visit a Park and a Jail within the same place.  The Riverdale Park was opened officially about 20 years later. In 1894, the Riverdale Zoo had opened as

Toronto's first zoo.  Its collection of exotic animals included ocelots, camels, a dromedary, monkeys, a Siberian bear, a hippopotamus and some lions.  Donations of money and animals continued and although a typical zoo for its period, the animals were really just displayed in cramped cages and were not allowed to roam freely.  It took many years, but thankfully in 1974, the Riverdale Zoo closed its doors.  A committee was formed to build a major modern styled zoo for the animals to run free in a mock natural habitat.  This proved to be far more beneficial as the people could experience a much broader view of the animals in their natural behaviors.  Glen Rouge was the site for that zoo and still exists today as one of the largest, most beautiful zoos in the world, known as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo.

Today, the Riverdale Zoo is known as Riverdale Farm and is home to many farm animals and birds like cows, goats, sheeps, pigs, poultry and horses. The Donnybrook and the Island House buildings are the only original structures that remain from the original park.  New additions are the Simpson house which was built as an exact replica of the original. 


 

Oak Ridges Moraine

The  confused 'Mishy Tree'

Patches of Clover, Violets and Ferns

Within the town of Whitby, there is a community called Brooklin.  Brooklin is still very unspoiled although thousands of homes are being built every year.  Surrounding the central core of Brooklin are the hills and forests that make up part of the Oak Ridges Moraine.  The forest trees are mostly pine as well as oak and birch.  We found some dense forest areas which contained patches of fern plants, violets and clovers.  

Camping or Tramping?

I love these remote areas to discover, always hoping to find some clues to mysteries of the past or some hidden treasure.  Brooklin was once completely dominated by farmland before becoming increasingly inhabited by people in areas to the south and east of the forests.  I still hope to see much of this woodland preserved.  I was saddened to see that we found residue of trespassers who left their soiled blankets, dirty pillows and filty bottles behind. 

Oh and I also found a "Mishy Tree" confused by the changing seasons. We had a great time.  Now that the warmer weather is upon us again I plan to do a lot more exploring.