DOWNSVIEW FAMILY TREE

Indigenous Settlements

•  John Perkins Bull, the son of the couple, became a religious man. He later opened his home for the Wesleyan Methodist Church services. Later, John became a Justice of the Peace. He built a court room beside this house, and a jail in its basement.  This house still stands at 450 Rustic Rd. and is listed as one of Toronto’s Heritage properties.
  

• The new church was laid on the west side of Keele St. on June 28, 1870. It was renamed as the Downsview United Church when the Presbyterians, Methodists, and other denominations came and joined together under the United Church Banner. The church was designed by Architect J.W. Stubbs, and is by far Downsview's most beautiful landmark, has a great reputation for its gothic revival architecture. This church is one of the only four churches in North York that still stands.

• was built by Edward Boake and his wife. They named their homestead Locust Lodge because of the thousand locust trees that surrounded the area. The house was heated by wood burning stoves until electricity was run in Keele Street in 1916. For generations, the Boake family had this as their home until 1951 when the government expropriated the land for a military base. 

• In 1853, Downsview's growth accelerated when the Ontario, Simcoe and Huron Union Railroad Company (OSHA) opened a railway from Toronto to Barrie. This line, dubbed the "Oats, Straw and Hay" line, primarily transported agricultural goods and lumber. At the time, Downsview was heavily forested, with several mills operating along the Humber River. The Downsview Train Station is thought to have been located on Lawrence Avenue between Keele and Dufferin, as Lawrence served as the main entry point to Downsview then.

• George Jackson inherited 200 acres of land from his father William, who purchased it in 1830. In 1896, George built a red-brick farmhouse, where he and his wife Sarah farmed and raised their family. The Jackson family lived on the property until 1967. Artifacts from the family, including schoolwork from their daughters, provide insights into the era, with one essay supporting women's suffrage during World War I. The farmhouse, blending Queen Anne Revival and Richardsonian Romanesque styles, represents 19th-century agricultural life in Downsview. In 2012, it was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and now serves as office space.

• Downsview has been a key hub for aviation and space innovation in Canada for over 85 years, impacting global air transport for more than 75 years. Once filled with landing strips and flying clubs, it remains one of about 10 global sites that design and build commercial aircraft and business jets. Downsview-built aircraft can be found in museums in over 50 countries. Its aviation history began in 1929 when Geoffrey de Havilland established his only Canadian aircraft factory on 70 acres of expropriated farmland, making Downsview a major supplier of government-owned aircraft in the 1930s.

• Aircraft designed and built in Downsview played a crucial role in helping the Allied Forces win World War II. After the war, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada achieved further milestones, including creating the iconic DHC-2 Bush plane. Downsview was also the birthplace of the Canadian Space Program, which made Canada the third nation in space. SPAR, the company behind the Canadarm, and STOL technology, were pioneered there. Additionally, De Havilland's Guided Missile Division, later renamed the Special Products Division, developed space technology like the STEM antenna after the Avro Arrow project was canceled.
  

• In 1963, the Special Products division at Downsview built the structure and antennas for the Alouette satellite, making Canada the third nation in space. When de Havilland acquired Avro Canada, this division merged with Avro's Canadian SPAR to form Canada's leading space company, all based in Downsview. In the 1980s, the government privatized de Havilland, and Boeing bought it in 1986. After a bribery scandal known as the "Airbus Affair," Boeing sold the company, and Bombardier Aerospace purchased it in 1992. The former De Havilland factory at 65 Carl Hall Road, one of only three surviving aviation heritage buildings in Canada, was saved from demolition in 2011 for a proposed hockey arena and repurposed as Centre for Aerospace Innovation. This partnership between Toronto's top colleges, universities, and aerospace companies opened its campus in May 2019 with government support. In 2018, Bombardier sold the 148-hectare site to the Public Sector Pension Investment Board.
  

• From 1952 to 1996, Downsview Park was a military base that functioned like a self-contained city, home to around 8,000 people. Canadian Forces Base Downsview had numerous amenities, including a gym, movie theatre, bowling alleys, a curling rink, canteens, a barber shop, and a beauty salon. It also housed a defense research medical lab associated with the University of Toronto, which conducted flight-related medical research and had a decompression chamber. Military base housing was located at the southwest corner of Keele and Sheppard and at the southeast corner of Keele and Downsview Park Boulevard. This area was known as Stanley Greene Park. The Officer's housing was found at the northeast corner of Keele and Sheppard (i.e. north of the Sheppard overpass). 

• In 1954, the Royal Canadian Air Force built the #1 Supply Depot at 40 Carl Hall Road, designed to withstand a missile attack and equipped with a one-million-gallon stormwater reservoir for emergencies. The depot supplied the Canadian Armed Forces domestically and overseas. By 1995, urban development made it unsafe for larger aircraft to land, leading to the military base's closure. The land was repurposed for recreational and public use, splitting into Downsview Park, a 291-acre park, and the surrounding Downsview Lands, which are being developed into neighborhoods.

• The gardens are inspired by Downsview's aviation history. A limestone sculpture in the garden references the first airplanes in Downsview—the Gypsy and Tiger Moths. The design is based on a 1920s photograph showing the word "MOTH" written on the turf next to the original Downsview airstrip.
  

• The sculpture in the park forms the letters M O T H from above, with stone sections serving as tables and seating. A vine-covered steel arbor on one side features aircraft references, and windsocks mark the eastern end of the park. Each letter of the sculpture is surrounded by different gardens—roses, annuals, herbs, and butterfly gardens—connected by walkways inspired by Italian Renaissance designs. Downsview Memorial Parkette, dedicated in 1946, honors local WWII veterans, with a dedication inscribed on a stone wall in the park. 
  
  
  

• During the Cold War, the RCAF built an Air Material Base at Downsview to support military operations in Europe and Korea, with a Supply Depot responsible for storing and distributing large quantities of materials. A vehicle re-life and repair depot was also located at downsview for air reserve squadrons. The base was also responsible for administrative and technical support to the defence and civil institute of environmental medicine, RCAF colleges, as well as the Toronto Militia District, and the Cadet League. The RCAF constructed barracks, headquarters and maintenance buildings at Downsview between 1952 and 1956. 

• The facility’s runways were lengthened and resurfaced in 1952 during which time Downsview was closed and Air Reserve flying was relocated to Mount Hope Airport in Hamilton. The airport was provided with a 200 ft (61-meter) wide and 7000 ft (2133-meter) long north to south runway, and a 150 ft (46-meter) wide, 5000 ft (1500-meter) long east-west runway. 
  

• Later named 1 Canadian Forces Supply Depot. The Supply Depot was built of the same type of concrete construction used in the only buildings that were not flattened in Nagasaki. It was over a quarter mile in length with a total area of 27.5 acres. 18.5 of which were contained in a single roof. The building provided over 10 million cubic ft of warehouse space, and could contain over 200 000 items

Downsview’s Suburban Development

• Following the Second World War, the Downsview area faced a substantial population growth from a farming village with over 200 British population to an industrial urban centre with 140 000 residents. This increase in population was experienced throughout Toronto due to servicemen and women’s return to Canada post-war. A massive increase in the natural birth rate followed.
  

• Another factor that added to the general increase in the post-war Toronto population was Immigration. This was the time when Immigrants, refugees, and displaced persons were permitted to enter Canada. Before the war, immigration to Canada was only restricted to persons of British and western European origin. However, due to the post-war destruction, the country opened its border to immigrants from different parts of the world.
  

• Today, Downsview community is largely comprised of new Canadians of different cultural groups, speaking 112 different languages. In 1950, Immigration to Canada of the Italians grew substantially, settling from the downtown core and relocated to Downsview. A predominantly Italian community formed adjacent to Dufferin St, west across Lawrence Ave. and then north along Jane St. 
  

• There has also been a formation of Jewish community in the Downsview area when Reuben Phillips sold 25 acres of land to Mount Sinai Jewish Cemetery, which is adjacent to the railway. (find data chart)
  

• Following the wartime expansion of the airport, Dufferin St. faced restrictions and congestion between Wilson and sheppard avenues. By 1955, the area’s population was 34000, expected to grow to 67000 by 1980. To address the congestion, the metro toronto council approved the spadina expressway project on october 22, 1957, intended to link hwy 7 and lakeshore blvd. However, concerns about its impact, particularly regarding noise and safety related to the nearby downsview airport, emerged. By the early 1970s, the roadway, partially completed and renamed the Allen Expressway, faced criticism. The 1958 dufferin study recommended relocating baycrest public school and controlling lighting in spadina expressway to mitigate airport-related issues, while also noting the need for additional parkland near lawrence avenue. 
  

• Wilson Avenue was a concession road built between Hogg’s Hollow and Humber River with intersections that suffered traffic congestion. In 1948, the largely rural area of Wilson Avenue was quickly developed and improved, with jogged intersections eliminated and traffic lights installed to ease congestion. By 1953, the area quickly became a “commercial ribbon development.” Commuting workers driving to and from the airport also contributed to the traffic congestion at Wilson Avenue. These traffic congestion became a concern for emergency proportions. Moreover, if it was necessary for the runway to get extended from north-south of the Downsview airport, the federal government would need to provide a tunnel across that portion of Wilson Avenue, or that this portion will have to be closed at that point. 
  

• In 1962, the Sheppard Avenue Diversion Report suggested several solutions to the closure of Sheppard Avenue between Keele and Dufferin Street which was disruptive to the traffic and commuters in the Downsview community. This closure happened post-war when the Department of Defence Procurement expropriated private lands adjacent to the Downsview Airport. In response, the Department of National Defence allocated 86 feet of land north of the airport to North York Township to create a highway to replace the closed section. The department also contributed $30,000 to help build this new road, known as the Sheppard Avenue Diversion, a four-lane highway designed to handle 10,000 vehicles daily. Additionally, a railway underpass was built to manage the intersection with the Ottawa National Railway. 
  

• The proximity of the airport to the Downsview community had an adverse effect upon the development of the adjacent area. Because of this, building heights were restricted. But the most threatening, however, is the possibility of an aircraft crashing into the surrounding homes, schools, and businesses.  (find archive photographs of Sheppard Avenue adjacent to the runway. )
  

• One of the most iconic events at Downsview was World Youth Day in 2002, which culminated in a massive outdoor mass led by Pope John Paul II. The event drew over 800,000 people, making it one of the largest gatherings in Canadian history. The site was transformed into an expansive venue for pilgrims from all over the world, celebrating the week-long youth event. The approximately 260-acre Downsview Park was used.

• Known as “SARSStock” or “Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto,” this benefit concert took place in July 2003 in response to the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak, which heavily affected Toronto’s tourism and economy. It featured an all-star lineup, including the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Rush, Justin Timberlake, and more. Over 450,000 people attended, making it one of the largest concerts in North American history.

• Edgefest, an annual rock music festival organized by Toronto’s radio station 102.1 The Edge, was held at Downsview Park for several years. The event featured prominent Canadian and international rock bands, attracting thousands of music fans. Downsview's large, open area made it ideal for hosting these large-scale concerts.

• The Veld Music Festival is an annual electronic dance music (EDM) festival that has taken place at Downsview Park since 2012. It features popular international DJs and electronic music artists and continues to draw large crowds, making it one of the top music events in Toronto each year.

• While Downsview was still an active airport, it hosted various aviation-related events, including air shows and aircraft demonstrations. Given its legacy as an aircraft manufacturing site and testing ground for De Havilland and later Bombardier Aerospace, many aviation events were linked to this industrial history.

• As a former military base, Downsview hosted several military parades, official ceremonies, and training exercises for the Canadian Armed Forces. These events were common from the 1940s through the 1970s, especially during wartime and post-war periods when Downsview played a critical role in Canada’s military aviation.

• Downsview Park Film Events: The park has hosted community movie nights, film screenings, and cultural events aimed at engaging local residents.
• Canada Day Celebrations: The park regularly serves as a venue for Canada Day festivities, with fireworks, concerts, and family-friendly activities that attract people from across the city.

• Toronto FC Training Facility: The training grounds for Toronto’s Major League Soccer team, Toronto FC, are located at Downsview Park. Various sporting events and soccer matches have taken place here, making it a hub for local athletics.
• Recreational Leagues and Tournaments: Downsview Park has hosted numerous sporting events, including soccer, rugby, and cricket tournaments, due to its large fields and multipurpose facilities.