City Park Apartments Commemorative plaque, 2021.
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Resource ID
8679
Access
Open
Address
51 Alexander St, Toronto, ON M4Y 1B3
Credit Line
Heritage Toronto
Date of Creation
2021
Historical Themes
Program Category
Time Period
Caption
City Park Apartments Commemorative plaque, 2021.
Description
When it opened in 1955, this three-building apartment complex was the first Mid-Century Modern high-rise project in downtown Toronto and one of the largest private residential developments in Canada.
Designed by German-born architect Peter Caspari, City Park replaced an area of row housing that was targeted for redevelopment and increased density after the completion of the Yonge subway line in 1954.
City Park consists of three 14-storey buildings separated by large outdoor spaces. Originally, units were fitted with the latest domestic appliances and were specially designed to limit noise transmission—the walls separating apartments were made of concrete. The complex included many studio and one-bedroom units that were affordable for single young people.
City Park was vital to the development of the Church–Wellesley Village, which emerged in the 1950s as a centre of Toronto’s gay life, and later the wider LGBTQ2S+ community. The inexpensive units provided a foothold for people seeking independence and community after moving to the city.
In 1989, City Park became a housing co-operative. The complex’s more than 700 units made it one of the largest co-ops in Canada.
Marker lat / long: 43.663386, -79.381434 (WGS84)