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Roundhouse Park was created in 1997 on top of the southern expansion of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Encompassing some of the most valuable real estate in Canada, the park once saw little public use other than as a pedestrian shortcut between the Skydome and Lakeshore Boulevard.
The Toronto Railway Historical Association is using the park as a permanent home for a live steam miniature railway and other outdoor exhibits illustrating Toronto's railway heritage. With Toronto Railway Museum events coordinated with those of Steam Whistle Brewing, the TRHA envisions Roundhouse Park as a lively and dynamic venue. The western portion of the park closest to the Roundhouse features the original, fully restored and operational 120-foot long locomotive turntable. Immediately north of this is a carefully chosen collection of full-sized railway equipment. In its prime, the John Street locomotive facilities contained 43 structures and several miles of track and covered nearly 16 acres of property. Only two auxiliary structures from the days when the Roundhouse was in operation still exist in the park: the 60,000-gallon water tower adjacent to the brewery and the 650-ton concrete locomotive coaling tower near the intersection of Bremner & Rees streets. The water tower is in its original location while the coaling tower was moved at great expense prior to the construction of the Convention Centre parking garage upon which the park is built. Both structures will feature interpretive signage and exhibits to explain their past functions. Moving to the east of the Roundhouse, the park visitor finds several items from the City of Toronto's collection of historic buildings, including the Don station and Cabin D. Cabin D is a wooden interlocking tower built by the Grand Trunk Railway in 1896. For almost a hundred years the tower was located at the railway junction west of Bathurst Street and was used to coordinate the track switches and signal lights controlling the junction. In 1984, Cabin D, along with some other smaller auxiliary buildings, was relocated to the Roundhouse where they received restoration. Roundhouse Park Miniature Railway The Roundhouse Park Miniature Railway (RPMR) is a 7.25" gauge passenger-carrying miniature live steam railway that allows visitors direct experience of genuine steam technology. The miniature railway provides a revenue source to the Museum as well as a vibrant interactive experience. The RPMR is an important addition to the park providing a mix of education and just plain fun for visitors of all ages. The miniature steam railway offers rides with tracks which loop through the park starting from Don Station and passing all major exhibits in a gentle scenic ride. Visitors can see, hear and smell exact working replicas of historic steam and diesel locomotives, functioning precisely as did their larger cousins at the head of their trains on Canada's railway network. |