Since this past fall, the Toronto Railway Museum and City of Toronto’s Parks Department have been working to construct a new garden and boardwalk between Steam Whistle Brewery and the current location of our Cape Race passenger car.

Lorne Charenko, one of our volunteers and a TRM Director, initiated and championed a proposal to develop a garden in Roundhouse Park. This garden will be planted in between the X-shaped boardwalk, and will signify an important part of railway history. Since the early 1900’s railway stations often had elaborate gardens adjacent to them, pridefully maintained by the station agent. The railway companies themselves sometimes hosted competitions for the best garden.

Drainage between the main path through Roundhouse Park and the Roundhouse building itself has always been poor, often forcing visitors to walk through mud to get to the museum. Even in dry weather, this area was usually just a patch of dirt. Recently the boardwalk was completed, and the surrounding garden will be planted once growing season begins. Since the snow melted recently, the benefit of the boardwalk has already made itself apparent. Once the garden is grown, the area should not only become less of an eyesore but a focal point of Roundhouse Park once summer returns.