Educational institution.

Details of Site Location: The north side of Queen Street West between Crawford and Gore Vale Streets, set north of the circle road.

Boundary History: The property was originally a 20-acre block of land, and the college building plus outbuildings were clustered around the southerly end.

Current Use of Property: The site is within Trinity-Bellwoods Park.

Historical Description: A 100-acre Park Lot, granted to John Dennison, ran from Queen to Bloor Street, and from Ossington to Dovercourt. In 1850, 20 acres were purchased for the purpose of building Trinity College. Prior to 1849, the only university in Toronto was King’s College and it was a Church of England school. On 30 May 1849, the Ontario government forbade the teaching of religion at the university. This so upset Bishop John Strachan that he went to England in 1850 to get a Royal Charter so that a new Anglican university could be formed. He took with him a petition with 11,731 signatures in support. Two years later his request was granted. The people of Toronto raised $32,000 for the building, and architect Kivas Tully was selected to design it. The builders were Messrs. Metcalfe, Wilson and Forbes. This Gothic structure was more romantic than religious. It was of two storeys in white brick and Ohio stone, with a central bell tower, flanking turrets, chimneys, and pinnacles. The front building of the college opened in January 1852. A Convocation Hall was built in 1876/77 and was attached directly behind the college building’s central hall. Designed by Frank Darling, Convocation Hall was in the style of mediaeval English baronial halls and used red brick banded with white limestone over wood panelling. A chapel was designed by Darling in 1882 and placed on the terrace at the east wing of the college, connected by a low hallway. In an Early English style, the chapel had massive buttresses. In 1889 Darling designed a new west wing and in 1894 a new east wing in modern Gothic style, still using the “white” (buff) brick of the college. In 1904, Trinity College affiliated with the University of Toronto. In 1912, the city of Toronto bought all of the buildings in 31 acres, except for the chapel, for $225,000. The city agreed to let the college have free occupancy for five years to allow for their construction of a new building on the main campus of the University of Toronto. A copy of the old one, the new building received the college on 1 August 1925. At the old site, an athletic club sponsored by the Kiwanis Club used the main building. Fire burned the chapel in March of 1929. In 1956, the old Trinity College was demolished. All that remains are the lovely gate piers designed by Frank Darling.

Relative Importance: Trinity College occupied a group of incredibly lovely buildings and played an important part in Toronto’s history of education.

Planning Implications: The demolition of the college is part of Toronto’s sorry history in destroying the visible symbols of its past, and its loss is still resented by others than Anglicans. The existing park and gates must be preserved with the memory of the school. A plaque mounted near the gates should present this history and a translation of the Latin inscription on the gates.

Reference Sources: Anglican Diocesan Archives; Archives on Ontario; City of Toronto Archives.

Acknowledgements:  Maps Project.