James Gilbert Gove 1884-1974
Weston is distinguished by many retaining walls constructed from Humber River stone. One man, skilled stonemason James Gilbert Gove, built a number of these walls, as well as a war memorial in this park.
Before immigrating to Canada, James Gove acquired his exemplary skills in the southwest of England. Living and working in the Weston area for the remainder of his life, he often used stone gathered from the nearby Humber River for his projects - breaking large rocks with a heavy hammer, then carefully shaping each one before arranging them in the wall according to size and colour. A veteran of WWI, he was particularly proud of the war memorial and plaza in this park, just a short walk from his home (now demolished) two blocks away on Weston Road. Designed by James Shaw, the memorial was completed by Gove in 1950.
In 2007, Weston's riverstone walls and war memorial were officially recognized as an important part of the community's unique identity and heritage.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.