Riverdale Park East
In 1856, the City of Toronto purchased 48 ha east of the Don River, including this park, for the building of the Don Jail. The land had previously been cultivated by John and Melicent Scadding, recipients of the original land grant, and was then farmed by prisoners as part of a reform program.
Riverdale Park was opened in 1880 on the west bank of the Don River by Mayor James Beaty and Henry Scadding, son of the Scaddings and an early Toronto historian. Following the annexation of Riverdale in 1884, the park was expanded to both sides of the river as the city sought recreation facilities for its growing population. The park was bisected by the Belt Line Railway in 1892, then by the Don Valley Parkway in 1958.
The park has been a site for sport and leisure year-round for over a century. The natural amphitheatre, created by the sloping sides of the valley, has accommodated large crowds of spectators for numerous events. These have included military parades during World War One (1914-18), and royal visits in 1927, 1939, and 1951.
Plaque via Alan L. Brown's site Toronto Plaques. Full page here.