Celebrating A New Heritage Plaque at Guild Park

A landmark feature at Guild Park is officially recognized this Saturday (June 7) as one of the City of Toronto's heritage attractions.

The breath-taking Greek Theatre will be commemorated with an official Heritage Toronto plaque as part of the annual neighbourhood festival at Guildwood Village in east Toronto

The custom-designed plaque describes how the ornate - and now demolished – Bank of Toronto headquarters was transformed into an outdoor theatre at Guild Park & Gardens, along the Scarborough Bluffs.

A vintage postcard from the early 20th centiry shows the Bank of Toronto at Bay and King St. The marble facade was repurposed into the Greek Theatre at Guild Park

The original bank was built more than a century ago in downtown Toronto. Monumental marble pieces from the building façade were salvaged in the early 1960s by philanthropists, Rosa and Spencer Clark, then owners of the Guild of All Arts, forerunner of today’s Guild Park.

Another vintage postcard, this one from the late 1980s or so, of the former bank facade transformed into Guild Park's spectacular Greek Theatre

The fragments were repurposed as an outdoor theatre, based on a design by Canadian architect, Ron Thom.

This new heritage plaque is the result of a fundraising campaign organized by Friends of Guild Park, in partnership with Heritage Toronto. The plaque will be officially unveiled on-site during the evening festivities of Guildwood Day, the annual neighbourhood party organized by volunteers of the Guildwood Village Community Association (GVCA).

Be part of this special moment in history by coming to Guild Park on Saturday June 7 at about 6:00 pm. The unveiling takes place at the Greek Theatre, after the private BBQ for Guildwood Village residents.

Guild Park is located at 201 Guildwood Pkwy., Scarborough M1E 1P5

For details visit Friends of Guild Park website, www.guildpark.ca .