Moss Park, with its baseball diamonds and recreation centre, is perhaps hard to imagine as the estate grounds of one of Toronto’s early family dynasties – the family of William Allan (1772–1853). The park is notable for the following reasons: 1) Moss Park and, further north, Allan Gardens, are one of the few green reminders of the park lot system that subdivided early Toronto into its aristocratic parts; 2) These park lots, running from present-day Queen Street to Bloor Street and defined roughly by today’s north-south streets (in William Allan’s case, George Street to Sherbourne Street), defined the cartography by which Toronto housing lots would develop; 3) Moss Park is a reminder of the Allan family’s interest in promoting the civic virtues of landscaping and horticulture.

A handsome Greek Revival house set in a picturesque landscape, the northern reaches of the Moss Park estate were subdivided in 1850.Tree-lined Pembroke Street was built, and stately homes marched north. The Allans maintained their estate house in Moss Park for some time. Allan Gardens was donated in 1860 to the Toronto Horticultural Society by William Allan’s son, George (the future Mayor of the city), “for the enjoyment of all citizens.” It was meant to be surrounded by a Nash-like oval, divided with lots for villas, but this idea was never realized.

David Winterton