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CFB Toronto

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Coordinates:43°44′38″N79°27′56″W/ 43.74389°N 79.46556°W/43.74389; -79.46556
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CFB Toronto
Summary
Opened1929(1929)
ClosedApril 1, 1996(1996-04-01)
OccupantsRoyal Canadian Air Force/Canadian Armed Forces
Coordinates43°44′38″N79°27′56″W/ 43.74389°N 79.46556°W/43.74389; -79.46556

Canadian Forces Base Toronto(alsoCFB Toronto) is a formerCanadian Forces baseinToronto,Ontario. The airfield is currently operated as Toronto /Downsview Airport.

RCAF Station Downsview

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The Downsview Lands were part of an extensive land parcel acquired by theBritish Crownin 1787 from theMississauga Nationin what is referred to as theToronto Purchase."Downsview" received its name in the 1830s after a farm on the property that was called "Downs View", attributed to its commanding vista ofLake Ontarioto the south, looking "down" from the plateau. The area was connected with Toronto in the 1850s whenDufferin Streetand theNorthern Railwaywere constructed.

In 1929 thede Havilland Aircraft of Canadaconstructed an aircraft manufacturing plant, hangar and airfield in an area known asDownsview,north of Toronto'scentral business district.FollowingWorld War II,theDepartment of National Defencewas in need of property for stationingRoyal Canadian Air Forcesquadrons to protect the concentration of industry and population in southern Ontario. In 1947, the federal government acquired and consolidated 270 properties in Downsview surrounding the De Havilland manufacturing plant. This large tract was developed in the ensuing years asRCAF Station Downsviewand became part of the Canadian military's front-line defence of the region.

CFB Toronto

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The February 1, 1968, unification of the RCAF,Royal Canadian NavyandCanadian Armyto form theCanadian Forcessaw RCAF Station Downsview renamedCanadian Forces Base Toronto (Downsview),later shortened to justCanadian Forces Base Toronto(orCFB Toronto). Operational units continued to use CFB Toronto through the 1970s and 1980s.

The first of several non-military events made use of the base in 1984 with the Papal Visit byPope John Paul IIto Toronto where he held an outdoor mass for hundreds of thousands of worshippers.

Declining use of the base led the Government of Canada to decide to close and decommission CFB Toronto. The base closed on 1 April 1996, the 72nd anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, along with its Detachment on Avenue Road. In 1995, the "Downsview Framework Plan" was released and theCanada Lands Companywas directed to manage the planning and development process for the property.

Military housing

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A series of homes for Canadian Forces personnel were built at the corner ofKeele StreetandSheppard AvenueWest (William Baker Park) and at the south end of the base property (Stanley Greene Park). Access to the north end housing on Robert Woodhead Crescent and John Drury Drive was restricted to base personnel and fenced off from the neighbouring properties, as was the south end housing on Frederick Tisdale circle.

Off base housing existed on Sunfield road and Sheppard avenue west of Keele St, it was called LDH's (low development housing) and housed military personnel from the 1950s to the 1990s. It consisted of row house units similar to Stanley Greene Park housing. The housing affectionately known as the "local dog houses" by military personnel and their dependents was demolished in the mid 1990s to make way for town homes.

In 2009, the Canadian Forces Housing Authority began the process of disposing of all military housing in Toronto, starting with the demolition of the Stanley Greene Park homes that were damaged by the explosion at the nearby Sunrise Propane storage facility in August 2008 (Reference: Canadian Forces Housing Authority). The remaining homes were demolished in 2012.

The William Baker Park homes were demolished in late 2014.

Downsview Park

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In 1998, Canada Lands Company incorporated a subsidiary namedDownsview Parkto assume responsibility for managing the development of the former military base. Public consultations and a design initiative took place through the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Parts of the property are currently undergoing development, while the airfield is being managed as the Toronto/Downsview Airport and is still in use by the successor to de Havilland Canada,Bombardier Aerospace.

The airfield was used in 2002 for another Papal Visit by Pope John Paul II for theWorld Youth Daycelebrations and in 2003 the "Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto"concert featuringThe Rolling Stonessaw 450,000 people visit Downsview Park.

Downsview Park still houses some Canadian Forces regular and reserve force units and was home to theCanadian Air and Space Museum.Numerous buildings have been demolished, especially on the west side of the former base. On the east-side, two of Downsview's old maintenance hangars, known as buildings 55 & 58, were demolished in March 2010. A desperate effort had been mounted by heritage organizations to save the hangars, built in 1942. Despite the fact that they had been designated as heritage buildings, they were ultimately demolished.

Former units

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TheSupply Depot

Current units

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Despite CFB Toronto having been closed, a small military presence remains on the property with theDepartment of National Defencehaving retained several buildings in Parc Downsview Park for these units:

Aircraft

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A list of military aircraft stationed at Downsview:

Static display

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Several pieces of military equipment are located along Sheppard Avenue West outside LFC HQ:

Other pieces of military equipment are located next door outside ofDRDC Toronto:

Non-military

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Main article:Toronto/Downsview Airport

References

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