Wellesley Park, Toronto

Situated in downtown Toronto, Wellesley Park occupies the grounds of the former Wellesley Central Hospital, which ceased operations in 1998 and was subsequently demolished. The park spans a modest area of 0.25 hectares and was skillfully designed by landscape architect Cornelia Hahn Oberlander. The transformation of this site commenced in 2002, envisioning the park as the focal point of a new development project.

To access the park, one can enter directly from Homewood Avenue, located on its western border, or through an alleyway from Sherbourne Street to the east. The park itself is a level and nearly square plot of land adorned with a grid-like arrangement of 42 London plane trees, neatly set within a smooth base of crushed granite. Throughout the park, you'll discover generously sized rocks with polished surfaces that provide comfortable seating options. In addition, stainless-steel benches resting on concrete pads can be found, accompanied by elegant steel bollard lights.

Adjacent to the park's northern section, there is an adjoining plot of land furnished with four parallel strips of masonry seating, offering a place to relax and unwind. Extending along the southern perimeter of the park from east to west, a captivating public artwork named Forest Walk awaits visitors. Created by the talented artist Ed Pien in 2010, Forest Walk stands as a 45-meter-long and 2.5-meter-high sculptural wall. Comprised of eight sheets of painted steel, each containing a carefully crafted vignette formed through plasma- and water-jet cutting, the wall is enhanced by colored glass panels that are artfully illuminated with LED strip lighting.