Downsview

Downsview is an area in the north end of Toronto, Ontario, Canada and also the name of a Toronto Transit Commission subway station in the area. Downsview was originally a farm located in the 1870s near the present-day intersection of Keele Street and Wilson Avenue. It now extends beyond the intersection of Sheppard Avenue and Dufferin Street, in the former City of North York. The area includes several large post-WWII subdivisions.

Within the area is Downsview Airport, the former site of Canadian Forces Base Downsview, which has since been largely converted following the end of the Cold War into an urban park known as Downsview Park. However, the airport is still used as a manufacturing and testing facility for Bombardier Aerospace.

Downsview derives it's name from John Perkins Bull, a Justice of the Peace who settled in this area around 1842. Bull named his farm "Downs View" as his property was situated on one of the highest elevations in Toronto.

In what must surely have been one of the first home offices, the Bull farmhouse included a courtroom addition and a jail which was located in the basement of the house. The John Perkins Bull house is still standing today at 450 Rustic Road where it is presently in use as a nursing home.

For over a hundred years Downsview was a thriving agricultural community with it's own general store, schoolhouse, and post office. The pillar of this community was the red brick Downsview United Church. Built in 1870, this church is still standing in it's original location at 2822 Keele Street.

Downsview began a new chapter in it's history in 1928 when the world famous De Havilland Aircraft Company chose Downsview as it's home. The Canadian Armed Forces followed De Havilland to Downsview setting up an important military base in Downsview during World War Two. Once the war was over Downsview experienced a building boom which saw the entire neighbourhood developed by the early 1970's.

The Alouette-1 was the first satellite launched by a country other than the U.S.A or U.S.S.R.. It marked the beginning of the space program for Canada. The Alouette-1 was built in Downsview and represents the leading edge technology and manufacturing that continues to this day in the high tech industries around Downsview.

"Just as the railroad linking the country from coast to coast has played a key role in Canada's history, the launch of Alouette-1 represents a major milestone in our space history," said Dr. Marc Garneau, President of the Canadian Space Agency. "It embodies Canadian leading expertise and excellence in space science and technology which continues today through critical space initiatives to deliver benefits to Canadians."

Downsview has large Italian (14 %), Black/Afro-Caribbean (11 %) and Latin American (10 %) populations. Immigration has created a vibrant group of individuals, resulting in a vastly diverse area. Religions, age, race and wealth vary greatly in this area, creating an area rich in culture.

The military base and DeHavilland Aircraft Co., including the runway and all buildings, was closed and sold to Bombardier Aerospace, a world renowned Canadian company in 1994. They have been manufacturing and testing commercial aircraft on-site since then.

Most of the houses were built following World War II and into the 1960s, though some new houses and condos are now being built near Downsview station. The subway ride is approximately 30 minutes south to downtown Toronto.

The east side of Dufferin Street is primarily residential, while the west side is industrial. This street has been relegated to a quiet service road in the adjacent neighbourhood of Bathurst Manor. Immediately beside Dufferin Street, a major Toronto artery, the William R. Allen Road, now brings large traffic volumes from Ontario Highway 401 (the busiest section of freeway in North America) just a minute south, as well as to downtown Toronto further south and rapidly-developing York Region to the north.

Downsview Park is sporadically the host of big public events. On Sunday, July 28, 2002, over 800,000 Roman Catholics joined Pope John Paul II for a Papal Mass which was held there for World Youth Day. Also, on July 30, 2003, a massive concert called Sarsfest was held there to support the City of Toronto after SARS affected the city. Bands such as The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Rush and Justin Timberlake entertained half a million music fans from all over the world. It was reportedly the largest ticketed event in history.