Submitted by Celina on Jun, 13
Title of Story: The Base (The History of Downsview Park)
Growing up in Downsview Park back when it was still the military base.
How is this object or story important to you?

I grew up in Keele and Wilson, and the back of our building was the back edge of the army base. As kids there was no other big park around that area other than the army base. We just called it "the base." This was probably the early 90's when it was still the base. Sometimes you'd actually see military trucks like Hummers going through there and people in uniforms, but usually it was completely empty. We weren't allowed to go there by ourselves; it was kind of like a ghost town -- there were empty buildings and parking lots but no one there. Now there is a circus school and The Wildlife Centre. We would get a big group of kids to go play and hide and seek. The grass was waist high, unkept, and you just had to duck down when you were playing hide and seek and no one could find you.

What does it add to the story of Toronto?

Now it's called Downsview Park and they have concerts and it is nicely landscaped. I haven't been up there in years but it was a big part of my youth.