Residence and estate lands.

Details of Site Location: The south side of Kingston Road between Lee and Beech Avenues, south to Queen Street East between Lee and Glen Manor, at its peak.

Boundary History: The estate began as 28.5 acres of Lot 3, Concession 1 from the Bay.

Current Use of Property: Housing, with some commercial buildings along Kingston Road and Queen Street East.

Historical Description: Reverend William Stewart Darling (1818-1886) purchased 28.5 acres for $1,852.50 in 1872. Within the acreage was a deep ravine cut by a creek which may still be seen on the surface in part. Darling was an Anglican minister who, in 1843, had been appointed to look after the Parish of Scarborough. Then he served at Holy Trinity Church from 1853 to 1882. During his latter ministry he purchased the land and built a house, which he named Glen Stewart and which had been designed by his son, architect Frank Darling, who had been practicing for only months when he designed the house. Reverend William died in 1886 having enjoyed thirteen years in the house amid very beautiful surrounding scenery. Frank Darling then rented the house to Joseph Flavelle, and later to a private school. In 1900, Frank sold the estate to Alfred Ernest Ames, a stockbroker and son-in-law of Senator George A. Cox. Initially, Ames used the property as a summer residence but later lived there the year around. He made a number of improvements to the property, including building a trout pond, erecting a large wooden fence along the Kingston Road frontage, building rustic bridges over the creek, building a lodge on Lee Avenue, landscaping and installing electric lighting, and adding more acreage to the property so that he could have a nine-hole golf course. In 1909, Ames began subdividing the property and registered plans in 1910, 1923, and 1946. The estate was developed by the Provident Investment Company. Originally, Glen Manor and Southwood Drive were private roads. Williamson Road was built in 1912 on the estate. The gatekeeper’s lodge on Lee Avenue was demolished in 1972. The Glen Stewart house was converted into apartments. The Glen Stewart Ravine of 21.6 acres was given to the city as a park, which it remains, much prized for its natural heritage assets and a walking trail.

Relative Importance: Darling, Flavelle, and Ames are all names important in the city’s history. The natural heritage assets of the ravine have been catalogued by the Toronto Field Naturalists and include some rare species.

Planning Implications: It is recommended that at each end (Kingston Road and Queen Street East) of the ravine plaques be placed with maps and information about the evolution of the estate and its illustrious owners. Every effort must be made to protect the ravine from damage and overuse, and it should be restricted to those on foot.

Reference Sources: J.E. Middleton, History of Toronto; Goad’s Atlas (1884, 1890); City of Toronto Archives.

Acknowledgements: Maps Project; Beach and East Toronto Historical Society.