York Cemetery, Toronto

York Cemetery is a cemetery located in the North York area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

York Cemetery
Details
Established1948
Location
160 Beecroft Road
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates43°45′58″N 79°25′00″W
TypeNon-profit
Non-denominational
StyleRural
Owned byMount Pleasant Group
Size172 acres
No. of interments>12,000
Websitemountpleasantgroup.com
Find a GraveYork Cemetery

History

The site of York Cemetery was originally a property farmed by Joseph Shepard, who bought the land in 1805.[1] The brick farm house on the property was constructed in 1837 by Joseph's son, Michael. Prior to the 1940s, the land was also used as the short-lived Willowdale Airfield.

In 1916, the Toronto General Burying Grounds (now the Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries) bought the property but didn't start to convert the 172 acres (70 ha) for cemetery use until 1946, two years before the cemetery officially opened in 1948.[1] The cemetery once fronted on Yonge Street, but in 1966, eighteen and a half acres were sold to the city of North York (now part of Toronto). The cemetery has continued to develop, with the addition of a chapel and reception centre, and also the newly built "garden of remembrance".

It is unknown to the public if the cemetery will develop the land it controls at the bottom of the ravine and neighbouring Burnett Avenue Park. Cemetery officials have previously indicated an intention to develop these lands at community meetings.

Notable interments

Hockey player Tim Horton

See also

References

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