1915 – Chorley Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

After an architectural competition was held in 1910/11 to design a new residence for the Lieutenant Governor, the result was never constructed due to the Provincial Architect’s opinion that none of the designs met the budgetary requirements. Consequently Chorley Park, the fourth government house, was constructed between 1911 and 1915 by the same architect. Constructed as a residence for the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, it was built of Credit Valley stone in a French Renaissance style, reminiscent of French châteaux. It was one of the most expensive residences ever constructed in Canada. Its upkeep became an election issue in the 1937 provincial election, and after only 22 years, Chorley Park was closed. The estate was bought by the Government of Canada and thereafter served various functions, including a military hospital during the Second World War. In 1960, the City of Toronto purchased the house and grounds to add the property to the civic parks system. It was demolished and the formal grounds turned into naturalized parkland.

The house is in the French Chateau style of architecture and is faced with grey Credit Valley coursing with cut stone trimmings of grey sandstone. The interior is fireproofed with porous terra cotta, consisting of cambered arching for the floors and terra cotta partition walls. All the beams and columns are protected with terra cotta, the entire roof being covered with “book tiles.”

There are nineteen rooms in the basement, twenty-four on the first floor, twenty-four on the second floor, and twelve on the third floor. The total number of bedrooms situated on the two latter floors is thirty-six. A bathroom is connected to each. Of the rooms in the basement and on the first floor the secretary’s and waiting rooms, the Lieutenant-Governor’s office, the state and private dining rooms, the kitchen and servants’ rooms, are on the west side. On the east side are the reception room, drawing room, writing room, living room and palm room. The rooms on the first floor are sixteen feet high from floor to ceiling, with the exception of the ballroom which is 25 feet 6 inches from floor to laves. The porte cochere is of cut stone. There are terrace bays to the living room on the east and to the state dining room on the west. The palm room is of cut stone on three sides and overlooks the Don Valley on the east. On the east side of the ballroom there is an alcove, thirty-two feet by twelve feet, with a casement opening on to the verandah. The latter is of cut stone with massive stone columns and monoliths, the columns in one stone each weighing three tons. The ballroom has an apsidal end to the north and the billiard room situated on the second floor over the dining room faces towards the west. The residence is expected to be ready for occupation in 1915.
Engineering and Contract Record, January 7 1914

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