Established in 1879 as a private garden on a farmstead, the Kew Gardens is now a major landmark and recreation spot in the neighborhood. Featuring facilities like ball diamond, pool, tennis court and seasonal rink, the Kew Garden makes for a fun outing where the entire family can enjoy and relax. During summers, it doubles up as an event venue for the annual Beaches International Jazz Festival.
Starting out as Willowvale Park in 1909 when it was established, the Christie Pits Park is located on Bloor Street, near Christie Street. Covering an expanse of 8.9 hectares (21.9 acres), the park gets its name from the Christie Sand Pits that were located here here. Featuring playgrounds, ball diamonds, volleyball and basketball courts, the park truly has a lot to offer. The park also houses the Alex Duff Memorial Pool, a wading pool and a community garden.
The Bob Hunter Memorial Park is a stretch of green expanse and currently the plans for transforming it in to a lovely outdoor area with hiking trails are underway.
This local park-cum-sports facility attracts sports buffs from all over the State. It features great facilities like skating trail, splash pad, amphitheater and a special area designated for skateboarding. With so many activities and things to do, this park is always abuzz with people.
Known for its magnificent architecture, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir at Toronto is a masterpiece in itself. A Hindu worship place, this temple was built over 18 months and encompasses a large area of 18 acres (7.28 hectares). Located in close proximity to Etobicoke, its open throughout the year, for worship and visits alike. Displaying a royal sense of architecture, it makes use of 24,000 pieces of hand-carved marble, Indian pink stone and Turkish limestone. Open for visits throughout the day, the temple also boasts of a haveli, or a cultural center, along with a Hindu heritage museum. Dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the temple has a beautiful idol, that is centrally located in the building. Worship prayers, traditional rituals and devotional rites are conducted at the temple on a routine basis.
The Toronto Reference Library is a part of the Toronto Public Library system, and is one of the largest public reference library in Canada. Operating since 1977, the library provides all the modern amenities expected from a library such as wireless internet, computer use etc. It also includes an art exhibition area, special programs for children and event spaces.