View source for CFB Toronto

{{Short description|Airfield and former Canadian Forces base in Ontario}}
{{Refimprove|date=December 2009}}
{{Infobox airport
| name         =CFB Toronto
| opened       = {{start date|1929}}
| closed       = {{end date|1996|04|01}}
| occupants    =[[Royal Canadian Air Force]] / [[Canadian Armed Forces]]
| coordinates  = {{coord|43|44|38|N|79|27|56|W|display=inline,title}}
}}
'''Canadian Forces Base Toronto ''' (also '''CFB Toronto''') is a former [[Canadian Forces base]] that operated at the site of [[Downsview Airport]] in [[Toronto]], Ontario. The airfield is currently referred to as the 'YZD district' for residential and commercial redevelopment by [[Public Sector Pension Investment Board|Northcrest Developments]] since purchasing property rights of the site on 17 August 2024, following [[Bombardier Aviation|Bombardier's]] relocation to a new facility at Toronto's [[Toronto Pearson International Airport|Pearson Airport]].

==RCAF Station Downsview==
The Downsview Lands were part of an extensive land parcel acquired by the [[Monarchy of the United Kingdom|British Crown]] in 1787 from the [[Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation|Mississauga Nation]] in what is referred to as the [[Toronto Purchase]]. "Downsview" received its name in the 1830s after a farm on the property that was called "Downs View", attributed to its commanding vista of [[Lake Ontario]] to the south, looking "down" from the plateau.{{r|"Genco2004"|p=45}} In the 1950s, the area was connected with Toronto to the south when [[Dufferin Street]] and the [[Northern Railway of Canada|Toronto, Simcoe and Huron Railway]] were constructed.

In 1929 [[de Havilland Canada|de Havilland Aircraft of Canada]] constructed an aircraft manufacturing plant, hangar and airfield in the area then known as [[Downsview]]. The airfield was adjacent to the railway (then operated by [[Canadian National Railway]]) and affected the grid-like alignment of roads.{{r|"Genco2004"|p=46}} Following [[World War II]], the [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]] (DND) was in need of property for stationing [[Royal Canadian Air Force]] (RCAF) squadrons to protect the concentration of industry and population in southern Ontario. In 1947, the federal government acquired and consolidated 270 properties in Downsview surrounding the De Havilland manufacturing plant, including land on both sides of the railway line. This large tract was developed in the ensuing years as '''RCAF Station Downsview''' and became part of the Canadian military's front-line defence of the region.

==CFB Toronto ==
The 1 February 1968 unification of the RCAF, [[Royal Canadian Navy]] and [[Canadian Army]] to form the [[Canadian Forces]] saw RCAF Station Downsview renamed '''Canadian Forces Base Toronto (Downsview)''', later shortened to '''Canadian Forces Base Toronto''' (or '''CFB Toronto'''). Operational units continued to use CFB Toronto through the 1970s and 1980s.

The first of several non-military events took place in 1984 with the Papal Visit by [[Pope John Paul II]], during which he held an outdoor mass for hundreds of thousands of worshippers.

Declining use of the base led the Government of Canada to close and decommission CFB Toronto. When this was announced in 1994, the government stipulated "the existing DND-owned lands associated with the Downsview site will be held in perpetuity and in trust primarily as a unique urban recreational greenspace for the enjoyment of future generations."{{r|"Genco2004"|p=45}} The base closed on 1 April 1996, the 72nd anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force, along with its Detachment on Avenue Road. In 1995, the "Downsview Framework Plan" was released and the [[Canada Lands Company]] was directed to manage the planning and development process for the property.

CFB Toronto is still represented in the area of [[Denison Armoury]], according to the [[Canadian Armed Forces]] official website map used to locate CFRC locations.

==Military housing==
A series of homes for Canadian Forces personnel were built at the corner of [[Keele Street]] and [[Sheppard Avenue]] West (William Baker Park) and at the south end of the base property (Stanley Greene Park). Access to the north end housing on Robert Woodhead Crescent and John Drury Drive was restricted to base personnel and fenced off from the neighbouring properties, as was the south end housing on Frederick Tisdale circle.

Off base housing existed on Sunfield road and Sheppard avenue west of Keele St, it was called LDH's (low development housing) and housed military personnel from the 1950s to the 1990s. It consisted of row house units similar to Stanley Greene Park housing. The housing affectionately known as the "local dog houses" by military personnel and their dependents was demolished in the mid-1990s to make way for town homes.

In 2009, the Canadian Forces Housing Authority began the process of disposing of all military housing in Toronto, starting with the demolition of the Stanley Greene Park homes that were damaged by an explosion at the nearby Sunrise Propane storage facility in August 2008 (Reference: Canadian Forces Housing Authority).  The remaining homes were demolished in 2012.

The William Baker Park homes were demolished in late 2014.

==Downsview Park==
In 1998, Canada Lands Company incorporated a subsidiary named Parc Downsview Park (PDP, commonly [[Downsview Park]]) to assume responsibility for managing the development of 236 hectares (583 acres) of the former military base.  24 hectares (61 acres) remained with the DND.{{r|"Genco2004"|p=45}} Public consultations and a design initiative took place through the late 1990s and early 2000s, with the goal of creating a leading-edge sustainable community, setting standards for urban design.{{r|"Genco2004"|p=45}} In 2004, the PDP's final design plan was announced and approved by a panel of landscape architects, architects and urban planners.{{r|"Genco2004"|p=48}} However, little development took place and the plans fell into dormancy.<ref name="Hume2013"/>

Parts of the property are currently undergoing development, while the airfield is being managed as the Toronto/Downsview Airport and is still in use by the successor to de Havilland Canada, [[Bombardier Aerospace]].

The airfield was used in 2002 for another Papal Visit by Pope John Paul II for the [[World Youth Day]] celebrations and in 2003 the "[[Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto]]" concert featuring [[The Rolling Stones]] saw 450,000 people visit Downsview Park.

Downsview Park still houses some Canadian Forces regular and reserve force units and was home to the [[Canadian Air and Space Museum]]. Numerous buildings have been demolished, especially on the west side of the former base.  On the east-side, two of Downsview's old maintenance hangars, known as buildings 55 & 58, were demolished in March 2010. A desperate effort had been mounted by heritage organizations to save the hangars, built in 1942.  Despite the fact that they had been designated as heritage buildings, they were ultimately demolished.

==Former units==
[[File:Supply Depot, Downsview Park - Toronto, Canada.jpg|thumb|The [[Supply Depot (Toronto)|Supply Depot]]]]
* Operational and training units
** [[No. 400 Squadron RCAF|400 Tactical and Training Helicopter Squadron]] - moved to [[CFB Borden]]
** 400 Auxiliary Squadron
** [[No. 411 Squadron RCAF|411 Fighter Squadron]] - disbanded
** 411 "County of York" Fighter Squadron
** 411 Squadron
** 411 Auxiliary Squadron
** 411 "County of York" Air Reserve Squadron
** 411 Tactical Aviation Squadron
** 411 Tactical Helicopter Squadron
** [[No. 436 Squadron RCAF|436 Transport Squadron]] - moved to [[CFB Trenton]]
* Non-operational units
** [[Canadian Forces Air Transport Command|Air Transport Command]] - disbanded
** 14 Wing Headquarters - renamed 2 Tactical Aviation Wing and No. 14 Movement Control Detachment
** Defence Research Medical Laboratories - renamed the Defence Research Establishment Toronto, later Defence and Civil Institute for Environmental Medicine, and currently [[DRDC Toronto|Defence R&D Canada - Toronto]]
** Canadian Forces Aircrew Selection Centre - formerly Aircrew Selection Unit
** Army Toronto District Headquarters - later as [[32 Canadian Brigade Group]] Headquarters
** Central Militia Area Headquarters
** The [[Supply Depot (Toronto)|1 Canadian Forces Supply Depot]], located on Carl Hall Road

==Current units==
Despite CFB Toronto having been closed, a small military presence remains on the property with the [[Department of National Defence (Canada)|Department of National Defence]] having retained several buildings in Parc Downsview Park for these units:
* [[Land Force Central Area|4th Canadian Division]] headquarters
* [[Denison Armoury|Denison Armouries]] - moved from Dufferin Street and [[Highway 401 (Ontario)|Highway 401]] location (now a vacant lot beside [[Costco]])
** Area Support Unit Toronto (formerly Garrison Support Unit Toronto)
** Joint Task Force Central Area Headquarters
** 2 Area Support Group Signal Squadron Toronto Detachment
** [[32 Canadian Brigade Group]] headquarters
** [[2 Intelligence Company]]
** [[32 Combat Engineer Regiment]]
** [[2 Military Police Unit (Canada)#Sub-Unit composition|32 Military Police Platoon]]
** 32 (Toronto) [[Service battalion|Service Battalion]]
** [[The Governor General's Horse Guards]]
** RC(AIR)CS 188 "Cobra" Squadron (Cadets)
** Various [[Canadian Cadet Movement|Cadet units]]

==Aircraft==
A list of military aircraft stationed at Downsview:
* [[de Havilland Vampire]] fighter - with [[400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron|Auxiliary Fighter-Bomber Squadron]]
* [[North American Aviation|North American]] [[Canadair Sabre|CL-13 Sabre]] fighter - with [[400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron|Auxiliary Fighter-Bomber Squadron]]
* [[Beechcraft Model 18]] - with [[400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron|400 "City of Toronto" (Fighter) Squadron (2 Air Wing Reserve)]]/400 "City of Toronto" Air Reserve Squadron
* [[de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter]] [[STOL]] - with [[400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron|400 "City of Toronto" (Fighter) Squadron (2 Air Wing Reserve)]]/400 "City of Toronto" Air Reserve Squadron
* [[Bell Helicopter]] [[OH-58 Kiowa|CH-136 Kiowa]] helicopter - with [[400 Tactical Helicopter Squadron|400 Tactical Helicopter and Training Squadron]]

==Static display==
Several pieces of military equipment are located along Sheppard Avenue West outside LFC HQ:
* 2 [[Sherman Firefly|Sherman Firefly tanks]]
* [[Pontoon bridge|floating pontoon bridge]]
* [[Cougar AVGP]]

* [[M35 series 2½-ton 6x6 cargo truck|MLVW (M35)]] Truck
Other pieces of military equipment are located next door outside of [[DRDC Toronto]]:
* [[Canadair CF-5|Canadair CF-5 Freedom Fighter]]
* [[M113 armored personnel carrier|M113]] APC

==Non-military==
{{Main|Toronto/Downsview Airport}}

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist |refs =

<ref name="Genco2004">{{cite journal
|first=Tony
|last=Genco
|title=Downsview Park, Toronto: A part of the natural city of the 21st century
|year=2004
|journal=Ekistecs
|publisher=Athens Center of Ekistics (ACE)
|jstor=43623398
|pages=45–51
}}</ref>

<ref name="Hume2013">{{cite news
|last=Hume
|first=Christopher
|date=22 March 2013
|title=Federal takeover of Downsview Park sends plan back to drawing board
|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]
|access-date=9 September 2014
|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2013/03/22/federal_takeover_of_downsview_park_sends_plan_back_to_drawing_board_hume.html
}}</ref>

}}

===General references===
* [http://www.militarybruce.com Bruce Forsyth's Canadian Military History Page]{{better source|date=November 2024}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304203024/http://www.reocities.com/squadron400/index.html Freddy K's Unofficial 400 Squadron]{{better source|date=November 2024}}

{{Canadian Forces Bases}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Toronto}}
[[Category:Royal Canadian Air Force stations]]
[[Category:Canadian Forces bases in Ontario]]
[[Category:Military installations closed in 1996]]
[[Category:History of Toronto]]