Sunnyside Park: Building Public Leisure in Toronto

Since the early 20th century, the Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion and pool have reflected evolving attitudes toward recreation, hygiene and the role of public infrastructure in everyday urban life. This tour highlights several outdoor sites, including the exterior of the pavilion – one of Toronto’s most significant public recreation buildings – Gus Ryder Pool, the former footprint of Sunnyside Amusement Park, the boardwalk and the lakeshore. Built as part of a city-led investment in public health and recreation, the pavilion is one of few surviving structures from Toronto’s historic waterfront amusement district, and a key landmark through which to examine shifting priorities around access, leisure and public space. The tour is led by a curator and researcher with experience in site-specific work focused on public space and civic infrastructure. She is currently curating a performance series related to public swimming pools.

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