The Little Paper

There are few things more satisfying in the month of June than a long lazy afternoon or an evening spent picnicking in a leafy glade. Countless patches of green dot our urban forest and we’ve assembled a handful of emeralds… jewel-like places for you to spread out your blanket, unpack the picnic and unfurl for an hour or two of (slightly mitigated) bliss, eating and reposing while the kids run amok. Nestled behind Old Mill Inn in the city’s west end is Etienne Brule Park, a lovely oasis beside the Humber River. The picturesque stone bridge rivals scenery from Shrek (albeit with far fewer ogres.). A dam creates a small waterfall where kids can play Pooh Sticks (see A.A. Milne for a primer). There’s a sweet hidden playground perched on a ridge at nearby Lessard Park (Halford Ave/Humberview Rd) with a small-scale cob, a tire swing and swings overlooking the trees and, if you are traveling by car, continue your idyllic journey around the winding roads and English manor-style houses of nearby Baby Point. Picking up the storybook theme in central Toronto, Casa Loma is hosting a Teddy Bear picnic and storytelling in the gardens on June 27th at 11am ($14.50/children, $17/adults, registration required). Stray off the grounds for a walk in nearby Wychwood Park’s gated community (N of Davenport, between Christie and Bathurst), a magical architectural enclave of Arts and Craft mansions. The relatively new Wychwood Park Artscape Barns, a 60,000 square foot arts and culture development is a superb picnic site. If you go on a Saturday (between 8am and1pm), you can purchase your lunch at the farmer’s market. There is music, children's play areas, hot lunch dishes made from market ingredients and food demonstrations. If you like the idea of choosing a la carte from a farmer’s market instead of carting your picnic to a park, here are some more stellar options in exceptional parks: Riverdale Farm (Tue 3-7pm), the Friends of the Farm make pizza and a weekly salad and keep the oven going to cook your purchases so you can enjoy a family supper at the picnic tables; Trinity Bellwoods Park (Tue: 3-7pm); Dufferin Grove (Thu 3-7pm); Withrow Park (Sat: 9am-1pm); Evergreen Brickworks (Sat 8am-1pm). Remember to pack your cutlery and dishes. On Sundays, you’ll miss the market but you can pick up a picnic at Chippy’s across from Bellwoods and watch the tightrope walkers take to the air in the early evening. Sherwood Park, in the North of the city, is a lovely picnic destination – a forested park canopied with remnants of the old Great Lakes - St Lawrence Forest and trees that are over 150 years old. There is a shaded play area and walking trails. (Park entrance off Blythwood Rd, S of Lawrence Ave between Mt Pleasant Rd and Bayview Ave.) Many pretty-as-a-picture spots line the east-end beach waterfront. Cherry Beach, with its sheltered sandy beach, little life guard station and barbeques for picnickers is quite lovely. Check out the Asian T& T Supermarket (nearby on Cherry St) while you’re there. Some pre-cooked meals are available. Of course there’s the ever-popular boardwalk with nearby Kew Gardens. If you head further east, past the end of the boardwalk, you’ll find the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant (Queen St & Victoria park Ave), a breathtaking architectural backdrop surrounded by rolling lawns. Built between 1932-1941, the art-deco style plant is often described as a “sparkling Jewel by the Lake.” Just a bit further inland, Glen Stewart Ravine (N of Queen St on Glen Manor Dr E) is lush with sweet little bridges and waterfalls. If you’ve got a sport enthusiast (or two) in your brood, try Christie Pitts Park. Perch on the hill and watch the Toronto Maple Leaf Baseball team. Looking to spice up the experience? Nearby Tacos el Asador (Bloor/Clinton, 690 Bloor St W) is the place to go for authentic Latin American takeout. And while you’re at it, why not watch the walnut cakes go by on the assembly line in the window at Hodo Kaaja at 656 Bloor St W. The crown jewels of Toronto’s picnic treasury are likely High Park and Toronto Islands. These vast parklands are big enough to picnic off the grid or find a cozy well-traveled nook if you’re up to a little people watching. In High Park you take one of the many paths until you arrive at a clearing or ride the trackless train (runs every 25min 10:30am-dusk; $4/adults, $3/children) to spot your slice of heaven – perhaps the landscaped hillside gardens in High Park overlooking Grenadier Pond for a little duck gazing or camp on one of the little bridges past the Western periphery of the dog park. You could choose the Cedar Hedge Maze on Toronto’s Centre Island, great for a game of hide and seek or the secluded beach on the eastern shore of Ward’s Island. It‘s comparatively private, often swimmable and is bordered by trees, dunes and grasses that disguise the comforting fact that a public washroom, a little playground and an ice cream shop are all within easy walking distance.