Baldwin Steps
Encyclopedia
The Baldwin Steps are a public outdoor staircase located in Toronto
, Canada
dating from the 19th century. The Steps, which are constructed of stone and concrete, transcend a steep escarpment marking an ancient shoreline. The Steps are named after a former landowner of the area. They are named after Robert Baldwin
, a former premier of Ontario
, whose family were the first landowners. The Steps are also famous for appearing in the Scott Pilgrim
graphic novels and its film adaptation, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
.
on a public right-of-way connecting two sections of Spadina Road. The sheerness of the cliff prevented the construction of Spadina Road directly down the escarpment. Instead a roadway crossing of the escarpment was cut a few hundred yards to the west. A set of wooden steps were installed to allow people to move through the area. The original wooden stairs were replaced with a permanent structure in 1913. Along the top of the cliff some of Toronto's most exclusive homes were constructed including Casa Loma
and Spadina House
.
In the 1960s the proposed Spadina Expressway
would have replaced the stairs site with a six-lane highway exiting from a tunnel to the north. The Expressway project was cancelled in 1971 by the Ontario government. As part of the project, the land of the stairs became the property of the Ontario government. In 1984, the land was leased to the City of Toronto for 99 years. In 1987, the City rebuilt the Steps site with new railings, concrete stairs and expanded landings, following the original zig-zag path up the cliff. At this time, the Steps were given the formal name of the "Baldwin Steps" to commemorate Robert Baldwin
, whose family owned the land before it became a public pathway.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
dating from the 19th century. The Steps, which are constructed of stone and concrete, transcend a steep escarpment marking an ancient shoreline. The Steps are named after a former landowner of the area. They are named after Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin was born at York . He, along with his political partner Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, led the first responsible ministry in Canada, regarded by some as the first truly Canadian government....
, a former premier of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, whose family were the first landowners. The Steps are also famous for appearing in the Scott Pilgrim
Scott Pilgrim
Scott Pilgrim is a graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It consists of six digest size black-and-white volumes, released between August 2004 and July 2010, by Portland-based independent comic book publisher Oni Press. It was later republished by Fourth Estate, an imprint of HarperCollins...
graphic novels and its film adaptation, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a 2010 comedy film directed by Edgar Wright, based on the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley. The film is about Scott Pilgrim , a young Canadian musician, meeting the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers , an American delivery girl...
.
History
The Steps are located on the shorecliff of the ancient Lake IroquoisGlacial Lake Iroquois
Glacial Lake Iroquois was a prehistoric proglacial lake that existed at the end of the last ice age approximately 13,000 years ago.The lake was essentially an enlargement of the present Lake Ontario that formed because the St. Lawrence River downstream from the lake was blocked by the ice sheet...
on a public right-of-way connecting two sections of Spadina Road. The sheerness of the cliff prevented the construction of Spadina Road directly down the escarpment. Instead a roadway crossing of the escarpment was cut a few hundred yards to the west. A set of wooden steps were installed to allow people to move through the area. The original wooden stairs were replaced with a permanent structure in 1913. Along the top of the cliff some of Toronto's most exclusive homes were constructed including Casa Loma
Casa Loma
Casa Loma is a Gothic Revival style house in midtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, that is now a museum and landmark. It was originally a residence for financier Sir Henry Mill Pellatt. Casa Loma was constructed over a three-year period from 1911–1914. The architect of the mansion was E. J...
and Spadina House
Spadina House
Spadina Museum, also called Spadina , is a historic manor on Spadina Road in Toronto, Canada that is now a museum operated by the City of Toronto Cultural Services. The museum preserves the house much as it existed and developed historically...
.
In the 1960s the proposed Spadina Expressway
Spadina Expressway
The Spadina Expressway was a proposed north-south freeway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was only partially built before being cancelled in 1971 due to public opposition. It was proposed in the mid-1960s as part of a network of freeways for Metropolitan Toronto. Its cancellation prompted the...
would have replaced the stairs site with a six-lane highway exiting from a tunnel to the north. The Expressway project was cancelled in 1971 by the Ontario government. As part of the project, the land of the stairs became the property of the Ontario government. In 1984, the land was leased to the City of Toronto for 99 years. In 1987, the City rebuilt the Steps site with new railings, concrete stairs and expanded landings, following the original zig-zag path up the cliff. At this time, the Steps were given the formal name of the "Baldwin Steps" to commemorate Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin
Robert Baldwin was born at York . He, along with his political partner Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, led the first responsible ministry in Canada, regarded by some as the first truly Canadian government....
, whose family owned the land before it became a public pathway.