Black History Month: Remembering Joel Weeks and His Legacy

Located at 10 Thompson St in Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood, Joel Weeks Park is an integral space for this East End community. As many of you probably know, beloved community programming is held here, such as the Rivertowne Summer BBQ and Riverside Halloween Fest.

While residents and visitors have created fond memories here over the years, Joel Weeks Park has an important history behind it. In commemoration of Black History Month, we honour Joel Weeks and the legacy he left in the Riverside community.

Joel Weeks, Photo credit: Toronto Star

In 1982, eight-year-old Joel Weeks was playing with his friends when he crawled into a sewer through an exposed  opening, not realizing it had a slippery ledge and a strong current below from the sewage system. This led to his untimely passing.

Joel was a resident of Don Mount Court, a public housing community on Dundas Street east of the Don River, where play spaces were limited. The tragedy shook the community and his story remains a deeply painful reminder of the lack of safe play spaces for children at that time and a small greenspace and playground in the community was named in his memory “Joel Weeks Parkette”.

Photo credit: Riverside BIA

However, decades later, the City of Toronto and Toronto Community Housing Corporation collaborated with the community and Janet Rosenberg Architects on designing a full scale park,as part of the larger revitalizaton of the Don Mount area to Rivertowne. The new park would serve as a communal space for the surrounding and broader community including hundreds of local children. In 2012, the new park opened and yes, you guessed it — it was named Joel Weeks Park, in celebration of Joel’s life and recognition of the strong need and desire for high quality public park space to serve local people.

Today, Joel Week Park is a recreational space where residents and visitors can connect, play, relax, connect with nature and engage with community activities and art. From afterschool playtime with friends to leisurely strolls with pets, the park offers much needed rest but also connection. 

Don Mount Courts – Photo credit: Riverside BIA

Almost a hectare in size, Joel Weeks Park boasts an impressive array of amenities such as the Don Mount basketball courts and children’s play areas, as well as the Riverside Community Gardens, and Carol Sutton Community Garden. As mentioned earlier, it is also a venue for some of the Riverside BIA’s and other community public programming.

As we remember the story of Joel Weeks this Black History Month, may his namesake park remind us of the importance of not just safe and inclusive spaces for kids but also of community and belonging between generations and cultures.

Community events – Photo credit: Riverside BIA

Check out @riverside_bia on Instagram and the Riverside Blog for stories from Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood!

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