Wildlife painter Robert Bateman spent his childhood playing along an old railway line that decades later would officially become a naturalized trail called the Kay Gardner Beltline Park.
Therefore it’s only natural that, during last month’s 10th anniversary of the park, Mayor David Miller would announce plans to rename the gateway portion of the trail the Robert Bateman Parkette.
“We would climb over the back fence of our back garden … and cross the creek,” said Bateman, referring to the path from his childhood home on Chaplin Crescent to the railway line.
Bateman attended the 10th anniversary celebration and led a nature walk, talking about childhood wars he and his two brothers had with neighbouring kids, and the daredevil railway stunts they performed.
The idea to rename Russell Hill Parkette after the artist came when Tom Fiore, director of the Toronto Trails Festival, approached Kay Gardner, and they planned how to celebrate the park’s 10th anniversary.
“It means everything to me because I love his paintings,” said Gardner, the former councillor who fought for 25 years to preserve the trail. The celebration was followed by a private reception dinner at Edo.