Ontario Abandoned Places will be rebranded as Ominous Abandoned Places

Last Burial

Historic Location Cemetery in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Apr 14 2013

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Recent status Historic Location
Location # 6683

I've driven past this cemetery for a few years and finally visited it today. It intrigues me (and saddens me) because it's surrounded by interchanges of the busiest highways in Canada, maybe North America. There's something disturbing about this being a location for people to "rest in peace", with all the traffic and the airport in the distance. You can see a plane in one of the photos.

The other thing disturbing about this cemetery, is that it is actually two cemeteries. The southern portion is actually a cemetery of remains relocated from another location, that was subsequently sold. I've posted photos of the plaques.

One other thing....there was a couple recent burials that I found odd. The last burial was from 2005. I suspect the person buried here was done so to be with their family.

I also posted a photo of a heart headstone, of a baby that died at 5 weeks, 6 days old. Appropriately, the heart has broken over the years.

Comments

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10 years ago

There's an amazing article about this place here: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2009/10/31/resting_in_peace_not_at_this_graveyard.html

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10 years ago

Willow Grove Burying Ground was closed in 1962 with its last burial in 1912. 105 graves were moved from their location over to Richview without their markers. Richview on the other hand is still active. Remains from another cemetery, MacFarlane, were also moved there. Cemetery transccripts are avaable from the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Geneological Society.

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10 years ago

... and actually Peanut, there is no such law in Ontario. I'm not sure where you got your information, but it's not accurate. :(

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10 years ago

@peanut....there are no questions....only commentary.

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10 years ago

http://www.waterlooogs.ca/cemeterypics/ClementsRCCambCemetery.html http://www.guelphmercury.com/news/article/443771--guelph-s-grave-mystery-baker-street-sinkhole-contained-infant-bones

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10 years ago

I'm surprised at the interest in this gallery. I almost wasn't going to post it, but it's such as sad situation that I wanted to. I mean...there is no peace when you're Resting In Peace here. To me it seemed like this cemetery was just an inconvenience for the roads construction. And that someone chose to be buried here in 2005, only adds questions to this place.

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10 years ago

It is one of those places you actually have to be there to really appreciate how bizarre it is.

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10 years ago

Your BW pics are beautiful and unsettling.. This entire place makes me think of a set from some post apocalyptic movie. Very old headstones and giant concrete freeway in the background.

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10 years ago

@phrenzee....no kidding. after I saw the 2005 headstone....just when I was about to leave, I wondered about a funeral here. I even wondered what people thought of seeing me there.

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10 years ago

Nice work. I had heard of this place before, but never had a chance to ever visit. Thanks for showing us.

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10 years ago

I love that you chose to do black and white....

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10 years ago

Amazing! Thanks for sharing this one sonicpix!

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10 years ago

The Richview may be. of the headstones I saw the last burial was 2005. There was another 1989 and another 1958 (?). The southern one is actually a relocation of a cemetery. Both have been designated as historical under the OHA. What surprises me is how this is sort of hidden away amongst interchanges. The history of the area, and the churches is interesting. I'd be surprised anyone would