What Happened to the Biggest Mansion in Canada? (Chorley Park)

Unravel the incredible story of Chorley Park—the biggest mansion ever built in Canada, from its opulent beginnings to its tragic downfall.

Like, Comment, and Share our video, Subscribe if you enjoyed this video!

Location: Toronto, Canada

Join our Membership program:

Public Domain Photos from: Library of Congress
CC BY 2.0 Photos from: Flickr User: JasonParis
CC BY-SA 4.0 Photos from: Wikipedia User: Jeff Hitchcock
Assets from: Envato Elements
Music from Epidemic Sound

[rob-time]

UDPATE from my earlier comment; I just came home from a walk over to the site where this building stood. A few of the elements remain, like the driveway, a small bridge and a fence. The rest is lovely, large park.  
It was amazing to imagine the house standing there once upon a time.
I suddenly realized that in 1945, my parents were married in the church directly across the street from Chorley Park when it still stood. They would have looked upon it as they descended the steps of the church.

[wildfireintexas]

So typical of short sighted bureaucrats. The craftsmanship and materials had already been spent. They could have imagined future generations enjoying this magnificent building. When such narrow minded men can’t create they destroy.

[brianholihan]

What a magnificent home. I toured Casa Loma; wish I could have seen this palace too.

[janedee]

The blue drawing room is my favorite. That picture of this magnificent estate being torn down is heartbreaking.

[rob-time]

I live very close to where that house stood. I have lived here all of my life and I didn't know about it. I'm going to take a walk today and look again at the space where it stood. I love that kind of old world architecture of which, sadly, there are so few examples remaining.

[HaccGov]

Very interesting video and thank you for that. It was two blocks from my grandparents house. I was 7 in 1959 and befriended the security guard who showed me inside. My only memory was the cavernous front hall and a giant safe with a torch scar across the front of it he said was from a robbery attempt. We moved to Montreal shortly after and I was shocked when we returned three years later and it was gone. A magnificent building - even to a kid. The kind of stately residence we might visit in Europe but sadly not here.

[stillawake]

Incredible to think such a special building only stood for 46 years.

[miriam]

It would have been a perfect art gallery.

[Superiormotorsport]

OMG! That gorgeous estate! It's nice/sad to know Canada made the same stupid mistakes the US did in destroying these historical masterpieces.

[David-tmsl]

It was a beautiful structure. So unfortunate that it could not have been repurposed.😢

[LaurenceDay-dp]

Shameful waste of a splendid building. It could have been preserved and used for many purposes - no need to destroy it. Think what such workmanship would cost today.

[gailm]

I just love your channel and all the wonderful historic homes you bring back to life. It makes me so sad that the jealousy and shortsightedness of people led to the destruction of these beautiful homes. There could’ve been so many wonderful uses for that home instead it met the wrecking Ball and that just breaks my heart.

[lila]

As a Canadian this was very interesting. I liked the main entrance the best. Thank you Ken “well done”!

[ryanking]

As with the demolition of many US gilded age mansions and UK stately homes, it is such a shame that the building couldn’t have been repurposed. What a loss

[jetuber]

Tragic. This could have been a Casa Loma-style attraction.

[stuntmanstu]

So sad that it was demolished. What a beautiful structure.

[jamesl]

Wow 😮 I was born in Toronto and lived most of my life there. I was a kid when it was torn down and so obviously wasn’t aware of it. Too bad it wasn’t turned over to U of T or made into a library. But like Casa Loma the builders went overboard for a residence.

[SMtWalkerS]

Another beautiful building, lost to time.

[i.l.macdonald]

This is why Canadians have to travel to nice things. We tore anything nice down to make way for crap.

[FlyUnicornsFly]

I am SO against the "Don't save it, pave it" mentality. Toronto is particularly bad for that.