Victoria Park, London, Ontario
victoria park hectare acre park located downtown london ontario canada one major centre community event london park originally site british garrison well cricket ground garrison expanded new building upper canada rebellion british troop withdrew europe train crimean war barrack used house escaped slave united state one end station underground railway troop returned fearing american civil war might spread canada park transferred city renamed victoria park queen victoria park original plan work landscape architect charles h miller chief gardener fairmount park philadelphia pennsylvania designer american centennial exposition ground believed decision hire miller strongly influenced william saunders visit exposition ground although designated recreational activity park still used military garrison necessary london centre western ontario military district district troop stationed park second boer war world war world war ii minor rioting park conscription crisis conscript demanded sent europe three cannon crimean war placed park originally sevastopol statue built memorial boer war exact replica cenotaph whitehall london england built sherman tank known holy roller used world war ii placed park housed elaborate fountain lilypond water feature remaining today many annual event held victoria park include sunfest home county folk festival london ribfest international food festival lola fiesta del sol since event victoria park part greening festival required waste management plan eliminate unnecessary waste landfill includes suitable number ecostations place attendee dispose waste food beverage container required either recyclable compostable first year effort led improvement waste diversion waste diversion landfill festival recognized nationally home town hero award provincially gold award recycling council ontario minimization waste municipally pillar non profit community impact award home county folk festival added initiative offering reusable metal dish available deposit repaid ecostations eliminate one time use disposable altogether ecostations readily available waste disposal victoria park cleaner park throughout festival season addition festival educated hundred thousand festival attendee wasteful practice inspired take practice community event birthday party church supper every winter annual vigil école polytechnique massacre tree park decorated christmas light lighting light snowfest held february number frequency event concern park resulting damage foliage prompting partial rescheduling minimize wear park also ice skating rink winter built every winter since bandshell built rebuilt area front bandshell serf free public skatepark consisting many metal bench stage drop security persists one sit utilize bandshell except festival major event near bandshell womens memorial victim école polytechnique massacre montreal built park notable presence large number melanistic black eastern gray squirrel sciurus carolinensis recreational sport squirrel fishing developed area however squirrel population indigenous first introduced park four pair squirrel purchased february group squirrel taken kent state university ohio united state become firmly established behr sylvia et al victoria park inventory condition report historic contemporary london sn morden pat putting root history london park river st catharines stonehouse publication city london web site brief history black squirrel kent state university royal eponym canada