1914–1985
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Section 32 Lot 864
Born beside Toronto’s iconic Casa Loma, Thomas “Tommy” Thompson grew up surrounded by gardens, a passion that shaped his life. As a teenager, he worked after school tending the grounds at Prospect Cemetery, also part of the Mount Pleasant Group. After graduating high school, Thompson studied horticulture at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph, completing his courses in 1936. Soon after, he joined Mount Pleasant Cemetery as a gardener, beginning a career dedicated to nature.
When World War II broke out, Thompson enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, serving as a navigator-bombardier. After the war, he advised communities on park maintenance before becoming Parks Superintendent in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay). In 1955, he returned to Toronto as the first Parks Commissioner for Metropolitan Toronto, a role he held for over 20 years. Thompson oversaw the creation of countless parks and trails and later directed the Metro Toronto Zoo, ensuring its success after opening.
Even in retirement, Thompson led nature walks, often through Mount Pleasant Cemetery, sharing his love for its myriad trees and shrubs. In 1983, the northern half of the Leslie Street Spit was renamed Tommy Thompson Park in his honour. He died in 1985 at age 71. His memorial bears his walking stick and the words that capture his philosophy: “Please Walk on the Grass.”
Sources:
• The Canadian Encyclopedia – “Tommy Thompson Park”
• Wikipedia – “Tommy Thompson (parks commissioner)”
• Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) – “About Tommy Thompson Park”
• Mount Pleasant Group – “Thomas Thompson”
Photo: rokker, CC BY 3.0
