Cullen Gardens and Miniature village
this sketch: Cullen Gardens 8"x10" oil on masonite
I like to ride my bike, and from time to time my rides take me through what once was the Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village in Whitby, Ontario. If you are from the Toronto area and are over the age of 40 then you probably know the park well. There were two destinations everyone went to Whitby for, one was the Whitby Go Kart track and the other was Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village. We sure did. Then when I married and we had children it was a regular outing to take a stole through the miniatures at Cullen Gardens.
The tiny buildings, the little people figurines, the fire hall, the school, and who could ever forget the train? That train track wandered all throughout the miniature village. It was especially wonderful to see at night. Lights sparkling, the sound of the train on the track as it approached. Wonderful!
Cullen Gardens was sold a few years ago. I guess the Daughter of the founder decided it was too much to manage, or the $6,ooo,ooo.oo was too attractive to resist, so, the Town of Whitby handed over the cheque and Mrs. Cullen rode off into the sunset. Who can say she was wrong?
Well maybe not wrong but what a sad departure of such a treasure. We cannot even say the town would preserve it, even though they have done a wonderful job of maintaining the gardens, it remains a sad shame that the experience was allowed to fade.
Now there's talk of a health spa taking the property, still, it's fading even more.
Si I will be doing a few oil sketches like this of various parts of the Gardens that still exist to some degree or another. I hope you enjoy them.
If you have recollections of Whitby's Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village, I'd love to read them and see your photos. Post here if you like,
RM
this sketch: Cullen Gardens 8"x10" oil on masonite
I like to ride my bike, and from time to time my rides take me through what once was the Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village in Whitby, Ontario. If you are from the Toronto area and are over the age of 40 then you probably know the park well. There were two destinations everyone went to Whitby for, one was the Whitby Go Kart track and the other was Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village. We sure did. Then when I married and we had children it was a regular outing to take a stole through the miniatures at Cullen Gardens.
The tiny buildings, the little people figurines, the fire hall, the school, and who could ever forget the train? That train track wandered all throughout the miniature village. It was especially wonderful to see at night. Lights sparkling, the sound of the train on the track as it approached. Wonderful!
Cullen Gardens was sold a few years ago. I guess the Daughter of the founder decided it was too much to manage, or the $6,ooo,ooo.oo was too attractive to resist, so, the Town of Whitby handed over the cheque and Mrs. Cullen rode off into the sunset. Who can say she was wrong?
Well maybe not wrong but what a sad departure of such a treasure. We cannot even say the town would preserve it, even though they have done a wonderful job of maintaining the gardens, it remains a sad shame that the experience was allowed to fade.
Now there's talk of a health spa taking the property, still, it's fading even more.
Si I will be doing a few oil sketches like this of various parts of the Gardens that still exist to some degree or another. I hope you enjoy them.
If you have recollections of Whitby's Cullen Gardens and Miniature Village, I'd love to read them and see your photos. Post here if you like,
RM
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