Toronto just got a brand-new park paying homage to local legend

Though it's been almost a decade since Honest Ed's closed its doors for good, the beloved Toronto landmark is getting a permanent tribute that nostalgic residents are sure to appreciate.

The city officially opened Honest Ed's Park on July 17, bringing to Mirvish Village a new public space inspired by the iconic bargain store and its larger-than-life legacy.

Located at 608 Markham St., the new green space is just steps from where Honest Ed's stood for over 60 years, lighting up the Annex neighbourhood with its famous 23,000 incandescent light bulbs before closing in 2016 and being completely demolished in 2018 to make room for a new rental complex.

The 1,213-square-metre park is packed with little nods to Honest Ed's and its founder, Ed Mirvish. The design, helmed by landscape architects PFS Studio, was inspired by the store's famous hand-painted signs, and it features gardens, picnic tables, plenty of seating, and an interactive water feature shaped like a bird bath (a reference to Mirvish's well-known slogan, "For the birds, cheep cheep cheep").

Whether you were hunting for cheap kitchen gadgets, non-perishable food, or just stopping to admire or photograph the flashing lights on the corner of Bathurst and Bloor, it was one of those rare places that made Toronto feel like Toronto.

As Mayor Olivia Chow says, Honest Ed's was "a place that brought people together and reflected the spirit of Toronto."

Son of Ed Mirvish, David, says the new park is a "wonderful continuation of the community" his parents spent decades building. 

And while the store may be gone for good, it turns out Honest Ed's isn't quite done lighting up the city just yet. Recently, a restored neon sign made a comeback, returning to Ed's Alley near its original location and marking the first piece of the store to reappear since the demolition.