Willowdale Airfield

Urban encroachment and economic factors. As the city of Toronto expanded northward into the borough of North York, the land became increasingly valuable for residential development. The airfield was a private venture, and like many small airfields of the era, it was likely impacted by the economic pressures of the Great Depression, eventually being sold and repurposed.

The site is now Earl Bales Park, a large municipal park managed by the City of Toronto. The area that was once the airfield is now occupied by open parkland, walking trails, a community centre, and most notably, the Earl Bales Ski and Snowboard Centre. The ski hill itself was constructed in the 1970s using landfill, completely altering the original topography of the airfield.

The airfield at this location was historically known as the De Lesseps Airfield or Wilson Farm Airfield, not Willowdale Airfield. The name 'Willowdale Airfield' and the identifier 'CA-0489' appear to be modern, unofficial designations found in some online databases, likely derived from the surrounding Willowdale neighborhood. The historical De Lesseps Airfield was one of Toronto's earliest aerodromes, established in the 1920s by aviator George de Lesseps. It operated as a private grass strip primarily used for flight training, private aviation, and barnstorming activities. It played a role in the nascent aviation scene in Toronto before the establishment of larger, more permanent airports like Malton (now Toronto Pearson International).

Zero. There are no plans or prospects for reopening the airfield. The location is now a major, well-established public park surrounded by a dense, high-value residential area. Re-establishing an aviation facility at this site is logistically, legally, and politically impossible.