Discover Toronto's history as told through its plaques

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The Lion Monument

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted June, 2007

Photo Source - Wikipedia

Some of you call it the QueenE, others the QEW but were you aware that the highway is now 78 years old (as of 2017). This monument was erected in the median of the highway where it began at the Humber River. In the mid-70s, due to widening of the highway, the monument was moved to its present location, in parkland just south of the highway. This 1975 Toronto Historical Board plaque is attached to the monument. As well, there is a message cut into the stone on the north side under the lion. Here's what the plaque says:

Coordinates: 43.633194 -79.470393

This monument marked the eastern entrance to the Queen Elizabeth Way, opened in 1939 by Her Majesty Elizabeth, the Queen Consort, in the company of His Majesty, King George VI. It was designed by W.L. Somerville, Architect, and Frances Loring, Sculptor. Florence Wyle assisted in modelling the royal profiles and the crown. When the Queen Elizabeth Way was widened, the monument was moved to this site by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Communications in July, 1974.

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted June, 2007

Here's what the message cut into the stone says:

The Queen Elizabeth Way was opened by the King and Queen in June 1939, marking the first visit of a reigning sovereign to a sister dominion of the empire. The courage and resolution of their majesties in undertaking the royal visit in the face of imminent war have inspired the people of this province to complete this work in the empire's darkest hour in full confidence of victory and a lasting peace.

Related webpages
The Lion Monument
Queen Elizabeth Way

Related Toronto plaques
The Royal Tour of 1939
Frances Loring and Florence Wyle

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Arts
Transportation

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

> Posted November 22, 2014
This monument no longer marks the Toronto terminus of the highway, and has not for some years. Traffic heading to Niagara once entered Highway 451 (QEW) at the Humber River, but the section from the Humber west to Highway 427 was transferred from the province to the city in 1997, and thus became part of the Gardiner Expressway. Highway 451 (QEW) now reaches only about one kilometre into the City of Toronto, from Hwy. 427 to Etobicoke Creek.
The stone carving's reference to the "courage and resolution" of Britain's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in making their visit to America is puzzling. Historians agree the trip was a diplomatic mission to garner support for the coming war with Germany. While Canada was fairly expected to join any war effort, given the 'imperial umbilical cord' which it then saw connecting it to the United Kingdom, the United States required courting. In both countries, sympathy for Britain was magnified by the visit, a public relations success. -Wayne

> Posted January 4, 2011
The plaque refers to the "eastern entrance" of the highway. There actually isn't one. Because of its U-shape, the QEW is unique in Ontario in that directional signs refer to "Toronto" and "Niagara" instead of East/West. The highway is also numbered Highway 451, though you won't see that posted anywhere. It's part of the 400-series of high-speed roads, but was first called Middle Road when opened to traffic in 1936. Historian Mike Filey tells an anecdote about US visitors who, seeing "ER" on lampposts along the highway (Elizabeth Regina, Latin for Queen Elizabeth), were surprised Ontario had named a route for Eleanor Roosevelt! One hopes today we'd name such a route for a prominent Ontarian or for something of historical significance to our home and native land. -Wayne

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