[6] In 1880, a "portion of the Queen's Park [was] selected [and given to] the Government of Ontario, as a site for the erection of new Legislative and Departmental buildings".

[7][8] This was part of the 150 acres (61 ha) from portions of three park lots:[9] The cornerstone for one of the college's earliest buildings was laid at the site on 23 April 1842.

[1] The building was situated within a landscaped park surrounded by tree-lined avenues, and was accessed through two gates to the north and south.

[4][8][10] The park was originally planned to be opened the previous Saturday, although heavy rain led the dedication ceremony to be rescheduled to Tuesday.

[11] During the ceremony, he also laid a cornerstone for an eventual statue of Queen Victoria at the southern apex of the park.

[11] However, financial difficulties and delays would eventually see this spot be occupied by a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada.

[4] After the building's completion, Russian cannons originally placed at the southern tip of the park in 1859 were moved to the legislature's entrance.

[12] Although the new legislative building split the park into two sections, local residents continued to congregate there for concerts, memorial services, military parades, and political gatherings.

[10] During the late-19th century, the northern portion of Queen's Park also hosted a public speakers' forum on Sunday.

[13] The first tree planting ceremony took place on 25 May 1984 by Bob Welch, the deputy premier of Ontario in order to commemorate Arbour Day.

[14] The campaign specifically insisted that the statue should be located at Queen's Park, in order to demonstrate the significance of poetry and the arts in Canada's cultural life.

[3] The section follows the traditional British design, dominated by large trees that provide extensive cover during summer.

[citation needed] The pathways radiate outwards from an equestrian statue of Edward VII, which stands on a large mound at the centre of the northern section.

[3] The main north-south path runs between the equestrian statue and the 48th Highlanders of Canada Regimental Memorial at the park's northern tip.

[12] The southern tip of the park facing University Avenue features the statue of Sir John A. Macdonald, the first prime minister of Canada.

[17] Queen's Park is situated on top of sandy sediment, having been deposited there when the area was the floor bed for Glacial Lake Iroquois.

[18] Attempts have been made to restore the park to resemble how it appeared prior to the introduction of non-native species through the planting of additional trees native to the area.

[22] The memorial was designed by Allan Harding Mackay and landscaping firm Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg; Ontarian-born historian Jack Granatstein wrote the historical text and choose the images, while Ontarian-born poet Jane Urquhart wrote the monumental inscription.

[21] Another large boulder with a plaque affixed to it is situated northeast of the Mackenzie monument, and commemorates Canadian volunteers of the Mackenzie–Papineau Battalion.

[citation needed] In addition to memorials, a number of full-body statues that commemorate individuals are also situated at Queen's Park.

[note 3] Three monuments have been commissioned by the government of Ontario and have been installed in locations adjacent to the southern portion of Queen's Park.