The Beasts of Budapest Park: A Mini-Review

I apologise for the nearly-month hiatus at Mesozoic Mind. I had other projects to work on. But don't worry, this blog is still active, so welcome back everyone. And I've been to a new place today (well kind of, as you shall learn) that's on my my mind today - my Mesozoic mind.

Today as part of an excersise walk with my personal trainer, I went along the waterfront of Toronto and eventually went to Budapest Park, located on the west side of Toronto on its Lakeshore. It wasn't planned, and I have never set foot thewre, but we did so. Budapest Park itself is a smalk lakeside park not unlike others out there, save for one thing I came for now that it was in walking distance for me: it has dinosaur statues.

The statues consist of two ornithischians, Chasmosaurus and a Stegosaurus. They are made of concrete and are small, at the very least as tall as me. Apparently they came from a now-closed park open in the 1960's and 70's in Huntsville, Muskoka Dinosaur Land, that has long since closed, hence why you'[ve probably never heard of it before. Previously I have seen them many times driving along the Gardiner and along Lake Shore, but never stopping at the park on foot - until now.

Budapest Park's dinosaurs evidently show their age, and not just in the Burianian-like designs: they have paint flaking off them (especially on the Stegosaur's back) and even a few bits missing, like the eyes of the Chasmosaurus, no doubt due to kids clamouring on them for years at this point.

Still, I enjoyed seeing the statues at last even within the span of a couple of minurw before leaving. It helped there were Canada Geese nearby (when are they not these days?), and seeing actual dinosaurs next to these 50+-year old statues of concrete that humans have rendered so much unlike the real thing was some pretty good irony. And the big wide trees that surrounded them lent quite the atmosphere to it too. Really, I love seeing dinosaur statues in public parks or even elsewhere even if they have little reason beyond "people like them". Like for example my aunt from Chicago had these bas-relief moulds of Gorgosaurus in the classic death pose (and likely inspired by Royal Tyrell's articulated specimen) under the play structure, though sadly that's been removed as of 2023. And just 6 km from it, the restaurunt Egglicious randomly got in 2012 a tiny Triceratops statue out in front (but that's for another day).

The rest of the park is not dinosaur-themed (save a bin by the statuess with cartoon dinos on them). If I were in charge of Toronto's Parks, Forestry & Recreation or some design firmly, I'd probably theme the entire Budapest Park after dinosaurs and prehistory, adding some more dinosaur statues around the park, that are both up to date while still having the cartoony aesthetic the existing statues have. In particular given the Hungary dedication of Budapest Park, I'd add dinosaurs from the country, particularly Hungarosaurus, Mochlodon, or Akjaceratops. Maybe a theropod like can also be added too, like Albertosaurus or Rajasaurus (scaled down of course).

Budapest Park's dinosaurs aren't much, but they're nice, and I'm sure they have brought joy to many young Torontonians as they clsmboured on it. I hope to see them up close again in the future.

See Also

• Museum and Exhibit Virtual Tour and Review: Royal Ontario Museum, for the other dinosaurs of Toronto.