christie pits turkey toronto

Someone is placing unofficial heritage plaques around Toronto

Heritage plaques are common in Toronto if you know where to look. 

There are more than 700 in the city, according to Heritage Toronto. One neighbourhood has even been designated the Heritage Plaque District.

But the city might have just gotten its weirdest plaque inspiration so far: the wild turkey that took over Christie Pits in 2018. 

The sign, which has gone up on an electric pole at the park, was erected recently as part of something called The Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit, which has not been confirmed (and is very unlikely) as a legitimate branch of Heritage Toronto. 

"Also know as Giblet, Christie, Tom, and Murray, Rose was a female eastern American turkey. She regularly wandered the laneways of the neighbourhood roosted in Bickford and Christie Pits parks," reads the plaque inscription. 

The sign also provides an interesting background on how wild turkeys had completely disappeared from Ontario by 1902 but were reintroduced in 1980s. 

According to the sign, Rose the wild turkey was last seen in April 2019. Her whereabouts are unknown but her legacy will live on forever.

Lead photo by

Jode Roberts


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

Doug Ford just got even tougher on Ontario bike lanes with new measures

Toronto's $27 billion Ontario Line just crossed its biggest construction milestone so far

Rare Canadian gold coin sells for over $1.5 million

Toronto ranked among the top 100 best cities in the world for 2025

A full list of all the items included in Canada's holiday GST cut

Liquid soap sold at stores across Canada recalled due to contamination

Canadians to get GST cut on groceries and new $250 rebate ahead of holidays

Snow is finally coming to southern Ontario and here's when it will hit