This Winnipeg park was named in commemoration of Jan “John” Tokarz (1882-1943) and his wife Katarzyna “Katherine” Tokarz (?-1966), dairy farmers and long-time residents of Old Kildonan. The park was opened officially by their children on 25 June 1998.
Born at Poland in 1882, Jan Tokarz immigrated to Canada in 1903 and settled in the Municipality of Kildonan. On 21 May 1907, he married Polish immigrant Katarzyna Orlaf at Winnipeg and the couple subsequently had seven children: Mary Tokarz (c1908-1999, wife of Peter “Pete” Paradowski), Rosalia “Rosie” Tokarz (1909-1998, wife of Joseph “Joe” Zdrill), Joseph “Joe” Tokarz (1913-2007), Victoria Tokarz (1914-2006, wife of Peter “Pete” Kondratiuk), Edward Tokarz (1917-2009), Steve Tokarz (c1919-1973), Anne “Annie” Tokarz (?-?, wife of Mike Rogocki), and Helen Tokarz (c1925-2000, wife of Peter “Pete” Kuhtey). The family operated a dairy farm on Lot 20 of Old Kildonan from 1930 to 1966. Three of the Tokarz children, Edward, Joseph, and Steve, were employed with the Municipalities of West Kildonan, Old Kildonan, or Winnipeg.
Commemorative monument at Tokarz Park (August 2014)
Source: Nathan KramerSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.95553, W97.13521
denoted by symbol on the map above
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 21 October 1943, page 2.
Obituary [Katherine Tokarz], Winnipeg Free Press, 19 March 1966, page 36.
“Empty O.K. barn burns on Beecher,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 1970, page 11.
“Bedroom fire kills man,” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 September 1973, page 3.
Obituary [Steve Tokarz], Winnipeg Free Press, 28 September 1973, page 18.
Obituary [Rose Zdrill], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 October 1998, page C12.
Obituary [Mary Paradowski], Winnipeg Free Press, 13 March 1999, page C14.
Obituary [Helen Kuhtey], Winnipeg Free Press, 14 January 2000, page C13.
Obituary [Victoria Kondratiuk], Winnipeg Free Press, 11 November 2006, page 50.
Obituary [Joseph Tokarz], Winnipeg Free Press, 21 August 2007, page 28.
Obituary [Edward Tokarz], Winnipeg Free Press, 15 September 2009, page C9.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 20 April 2021
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