Dark Side of the Don

Behind the walls of its imposing 19th century façade, some of the most dangerous criminals in Canadian history were locked up. Known simply as “The Don,” the Don Jail is one of the oldest buildings in Toronto – and its most notorious.

Between 1872 and 1962, 34 men were publicly executed and many of them buried in the jail’s courtyard.

The exact location of the graveyard remains a mystery, but historians believe it lies beneath a parking lot on the northwest corner of the property.

The legendary institution’s dank cells, which have been vacant for years will soon be converted into commercial space as part of a redevelopment of the site that includes condominiums, a new park and a hospital.

Before construction takes place, archaeologists must first investigate what is one of the most important historical locations in Toronto. Their goal is to discover the history that lies beneath the surface.

Dark Side of the Don is a docudrama that investigates the archaeological past of one of the most important historical sites in Canada before it is redeveloped.