In 1959 the Cathedral sold the east portion of their land to the city for use as a park in perpetuity. First, the old rectory was demolished, and the entrance gates and ornamental iron fence were removed in 1960 to encourage the public to use the grounds. This aerial photo from 1961 shows the green space on the north side of the block where the rectory once stood. The remainder of the commercial buildings were razed in stages through the 1960s.
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