Creating Toronto: The Story Of The City In Seven Stops

Walk through the history of Toronto in seven stops! A must-do for visitors, new Torontonians, and those looking to be tourists in their own city, Creating Toronto uncovers some of the most celebrated sites and stories that have shaped the city.

Start Point/End: St. Lawrence Market (92 Front Street East)
End Point: Old City Hall (60 Queen Street West)

This tour is sponsored by Brent W. Pearlman, Commercial Real Estate Broker with Royal LePage.

Thursday, July 28; 6:30 PM

Heritage Toronto - Yonge Street Architecture - New!

Join me on a new tour about the architecture on Yonge Street. I'll be leading the tour three times in 2016.
June 16 (Thursday) 6:30 PM
August 7 (Sunday) 11:00 AM
September 11 (Sunday) 11:00 AM

The walk starts at the Central Y and ends at Old City Hall.

Details and registration on the Heritage Toronto website.
June 16
August 7
September 11

Also held July 7 and September 22 led by my colleague, Steve Collie.

Firehalls, great fires and their effects on the streetscapes

Sunday, May 8, 2016
10:30 AM
Free
Part of Jane's Walk Weekend, 2016

From the moment the first buildings were constructed and new settlers began heating their food and lighting candles inside, the threat of fire was always present. To fight those fires, citizens were recruited, equipment was fashioned, laws were written and halls were built to hold the equipment. To this day, the placement, design and activities of Toronto's firehalls have become drawing cards in every neighbourhood they're found. Come and hear the story of the early halls and the roles they played in Toronto's fire history.

Stops include:
* Site of 1st and 2nd Parliament Buildings that burned down
* Berkeley Street Firehall
* Firehall #333 (formerly #5)
* Site where Great Fire of 1849 started
* Lombard Street Firehall
* Site of York's first fire hall
* Court House Square
* Site of Bay Street Firehall
* Site where Great Fire of 1904 started

Meet at the southeast corner of Berkeley St. and Front St. E. (Map) Outdoor only. Not a circular route.

Jane's walk site: http://janeswalk.org/canada/toronto/torontos-fire-halls-and-great-fires/

Walk Repertoire

2017 has been my TWELFTH year of leading walks. Working with Heritage Toronto, Jane's Walk, the Toronto Field Naturalists and the Toronto Society of Architects, the themes include Toronto's history, architecture, urban layout and ravines.
I've discovered I have quite an inventory to share of independent walks.

Downtown

• Firehalls of Toronto
• Dundas St East - Against the Grid
• Toronto's City Halls
• The Banks of Old Town
• John Street - Cultural Artery
• Simcoe and Toronto's Waterfront
• Historic Toronto from the Flat Iron to the Distillery
• Historic Toronto: St Lawrence Market to the PATH and Union Station

Around Bloor Street

• Rosedale and its creeks
• Unique Venues of the Toronto Fringe Festival
• Cabbagetown's Cemeteries and hidden laneways
• University of Toronto theatres
• U of T - Quads and Quieter Places
• Taking a look at Markham Street and Bloor/Bathurst

North Toronto area

• Burke Brook and Lawrence Park
• Dawlish Ave: Garden Suburb meets Automobile Suburb
• School Days by the Ravines of North Toronto
• The Old Oaks of Deer Park

I'm quite well-versed on central Toronto (Bathurst St to the Don, Yonge Blvd to the Lake), so if you'd like a tour of an area not mentioned, leave me a comment and we can discuss it.

Through Heritage Toronto, I've covered the histories of Yonge Street Architecture (Downtown Yonge area), South and Southeast Rosedale, the Royal Alexandra Theatre area, Indian Road, Sherbourne St, Jarvis St, Communing with the Spirits in "Toronto the Good", "Creating Toronto" in 7 stops, the West Donlands, George Brown, and 1834 when the Town of York became the City of Toronto. Contact Heritage Toronto to request one of those walks.

Communing With the Spirits? Doubt and Belief in Toronto the Good

Sunday, October 4 – 1:30 PM

Even in Toronto the Good, there were those who communed with the spirits by unorthodox means. Travel back one hundred years to a Toronto fascinated by photographs of “ghosts,” the mysterious powers of “radiopathy” emanating from a Bay Street office, and popular performances of mediums at Massey Hall. Stand on the steps of the courts to hear about the people and court trials that sought to uncover and discredit them all.

We visit seven sites in downtown Toronto that are tied to belief and the pursuit of spiritualism in the late 19th and early 20th century. Toronto was seemingly a straight-laced place, but behind the scenes some people were seeking out a deeper understanding of what couldn't be seen.

START POINT:              Lawn on west side of St James Cathedral, NE corner of King St E and Church St
No reservations required. Just show up at the start point.

FINISH POINT:              Mackenzie House, 82 Bond St, just south of Dundas St E
LENGTH:              Approx. 1 ½ hours
FOCUS:              Historical, cultural
DIFFICULTY:              Flat pavement, some stairs, crowded sidewalks

It's pay what you can with a suggestion of $5/walk.
http://heritagetoronto.org/event/communing-with-the-spirits-doubt-and-belief-in-toronto-the-good/

South Rosedale walk 2015

Sunday, September 13 – 1:30 PM

This prestigious neighbourhood was named after the estate of Sheriff William Botsford Jarvis and his wife Mary Powell, members of Toronto's early 19th century elite. Set amongst wooded ravines, the area developed slowly due to its isolation from the city and to various economic downturns. As a result, it boasts buildings representing a variety of 19th and 20th century architectural styles.

This walk covers the original part of Rosedale, between Yonge and Sherbourne Streets.

START POINT:          Parkette in front of Rosedale Subway Station (East side of Yonge). No reservations required. Just show up at the start point.
FINISH POINT:          Ancroft Pl (near Sherbourne and Bloor Streets)

LENGTH:                    Approx. 1 ½ hours
FOCUS:                      Architectural, historical
DIFFICULTY:              Long walk on sidewalks, some slopes

It's pay what you can with a suggestion of $5/walk.
http://heritagetoronto.org/event/south-rosedale-english-and-french-tours/

Deer Park: old oaks, other trees & local history

Sunday, November 16th, 2 PM

Join me on a Lost Rivers/Toronto Field Naturalists walk to celebrate the fine trees we have in the Deer Park neighbourhood and hear some natural & built history along the way.

• Easy walk along city streets. 
• Meet at the SE corner Avoca and St. Clair (one block east of St Clair Subway Station). Map
• Ending near Avenue Road and St. Clair.
• Not a circular route. 

Lost Rivers

Toronto Field Naturalists

TFN guidelines ask that walkers do not bring pets, particularly dogs.
Children must be accompanied by an adult.