Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Frank Gehry's childhood home to be razed (Toronto Star) 

Sold! 140 year old house on Peter St. in the Club District (BlogTO) 

Historicist: Opening the Cinesphere (Torontoist) 

By Jamie Bradburn

Nineteenth-century Toronto journalism was often a war field of conflicting political outlooks. Some newspaper proprietors, such as George Brown of the Globe, had deep ties with the parties of the day but (usually) kept their publications separate from the official party apparatus. Not so with the Empire, whose operations were maintained by the federal Conservatives. For just under a decade, the Empire provided morning readers with the news as filtered by the Prime Minister and his associates. But, as reporter Hector Charlesworth noted in his memoirs, "a newspaper established and conducted primarily by an official partisan junta has in its system the seed of death from the outset."

On Monday, August 30th, Heritage Toronto and the Toronto Historical Association will host a public mayoral debate at St. Lawrence Hall to discuss the state of heritage in Toronto in 2010. The debate will be moderated by former Chief Planner for the City of Toronto, and Adjunct Professor of City Planning at the University of Toronto and Ryerson University, Paul Bedford.

Heritage Toronto and the Toronto Historical Association have run a series of community consultations throughout the city which will result in a report of what Torontonians see as significant issues relating to heritage preservation. The information collected through the consultations and public input will be used to develop a heritage report card, with key issues being raised at the debate. The report card will also be accessible to the public and media in the fall.

Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Old Empress Hotel caught in tug-of-war (Toronto Star)

Downtrodden lower Yonge on the road to recovery (Globe & Mail) 

Another modernist gem faces the wrecking ball (Globe & Mail) 

A heritage honey full of treats (Globe & Mail) 

Join us for two new walks and a special Wednesday walk of the Exhibition grounds. 

Saturday, July 24 - 10:30 AM NEW

Canada's Candy King Lived Here

Explore the North York neighbourhood around Maryvale, the 1920s estate and farm of Frank P. O'Connor. O'Connor founded Laura Secord candy stores and later served in the Canadian Senate.

LEADER: O'Connor Irish Heritage House
START POINT: SE corner of Victoria Park Ave and Ellesmere Road (near Parkwoods Mall)
FINISH POINT: Victoria Park Ave and Lawrence Ave E
LENGTH: Approx. 1 ½ to 2 hours
FOCUS: Historical, architectural, natural
DIFFICULTY: Long walk on pavement, slopes/bridge over railway track

The full list of 2010 Heritage Toronto Walks can be found here!

Join us for new walks including Canada's Candy King Lived Here, Cabbagetown People: More Remarkable Lives, The Trees of Queen's Park, William Lyon Mackenzie: Toronto's First Mayor, Faces on Places: Toronto's Architectural Sculpture, Toronto Botanical Garden and Edwards Gardens and Library to Library in Riverdale.

Hope to see you soon!

Photo of William Lyon Mackenzie from the Archives of Ontario

Saturday, July 17 - 1:30 PM

The Queen's Park Stroll

Discover the history of our provincial Legislative Building and the fascinating monuments that surround it. Free 30 minute tours of the interior of the Legislature are also available before and after the tour of the grounds (call 416-325-7500 for details).

LEADERS: Legislative Assembly Staff
START POINT: The start point for this walk has been moved (from the front steps) to the statue of Queen Victoria, just east of the main entrance of the Legislature
FINISH POINT: East entrance of Legislative Building
LENGTH: Approx. 1 ½ hours
FOCUS: Historical, architectural
DIFFICULTY: Easy walk on pavement and park paths, some rough ground

Sunday, July 18 - 1:30 PM

The Splendour That Was Sherbourne Street

In the 1880s, Sherbourne Street was one of the most fashionable streets in Toronto. Glimpses of its noble past survive in its architecture - grand homes built for wealthy businessmen, and imposing churches.

Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Local pilot to retrace 1910 loop over city (Toronto Star) 

An ultimatum to Casa Loma (Toronto Star) 

Backlog puts heritage at risk (Toronto Star) 

Historic air show marked in York-Weston (Inside Toronto) 

Saturday, July 10 - 1:30 PM

The Township of York

Explore the history of the area around the York Civic Centre in the former Township of York. Hear about the farms that survived into the 1950s, Depression-era activism, residents' reaction to World War I, and the 1910 air show up the road at the Trethewey Model Farm.

LEADER: Madeleine McDowell
START POINT: Centennial Recreation Centre, 2694 Eglinton Ave W, 1 block W of Keele St/Trethewey Dr (beside York Memorial CI)
FINISH POINT: Same as start point
LENGTH: Approx. 1 ½ to 2 hours
FOCUS: Historical, architectural, natural
DIFFICULTY: Some hills and rough ground

This walk will be part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary for the first flight in Toronto 

By Pamela Vega

On the west side of Yonge Street, south of St. Clair, there is a break between the row of buildings lining the street. Walking down this small alley, the brick walls give way to grass and, a little further on, a walkway lined with trees. Nestled behind a wall of storefronts is this serene escape from city life. This is St. Michael's Cemetery, Toronto's oldest visible Catholic cemetery. The first in a series of articles, St. Michael's is one of Toronto's hidden gems.

Heritage Toronto is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Executive Director, Karen Carter.

"The board and staff of Heritage Toronto are pleased to welcome Karen Carter, who brings great experience and enthusiasm to her new position," says Peter Ortved, Board Chair, Heritage Toronto. Ms. Carter's work and expertise in Toronto's history, culture and communities will certainly be an asset to our organization."

"I am very excited to have the opportunity to work with the team at Heritage Toronto to bring greater profile and appreciation for Toronto's rich and culturally diverse heritage," says Karen on her new role.

Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Despite the heritage plaque, it's still a home (Globe & Mail) 

City looks to save heritage house owner wants to demolish (Inside Toronto) 

Community council votes against demolishing Scarlett Road church (Inside Toronto)

Former Oxford University Press building to be razed (Inside Toronto) 

Saturday, July 3 - 11:00 AM

Fringe Festival Sites

This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Fringe Festival in Toronto, a "must see" for theatre fans. Explore the history of some of the sites where Fringe plays have been presented, most of which were built for a purpose other than theatre.

LEADER: Janet Langdon
START POINT: Palmerston Library, 560 Palmerston Ave, 2 blocks W of Bloor and Bathurst
FINISH POINT: Bloor St W and Spadina Ave
LENGTH: Approx. 1 ½ to 2 hours
FOCUS: Historical, architectural
DIFFICULTY: Average walk on sidewalks

Sunday, July 4 - 1:30 PM

Historic Moore Park

When Moore Park was annexed to the City in 1912, it was a sparsely populated country retreat used by Torontonians seeking fresh air on the escarpment. Real estate developers could see its potential and in two decades, it evolved from fields and woodland to a fully developed suburb.

A new website allows people in Ontario communities to report heritage buildings and sites they feel are at risk.

This Place Matters documents heritage at risk and buildings that matter using an interactive map, photos and videos. A project spearheaded by Lloyd Alter of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, the website is in beta mode and will include mobile networking capabilities in the near future.

To report a building at risk, click here. 

Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Hume: The troubled future of history (Toronto Star) 

Plaque celebrates a never-built expressway (Inside Toronto) 

Bussin backs down (Town Crier)

Historicist: Until the Bathing Suit Is Wet (Torontoist)

Our walks will still take place this weekend as they are outside of the downtown core. Please join us!

Saturday, June 26 - 1:30 PM

Leslieville

In the mid 1800s, gardener George Leslie began a plant nursery business near the shores of Ashbridges Bay. Hear about his contribution to Toronto's forest and gardens as well as stories of some of the other residents and businesses of this one-time postal village.

LEADER: Joanne Doucette
START POINT: Ashbridge Estate, 1444 Queen St E, just W of Woodfield Rd
FINISH POINT: Leslie Grove Park, Queen St E at Jones Ave
LENGTH: Approx. 2 hours
FOCUS: Historical, natural, architectural
DIFFICULTY: Pavement, park grounds

Sunday, June 27 - 1:30 PM

Atop the Davenport Hill in the 1920s

With honourary host Councillor Joe Mihevc

This June, Heritage Toronto presented five new plaques.

The first four plaques commemorated the history of the Spadina Expressway. In the 1960s, Spadina Road was to be transformed into the southern end of an expressway and subway line. The project was halted through community-led efforts and the intervention of the Government of Ontario. The plaques will be located at Matt Cohen Park at Spadina Road and Bloor Street, Dupont subway station and the Norman B. Gash house, which is the northeast entrance to the Spadina subway station. 

The last plaque honours the historic Trillium ferry on its 100th anniversary, and will be located at the Ferry Docks to Toronto Island. 

The plaques will be installed in the coming months. 

The Spadina Expressway

Councillor Adam Vaughan talks about the Spadina Expressway

Heritage Toronto Board Member Robert Prowse

Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Neighbours work to get Indian Valley Enclave designated heritage district (Inside Toronto)

Battle in The Beach (Eye Weekly) 

By David Wencer

A one hundred and fifty year-old tradition began in 1860, when the first Queen's Plate took place on what was then a quiet estate near the Toronto suburb of Carlton (sometimes spelled "Carleton").

In the 1850s, horseracing was still in its infancy in southern Ontario. There were very few thoroughbreds in Upper Canada at this time, meaning that the bulk of the racing stock was of inferior quality. The result was an industry lacking in both high-quality races and in credibility.

A solution was sought by the Toronto Turf Club, which had established itself as the Toronto area's chief horseracing concern in the 1840s. Believing that a race with royal import would give the industry a boost and improve the level of competition, the Toronto Turf Club petitioned Governor General Edmund Walker Head in April of 1859, requesting an annual royal horseracing prize from Queen Victoria. On July 18, the response came from the Duke of Newcastle that Victoria had granted a plate in the value of 50 guineas.

Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Peter Kuitenbrouwer: Reconciling the Toronto Purchase (National Post)

Ontario band approves $145M land claim settlement 

New Church Street condo deal sparks community uproar (BlogTO)

Historicist: The Church on Cecil Street (Torontoist)

Saturday, June 12 - 1:30 PM

Exploring Rural Willow Dale

Before the suburban lawns and high-rises sprouted in North York, there was rural Willow Dale. Walk the former farmland of residents like David Gibson, a 19th century farmer, surveyor and one of the leaders of the 1837 Rebellion. See some of the buildings and sites of this one-time village, as well as the public art that commemorates an earlier era.

LEADERS: Mary Ann Cross and Edith Geduld, North York Historical Society
START POINT: Princess Park, E of Yonge St and S of Empress Ave, (E of the Empress Walk Complex and North York Centre Subway Station). Meet beside the red Fire Hose Tower.
FINISH POINT: John McKenzie House, 34 Parkview Ave
LENGTH: Approx. 1 ½ - 2 hours
FOCUS: Historical, architectural
DIFFICULTY: Average walk on pavement, parkland

By Mike Filey

Today, Mayor David Miller and Councillor Pam McConnell officially announced the ‘Red Design' by Adamson Associates Architects and Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners as the winning design in the St. Lawrence Market North Building Design Competition.

Included in the new, winning design is a four-storey structure that allows market shoppers to view life and activities on Front Street, Jarvis Street and on Market Lane Park from within its glass atrium, effectively creating an open indoor market that resembles a fresh, outdoor setting. Shoppers will also be able to see the South Market from inside the building and appreciate a dramatic view of St. Lawrence Hall to the north, creating a strong visual connection with all three buildings of the complex. 

Heritage Toronto will be providing a weekly recap of heritage news in our city.

Feel free to add your comments at the end of this posting, including any stories we may have missed.

Hume: OMB puts Liberals in hot seat (Toronto Star) 

A harvest of history at East York's Topham Park (Globe & Mail) 

Historic gay bookstore at risk of closing

Historical society hosts yard sale (Inside Toronto) 

Saturday, June 5 - 1:30 PM

South Rosedale

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.

LEADERS: Janet Langdon and Elaine Campbell (in English); Danièle Caloz, La Société d'histoire de Toronto (in French)
START POINT: Park in front of Rosedale Subway Station, E side of Yonge St
FINISH POINT: Ancroft Pl (near Sherbourne and Bloor Streets)
LENGTH: Approx. 2 hours
FOCUS: Architectural, historical
DIFFICULTY: Long walk on sidewalks, some slopes