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The Riverside BIA is pleased to announce the celebration of the completion of their Sports Heritage Mural on Oct 25, 2014 at 3:00pm.    The mural design is inspired by Riverside rich sporting history and was  created by celebrated muralist Monica Wickeler. The Mural is on the westerly side of Oma Chiropractic on 1 Munro Street.

The mural Toronto’s first Baseball  diamond in Riverside,- Sunlight Park,   the scatting that used to take place on  the Don River, the former location of Toronto’s Cycling club  (and current location of the World’s largest cycling trophy), and the long curling history in the area (riverside is home to one of two of Toronto’s curling clubs). Painted with a beautiful aged patina Wickeler also interwove the historical  topography of Riverside and the Don River  area.

The theme of this beautiful piece of public art connects to Riverside’s  excitement of being a TO2015 Pan Am Ignite community partner that is moments away from the Athlete’s Village. “Riverside BIA was thrilled to be awarded a grant from the City of Toronto Economic Mural Program” says Perry Lupyrypa, Riverside BIA Executive Director.  “This mural is the first part of a beautification plan for the Westerly side of the BIA, in preparation for the 2015 Pan Am Games, when the eyes of the world will be on Riverside”.  The mural will be unveiled at a public ceremony on October 25^th at 3:00 as part of the Riverside WalkFEST. For more information

Nell & Natasha Pumpkin Decorating Carving Fundraiser

11am-3pm @ 807 A Queen Street East

Nell & Natasha from Homeward Realty invite you and your family to join them for pumpkin decorating carving, face painting and more at their Festive Halloween Fun. This year to support Emily’s House – Toronto’s First Children’s Hospice.  Emily’s house helps children and their families cope, live life to the fullest with quality, meaning and care. All donations collected will be donated to Emily’s House.

Pumpkin Carving can be a platform for various out-of the box creations. Here are some of the awesome images I stumbled upon.

Any ideas of what your pumpkin will be???

Riverside’s History  & Sports Heritage Walk

Riverside is best known for heritage buildings, award-winning restaurants, and the street that inspired the internationally renowned Degrassi TV series, Riverside’s attraction also lies in its artisans and community builders of many sorts. However Riverside has a rich sports history that often gets overlooked.

Rolling back the hands of time, we uncover the history and anecdotes on the times past and diversity of sports that Riverside is famous for. Notoriously engaging, and a real historical aficionado Walk Leader Ron Fletcher will not only share with us the unique sporting heritage of Riverside, but also the personal and unknown historical anecdotes that Riverside is peppered with.

Did you know that…

•  Riverside famously houses one of the world’s largest trophies, and it is for a sport that would surprise you?  Join this walk to find out what it was for.
•  Riverside was also home to Toronto’s first baseball field – Sunlight Park. Guess how it got its name?
•  This side of the Don River is the location of one of the only curling clubs in Toronto? Get a sneak peak of The Royal Canadian Curling Club.
• Cycling is making a comeback in Toronto, but Riverside was a historical hotspot with one of the area’s most legendary buildings being the sport’s former clubhouse!

Ron Fletcher with one of the World’s largest trophies

Historical location of Sunlight Park

The Royal Canadian Bicycle Club

Special preview of “Riverdale East of the Don”

Plus, be treated to some surprising anniversaries for a Mainstay business that has been in the neighbourhood for 50 years;  get a sneak peak of  Elizabeth Muir’s new book Riverdale East of the Don (before the official launch!), Celebrate the launch of Riverside’s New Sport’s Heritage mural…  And there will be cake!

Walk Leader Ron Fletcher, is an author, former Riverside BIA Chair, and Riverside historical aficionado

This walk starts at 12pm at the Queen & Saulter Library (765 Queen Street East)

Sign up for this walk and check out others here: 

Riverside is proud to be a TO2015 IGNITE community partner.

Riverside WalkFEST is supported by Ontario Ignite

Like a the Don River,  the neighbourhood of Riverside is constantly changing. It is in a way a microcosm of  the metamorphosis that the city of Toronto has gone through since its inception.

In Riverside, there is a plethora of historic buildings and a layered history of the urban planning and development starting from before the 1800s.

Detailing of Jilly’s brick

Ever wonder how certain buildings were built? How did people build structures without contemporary tools? Come explore the changing dynamics of Riverside – we know the sale of the Queen Broadview hotel (formerly Jilly’s) caused quite a stir. This walk will take us along Queen Street East over the Queen Street Bridge into the heart of Toronto’s east side. We will explore how some of the infrastructure and buildings have changed use over time, providing historical context of how the neighbourhood developed, its current state, and its future potential.

Scadding Cabin Plaque

This walk starts at 3:00pm at the intersection of Queen Street East and River.

Sign up for this walk and check out others here: 

Riverside is proud to be a TO2015 IGNITE community partner.

Riverside WalkFEST is supported by Ontario Ignite

Walk Leader, Edward Keenan takes on a walk down memory lane and speaks to the history of place that layers  a city’s foundation, but also transforms over time. As Keenan notes, “it is interesting to wonder how much claim the memories of previous residents have over the identity of new residents’ spaces. ”

Don Mount Court – The area where Joel Weeks lived – now called Rivertown. Photo by Erik Twight

Official opening of Joel Weeks Park in 2012 The new 0.95 hectare park expands the former Joel Weeks Parkette and increases the green space in the mixed-income community. Photo from Toronto Community Housing

This walk considers memories of schools, housing projects, and other elements of the neighbourhood cityscape that have been erased or replaced, and especially the legacy of Joel Weeks, a friend of Edward Keenan who died in 1982 when he drowned in a storm sewer. This highly personal walk explores the fight to name a renovated park after Joel, the question of who “owns” memories of the city, and the disappearing landmarks of our youth.

Riverside, Then. Photo from Lost Toronto https://losttoronto2.wordpress.com/

Riverside, Now. Photo from Lost Toronto https://losttoronto2.wordpress.com/

Edward Keenan is the author of “Some Great Idea: Good Neighbourhoods, Crazy Politics and the Invention of Toronto” and writes columns about city politics, planning and life for The Toronto Star and Spacing. He spent his childhood living in Riverside.

Join us on this haunting and thought provoking walk on October  25^th  1:00pm – 2:30pm

Starting at the Queen Salter Library (765 Queen Street East).

Sign up for this walk and check out others here: 

Riverside is proud to be a TO2015 IGNITE community partner.

Riverside WalkFEST is supported by Ontario Ignite