Media Release: Queen Street Virtual Tours Launch as Part of Jane’s Walk Toronto

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Queen Street Virtual Tours – Easily Explore and Learn about Food, Public Art and History of Queen Street West and East (Riverside)

Toronto, ON, May 4th –  Riverside BIA (Queen St East) and Queen Street West BIA have teamed up to create three virtual walks highlighting local restaurants, public art, and historical elements of these two beloved Toronto neighbourhoods. Officially launching on May 7th, the weekend of Jane’s Walk Toronto 2021, inspiration is drawn from urbanist and philanthropist Jane Jacobs. She was “…an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to city building.” – janeswalkfestivalto.com

The Covid-19 pandemic has compelled many organizations, including BIAs, to be creative and innovative in continuing to showcase and support our local business communities, in a safe manner. 

Queen Street is one of the most vibrant and historic areas in Toronto – rich in culture, heritage, art, and hundreds of unique eateries, cafes, and shops. Now you can virtually sip, savour, explore, and enjoy blasts from the past through our self-guided Queen Street Tours. Best of all, you can experience it all online, and then go check if out on the streets, when it’s safe to do so. 

Highlights of Queen Street Virtual Tours

  • Safely show support for Queen Street businesses, both in the east and west ends. Queen Street is one of Toronto’s iconic, cultural, and economic drivers for the city.
  • Kick-off for the virtual tours is May 7th, also as part of the Jane’s Walk Program 
  • Tours are FREE to participate and publicly accessible
  • There will be a weekly draw, valued at $100 with a gift card for a restaurant in each of Queen West and Queen East (Riverside) for the first five weeks on the BIA’s respective Instagram channels:@riverside_bia, @queenstreetwest
  • More tours are planned to be released in the fall with the potential of hosting in-person tours, dependent on Covid-19 protocols. 

About the Riverside BIA www.instagram.com/riverside_bia

The Riverside BIA, established in 1980, is one of Canada’s first BIA’s, located along Queen Street East between the Queen Street Viaduct to just past De Grassi Street. Rich in history, green spaces and public art, the BIA includes over 100 unique eateries, retails shops, boutiques and a range of professional services.

About the Queen Street West BIA https://www.instagram.com/queenstreetwest/

The Queen Street West BIA was established in 2009 and has boundaries from Bathurst St at the west, and Simcoe St to the east. It is home to many iconic landmarks, and is known nationally and internationally for its culture, art, music, fashion, and food.. The BIA represents over 300 commercial businesses.