Emerging historian Jeremie Caribou leading the Indigenous Roots tour, October 14, 2021. |
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In this issue, we are excited to preview our 2022 Tours season. Join us to experience our city, and to connect with each other and with the places that define Toronto.
We are excited to offer a full program of in-person tours this season and will continue our best efforts to make the experience as safe as possible for everyone. To accommodate your needs, we have two main types of tours.
For those who enjoy a smaller group experience, we are providing tours that feature individual headsets. These headset tours will be offered for a $20 fee to offset the cost of maintaining and sanitizing all equipment. The fee must be paid in advance when registering.
We will also be offering tours that use our loudspeaker sound system to share Toronto's heritage with as many people as possible and continue our 25+ year commitment to providing accessible experiences. We ask you to support this work by making a donation when you register, or on the tour.
NOTE: The first two tours are featured below. As spots are limited and registration is required, we suggest you sign up soon!
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This 2022 Tours season is made possible with the support of: |
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St. James Town tour, September 26, 2021. Image: Herman Custodio |
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Saturday, June 4 | 3:00 PM
LOUDSPEAKER TOUR
Allan Gardens (northwest corner)
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What does a rising phoenix, a forest made of metal, and the declaration of the human right to education have in common? Explore the public art and urban design of Cabbagetown and St. James Town and learn how it challenges inequity and fosters dialogue within these diverse Toronto neighbourhoods. |
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Pride tour, Barbara Hall Park, August 2, 2018. |
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Sunday, June 5 | 11:00 AM
HEADSET TOUR
Barbara Hall Park (519 Church Street)
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Discover the stories of Toronto’s 2SLGBTQ+ community — from advocacy fueled by the Bathhouse Raids and the AIDS epidemic, to the belonging and celebration found at the City Park Apartments, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and St. Charles Tavern. Learn about efforts to strengthen the Church-Wellesley Village today and build the community for the future. |
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Chinatown West tour, June 1, 2019. Image: Kristen McLaughlin |
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Taking a closer look at the history and future of Chinatown |
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This Asian Heritage Month, we're excited to profile an upcoming tour, Saving Chinatown. Developed and led by historian and architecture professor Erica Allen-Kim, this tour explores the shops, laneways, and public spaces that have anchored the Chinese community on Spadina Avenue. Now facing intense redevelopment, this walk will trace the countless stories of advocacy reflected in this built landscape, shaped by migration and displacement, and the renewed activism to preserve its cultural heritage.
The tour is offered three times throughout the 2022 Tours season on June 26, July 17, and August 31. Save the dates, and make sure to watch our What's On Calendar for when registration for the entire Tours season opens later this month.
Right now, you can check out our online experiences below highlighting the history of the Chinese community in Canada, and the foundational role of Chinese food and restaurants to the immigrant experience.
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Detail from presentation; document shown from Jean Lumb Collection |
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Chinatown: Past and Present |
Historian and author Arlene Chan traces the development of Toronto’s Chinese community from its roots in The Ward, with its early laundries, restaurants, and associations, to the postwar settlement of Chinatown West.
Recorded September 23, 2021
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Professor and chef Leo Chan shares food memories that are intricately linked with successive waves of Chinese immigration, rapid changes in Chinatown, and its ever-evolving restaurant scene.
Recorded October 7, 2021
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Emerging historian, Ori Abara, leading the St. James Town tour, September 26, 2021. Image by Herman Custodio. |
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Grow your career in the heritage sector |
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We are currently hiring two new roles in the Emerging Historians program. We're hiring a six-month, full-time Programs Assistant who has experience in coordinating in-person and online programming and events. The role requires initiative, attention to detail, and the ability to adapt quickly within the grassroots reality of working in a not-for-profit, partnership, and volunteer-driven sector. The posting closes on May 13.
We are also looking for a Photographer who loves to capture images of people’s diverse experiences and encounters with our urban and natural landscape. The posting closes on May 31.
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Emerging historian opportunities are made possible with the support of our donors and program partners: |
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Are you a storyteller who loves to dazzle people with rich and engaging digital content and experiment with new innovative formats? We're hiring a Social Media & Digital Content Coordinator. The role requires someone who is knowledgeable about social media and digital marketing best practices, with experience developing and delivering digital campaigns and website content, as well as producing videos and other multimedia presentations. The deadline for applications is May 20.
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Children at the McCormick Playground, 1916. Image: City of Toronto Archives. |
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Mary McCormick: Addressing a complicated legacy |
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Saturday, May 7 | 9:00 AM
McCormick Arena (179 Brock Ave)
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Join us and the Board of the McCormick Arena as we present a series of plaques on the history of McCormick Park in the Little Portugal neighbourhood. The park traces its history to the 1890s when it was the location of the Grand National Rink, the largest artificial outdoor ice rink in Toronto. Many champion skaters raced here in front of large crowds and the site almost became home to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The site of the rink was transformed into the public McCormick Park and Recreation Centre in 1911 thanks to a donation from Mary Virginia McCormick of the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company family. Her family left a complicated legacy: They held people in slavery on their Virginia property and the design of the mechanical reaper that made the family wealthy was created, in part, by Jo Anderson, a man they enslaved.
Three plaques that share this story will be unveiled: McCormick Arena and the Grand National Rink, McCormick Playground and Recreation Centre, and one interpreting Mary Virginia McCormick. The plaques will be installed at McCormick Park later this year.
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The former hotel and country home of Rosa and Spencer Clark, shuttered in 2001, is now operated by third-party Dynamic Entertainment and Hospitality Group. Event centre owner says company willing to work with community. (Toronto Star)
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As complicated portraits emerge about Canadian historical figures and their eponymous institutions, CBC News asked historians and a sociologist about how the post-secondary sector is grappling with this sensitive issue. (CBC)
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A look at the Toronto Necropolis which stands on the edge of the Don Valley and what its tombstones can tell us about historic deaths due to infectious disease and the impact of vaccinations. (The Globe and Mail)
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