On Tuesday, October 23, the series will ‘officially’ kick off with “Riverdale/Riverside 101” (even the name of the community is debated!), with speakers including former Riverdale MPP and Alderman David Reville, former WoodGreen Executive Director Brian Smith, and others reflecting on the politics, organizations, and businesses that have made the community what it is today, and how they have changed over the years.

Join us at 7 PM at the Saulter Street Brewery for the next ‘round’ of stories.

The Riverdale community is a unique place among Toronto communities – in particular, its deeply rooted, progressive and inclusive culture, evidenced in recent years in the community campaign to keep the Red Door shelter in the community, support for the harm reduction programs at the South Riverdale Community Health Centre, and the battle to keep big box stores out of the south end of the neighbourhood.
This ethos of inclusion is something that continues to attract newcomers to the neighbourhood – they know there is something different and special about this community. But the reasons – the who, what, where, when, and why – are unclear or unknown to most residents of this community. The Ralph Thornton Community Centre is both a part of that history, and, in its “Town Hall” function, a shared custodian of the stories that make up our neighbourhood.