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 is a collection of stories behind the urban planning that shaped both Riverside and had an impact on the wider city of Toronto. From Toronto’s first house – Scadding Cabin – gracing the Riverside boundary, the Opera House being a vaudeville hot spot, the artisanal process of making the signature Riverside bricks, to the development to Don Mount Court/Rivertowne community – Canada’s first mixed-income development.
Adrian Lightstone, will be leading this walk. Adrian is a local resident, engineering/economist, and overall urbanist, he has contributed to Spacing Magazine, The Globe and Mail, and Toronto Star on urban planning related issues.
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
