Local Jane’s Walks this weekend

Have you ever wanted to combine a history or social studies class with phys ed.? Jane’s Walk is exactly that.  But the best part is you don’t even realize you’re in phys ed! There are three Jane’s Walks happening in our neighbourhood this weekend, each with it’s own flair. For more about other Jane’s Walks happening, check out janeswalk.org .

Toronto has a Main Street? | May 1, 1015 | 6:00 PM

In the late 19th-century, the East Toronto rail yard brought settlement and steady employment to the Main Street area of Toronto.  When rail operations moved elsewhere in the early 20th-century, it tore a gap in the fabric of the community.  In the early part of the 20th-century, the Ford Motor Company brought skilled jobs, relative prosperity and suburban growth.  By the early 1950s, Ford had moved its plant to Oakville, thus tearing another gap. In 1968, the subway arrived, ushering in a new era and a promise of a return to prosperity. Using a combination of archival photos and storytelling, we’ll learn how this neighbhourhood has evolved in the past 130 years, and where it is headed in the future.

The Death and Life of Upper Midway | May 2, 2015 | 10:00 AM

For many Torontonians, the Danforth is the main street of Riverdale or a place to eat Greek. But that image covers just a small strip of this storied street, formerly known as the Second Concession, the Danforth Plank Road and The King’s Highway No. 5.

Danforth east of Pape, often referred to as the “Other Danforth,” wasn’t really developed until the 1920s, after the First World War ended and the Bloor viaduct opened. The Other Danforth has always tended to be blue collar and gritty. And while it has seen hard times, especially in the past four decades, the area is almost certainly on the leading edge of a wave of gentrification, investment and development.

How do we as a community maximize the chances that we get the type of change we want? What factors are key to making neighbourhood economies thrive? How do we ensure that our sidewalks become more welcoming and pleasant and useful?

A good starting point would be to read (or reread) the first three Jane Jacobs books — especially the first: The Death and Life of Great American Cities. A good second step would be to join us for the eighth annual Upper Midway Jane’s Walk, as we try to understand how and why this stretch of the Danforth developed as it did, what made it a thriving pedestrian-friendly place for so long, and why it slipped into decline. The idea is to identify factors and lessons from the past to foster discussion and to help serve as guides for the future. Along the way, we hope to show you a lot of good reasons to get into the habit of putting your feet and your eyes on the street.

Midway was largely a default name for the area between the City of Toronto (whose eastern boundary was at the Ashbridge’s Creek, just east of Greenwood) and the Town of East Toronto (whose western boundary crossed Danforth about a half kilometre east of Woodbine). In its entirety, Midway, which was annexed by the city in 1909, ran down almost to Queen. This walk will focus on Upper Midway, which was north of the Grand Trunk Railway tracks, as well as the former Church of England Glebe lands north of Danforth.

We’re going to concentrate on the history and character of the three main Upper Midway intersections (Woodbine, Coxwell and Greenwood), as well as the three lost creeks that crossed this stretch of the Danforth — creeks that still affect the way land is used.

East Danforth East – A Culinary Walking Tour | May 1 2015 2:00 PM | May 2 2015 2:00 PM

East of Danforth East, the cafes, gastro-pubs, artisan studios, pop-up shops, and social enterprises give way to offerings that are much more esoteric, but every bit as interesting. From banana flowers and injera to giant catfish and dozens of herbs and spices you’ve never heard of, the bustling and emphatically un-gentrified eastern reaches of the Danforth present a cornucopia of culturally-specific fare that can pass unnoticed by residents en-route to the big-chain supermarket. Participants will be introduced to some of the lesser-known food products and culinary ingredients available at local fruit markets, bakeries, butchers, fish markets and grocers, and invited to broaden our palates by incorporating them in our own household cuisines. Along the way, we’ll be invited to broaden our thinking on just what ingredients make for a healthy and desirable neighborhood. The posted walk for 2pm, May 1st, is an Open Dress Rehearsal. Please be prepared for a lot of stammering and awkwardness!

100 in 1 Day for Danforth East

Have a little idea for a better city and healthier community? Be a part of the 100in1Day event on June 6th, 2015.   100In1Day is a day where hundreds people get together around of small acts of change to improve their neighbourhoods. There will be a public brainstorming workshop held on Wednesday May 6th (6-8 PM) at the Danforth/Coxwell Library to come up with an urban intervention to roll out as a part of 100In1Day for Danforth East on Saturday, June 6th.

Register for this FREE workshop at here and see the poster below for more details.