Heritage Toronto celebrates 25 years with the launch of their annual Tours program

Heritage Toronto celebrates 25 years of their free public organization with the launch of their annual Tours program, presented by TD Bank Group.

“This 25^th season continues our tradition of sharing important stories with new audiences”, said Allison Bain, Executive Director of Heritage Toronto. “This year, we are working with young people in our Emerging Historians program to bring under-represented voices and perspectives to the stories that define our city”.

With over 100 volunteers and 25 community partners, the 25^th season features 65 tours and 24 new offerings from May 2^nd to October 5^th.

Among the tours that are shaping this generation of heritage advocates is Lady Action: Toronto’s Trailblazing Women. Toronto’s Trailblazing Women surfaces little-known stories of activists who pushed boundaries in politics and business by challenging the status quo. This tour allows participants to walk in the footsteps of Toronto’s leading-edge women who changed the course of history in their city.

Highlights also include:

• The Golden Mile: This new tour explores the history of the Golden Mile area, which grew from a small farming township, to the home of a secret munitions factory, into a model of post-war industrial growth and idyllic suburban living. Tours offered on June 22 and August 11

• Liberty Reclaimed: History of the Village: This popular tour explores the west-end’s Liberty Village, one of the fastest-growing condo and creative districts in the city. The community’s rich heritage can be seen in the adaptive reuse of its industrial buildings. Tours offered on May 23, June 20, July 28, and September 28   

• Little Jamaica: Little Jamaica is a new tour exploring Toronto’s first Caribbean community, located along Eglinton Street. Impacted by recent transit developments, the tour highlights the area’s resilience and the legacy and adaptation of its music store, distinctive food scene, beauty shops and other local businesses. Tours offered on July 27 and August 8

• Pride Walk: LGBTQ+ Heritage in the Village: This tour visits some of the sites of the Church-Wellesley village where, for much of the past 70 years, the LGBTQ+ community congregated, and follow in the footsteps of activists who struggled to find a public place of their own, according to Heritage Toronto. Tours offered on June 15, July 25, and August 25

The suggested donation for walking tours is $10 per person. Participants can register for all tours here.

Heritage Toronto thanks the generous sponsors who have made the 2019 Tours Program possible: TD Bank Group, Downtown Yonge BIA, Metrolinx, CUPE Local 416, Liberty Village BIA, Ontario Association of Architects, St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association, First Capital, and Loblaws at Maple Leaf Gardens.