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When you step out the
door, turn right to Church St, then left over to College. The first
glimpse of Toronto history you will see is
the grand old Maple Leaf Gardens.
Built in 1931, it was once the hockey shrine of Canada. It’s where
Toronto’s beloved “Leafs” won games (11 Stanley Cups), lost games but never,
ever lost the love of Canada’s most loyal hockey fans. They moved to
the Air Canada Centre in 1999 and “the Gardens” as it is known by
Torontonians is now home to
Loblaws, an upscale,
state of the art supermarket. It’s worth going
through as there are very few like it. Stop at the Espresso Bar and get a shot of Java,
you’ve got a lot of walking ahead of you. Next, cross to the
south side of College, walk east
and just behind the Church you’ll find
Allan Gardens. Created in 1858, it is one of the oldest parks in Toronto. When Jarvis Street was one of the most beautiful streets in Toronto, lined with trees and mansions home to some of Toronto’s wealthiest, this park was where one would go for a Sunday stroll, listen to concerts and enjoy other social events. Oscar Wilde gave a lecture there in May of 1882. To
catch a glimpse of what Jarvis Street looked like then go to http://www.blogto.com/city/2011/05/ |
Once
in the park, you can’t miss the beautiful
waterfall. Rare tropical plants
from all over the world are nurtured inside the greenhouses. There are
seasonal shows and for Easter,  the dome is filled with hydrangeas and
Easter lilies. And, it’s free! For more information on the Palm House
go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allan_Gardens. To
the south east of the Palm House entrance, you
will see hoarding, it surrounds a 3 year construction project in the park,
but have a closer look … it’s an outdoor art gallery with construction
project and has become and outdoor gallery. Local aboriginal artists have
created murals portraying aboriginal life. Well
worth a look. Leaving
the park, continue east along Carlton, just past Sherbourne
you’re on the fringe of one of the loveliest neighbourhoods in the city… Cabbagetown. |
The
area which stretches east to Riverdale Park and north from Carlton to
Wellesley is thought to be the
Now continue along
Carlton (it takes a little jog to the left when you reach Parliament).
Breathe in the beauty of the homes and gardens as you pass. At the end
of the street is another marvellous green space known as
Riverdale Park. 
Tour
Riverdale farm, a true representation of a rural farm in Ontario. It’s
7.5 acres are home to
cows, sheep, horses, chickens, pigs and more
typical farm animals. Pathways lead through wooded areas and around
ponds and into butterfly, herb, flower and vegetable gardens. If you’re
there early you might be able to buy a few fresh eggs and chat with the
farmer as he does his chores. Every Tuesday, starting late May. there’s a farmers market. Want some refreshments
before you head back to Les Amis, there’s a
café in the farm area and an outdoor spot
across on Sumach. But back on Parliament,
there’s a huge choice of local cafes… enjoy!
©P.-A. & Carol Buer 2014
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We’ll talk more about the wonderful homes and the people who lived there in our
next 
