ROMwalks
Monthly Archive: December ROMw
The first Church at York and the War of 1812
Written by Paul Vaculik, ROMwalks volunteer
ROM Walk: Sculpture and the City
By Valerie Fairclough, ROMwalks volunteer
ROM Walk: Queen’s Park Circle
By Bruce Salvatore, ROM Walks, Department of Museum Volunteers
Queen’s Park, located in central Toronto, was opened in 1860 and dedicated by the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) to his mother, Queen Victoria. Brimming with history, this ROM walk uncovers the controversy that surrounded awarding a contract to the building the legislature to an American architect.
St. James’ Cemetery ROMwalks
St. James’ Cemetery, opened at the corner of Parliament and Bloor Streets in 1844, is the eternal resting place of many of the prominent families of York and Toronto. Monuments and mausoleums are engraved with the names Jarvis, Ridout, Gooderham, Cawthra, Baldwin and Osler among others. Stories of success and scandal abound.
Historic South Rosedale Artist Studio
Submitted by Regina Virgo, Department of Museum Volunteers
On our ROMwalk tour of the western section of South Rosedale, we’ll descend into the Rosedale Ravine via Park Road, originally a corduroy road constructed by Sheriff William Botsford Jarvis to make the trip to Rosedale more convenient and facilitate sales of his Rose Park subdivision lots.
Discovering Hidden Treasures in the heart of Toronto
Getting to and from work and home can be hectic. Most of us use TTC or drive, and in doing so we miss much of what cyclists or pedestrians see clearly every day. Did you know, for example, that a herd of “bunny dogs” romp on the boulevard at Wellington and John? Or that Glenn Gould is amongst us, and invites us to join him on a bench to watch the world go by? Where is Toronto’s newest wonder, created in China from 22 tons of stainless steel, and what message does it convey??
The ABCs of Rosedale
By Regina Virgo, ROMWalk Volunteer
Did you know that South Rosedale is a Heritage Conservation District (HCD)? It is protected because its buildings are considered to be historically or culturally significant and require special care and attention to ensure that they are conserved. The application for the HCD designation was due, in part, to the loss of a number ofRosedalehomes to demolition or unsympathetic alterations.
Every building in South Rosedalehas been evaluated and given a rating.
A Historic Defense of Toronto’s Morals
Submitted by Virginia Van Vliet, Volunteer with ROM Walks
How could this building – the Spadina Gardens Apartments – ruin the morals of Toronto?
ROMWalks: Coming soon to a neighbourhood near you!
Every time you turn a corner in Toronto, you discover another venerable stone building resplendent with arches, turrets, gables, or statues perched in a niche. Some are nestled between the encroaching skyscrapers of the banking district, others sit proudly on their original estate. The heritage houses, churches, government and university buildings, even the industrial areas, are still brimming with rich history – all have fascinating stories to tell of life in Toronto’s past.