South Riverdale

Queen Street Viaduct
Queen Street East (just west of Davies Avenue)
Formerly a wooden bridge operated by the Scadding Family, the Queen Street Viaduct was rebuilt numerous times. The current steel bridge was constructed in 1911 by English builders Cleveland Bridge and Engineering Company, after concerns that streetcars were too heavy for the previous warren truss bridge. The current bridge became a landmark in 1995 through the Time and a Clock streetscape series by the Riverside BIA and the City of Toronto. Artist Eldon Garnet and others added artwork atop the bridge bearing a quote from Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus: 'This River I Step In Is Not The River I Stand In.' Corresponding Time and a Clock art installations are visible across the neighbourhood: phrases embedded on the four corners of Queen and Broadview, and words atop poles beside Jimmie Simpson Park. During the Pan Am Games in 2015, the Riverside Bridge Lighting project illuminated the bridge nightly with vibrant colours. Just across from the bridge, you will find a plaque noting the original location of Scadding Cabin, the oldest surviving building in Toronto (the building is now located at Exhibition Place).

Odinamaad, Chief Lady Bird, Dave Monday Oguorie, and Philip Cote Mural
650 Queen Street East
Created by Indigenous artists Odinamaad, Chief Lady Bird, and Dave Monday Oguorie, this mural tells the story about Tkaranto being a meeting place for all people: first, for Indigenous nations for travel, trade, hunting and fishing, and in present day, for people who come here from around the globe to gather on the traditional territories of those who first occupied the land. The artists portray and share many of their traditional activities and stories, while giving a voice to Indigenous peoples, and a prayer toward the next generation of youth - the enduring strong Indigenous presence here in Tkaranto.

Girls Mural Camp '2020 Mural in Riverside'
3 Munro Street (north-facing wall behind chiropractor's office)
Here in the South Riverside neighbourhood, the Girls Mural Camp provided an opportunity for youth who identify as girls, young women, female, or non-binary to explore the history and practice of street art. The 2020 camp included the co-creation of a large street mural by participants. Girls worked with practicing mural artists Bareket Kezwer and Monica Wickeler. The mural, which can be found behind the chiropractor building, explores the participants' growth and journey during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants undertook the project with one key question in mind: When everything stops, who keeps going?

Dingman's Hall
106 Broadview Avenue
Until 1884, this intersection was the eastern entrance to Toronto, marked by a tollgate in the middle of the road. The Broadview Hotel was first built in 1891 for Archibald Dingman, an Albertan oil-drilling magnate and a principal in soap manufacturers Pugsley, Dingman and Co. in Toronto. Dingman's Hall was used for public gatherings, with the Canadian Bank of Commerce at street level and offices and meeting halls on the floors above. Its notable rounded-arch, squared-head window openings and terra cotta panels are characteristic of the building's Romanesque Revival Style. Dingman sold the building to Thomas J. Edward in 1907, when it became the Broadview Hotel, including rooming houses for local factory and rail workers. In 2014, the building was purchased and transformed back into a boutique hotel that re-opened its doors in 2017.

Jacquie Comrie 'Alquimia' Mural
105 Broadview Avenue
Designed and painted in semi-abstract style, Jacquie Comrie's 'Alquimia' mural pays homage to the Riverside neighbourhood. Comrie is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary artist who focuses on wellness through contemporary art, specifically through colour. The mural itself is an interpretation of the quote 'This river I step in is not the river I stand in' with reference to the inevitable nature of all things. 'Alquimia' is Spanish for 'alchemy' a nod to the nature of alchemy and change as ever-flowing concepts. 'Everything moves. Everything transforms into something else' as stated by the artist. The mural is a connection to the past while celebrating the future of the community. The vibrant colour palettes bring a welcoming light and energy to the space.

The Opera House
735 Queen Street East
This venue first opened in 1909 as the La Plaza Theatre during the heyday of Vaudeville entertainment, when there were over 50 theatres for live Vaudeville stage performances in Toronto. Seating 900, the venue evolved into a cinema in the 1930s, before becoming a live music venue (The Opera House) in 1989. The Opera House is a prominent music venue in Toronto and has hosted musicians such as Metallica, Nirvana, Eminem, Halsey, The Killers, Rick Astley, and Travis Scott. The theatre's original 1900s Vaudeville theatre architecture remains visible in its interior. The venue's stage is surrounded by the building's original 35-foot proscenium arch, with lighting added to enhance its impact. The back of the balcony also features some old projectors from its days as a cinema.

Toronto Public Library - Queen/Saulter Branch & Ralph Thornton Community Centre
765 Queen Street East
This building was designed by E.J. Lennox, the architect known for designing Toronto's Old City Hall and Casa Loma. Built in 1912, this building served as Postal Station G until 1975. Two years prior, the City of Toronto acquired the building and it was designated on the Inventory of Heritage Properties. In 1979, the building was renovated as the Queen/Saulter branch of the Toronto Public Library and the Ralph Thornton Community Centre. The library contains a local history collection as well as a small collection in French. The community centre has multipurpose rooms, an auditorium, a community kitchen, and the Lewis Pearsall Exchange Loft, which has computers for use. The centre also offers community-led programs, mentorship, and educational camps over holidays like March Break. The building's Neoclassical architecture and striking facade make it an eye-catching presence on Queen Street East.

Nick Sweetman 'Riverside Pollinators' Mural
777 Queen Street East
Nick Sweetman's 'Riverside Pollinators' mural was completed in 2016. Another reference to the 'Time and a Clock' theme, the mural illustrates Riverside's hidden green spaces which maintain wildflowers and local hives. The Riverside neighbourhood is also known for its beekeeping culture within the east end. The mural's clock design is a tribute to Albert Edelstein, a long-time clockmaker and jeweller in the community who was integral to the founding of the Riverside BIA in the 1980s. Nick Sweetman is a multidisciplinary artist from Toronto who has explored painting and its intersection with photography, video, installation, mixed media, and urban intervention.

Wanepuhnud
790 Queen Street East
Wanepuhnud is an Ojibway word that translates to 'reasonable'. Wanepuhnud is also the name of a thrift store that was established by Indigenous women. The store was established by The Ontario Native Women's Association from 1977 to 1989 and was located on Queen Street East, where the Arts Market artisan shop is now located. Committed to high quality clothes at low prices, the store was designated specifically for Indigenous women and mothers. Aside from the main operation of the store, it was also a place where Indigenous women could receive employment training. The employment training provided came in the form of 6-month courses such as 'Life Skills', 'Job Search'. Those that successfully completed courses, received certificates from George Brown College and Wanepuhnud Corporation. Given the considerable higher risk of violence that Indigenous women face, community hubs such as this fostered a sense of belonging and important employment and training opportunities for Indigenous women.

De Grassi Street & Former Riverside Railway Station
Queen Street East and De Grassi Street
De Grassi Street was named for Filippo 'Philip' De Grassi (1793-1877), an Italian soldier who played an influential role in the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837, as led by William Lyon Mackenzie (who would become Toronto's first mayor). More recently, the street rose to local and international fame with the hit television show 'The Kids of Degrassi Street' (1979-1986) and its subsequent series. Toronto rapper Drake (Aubrey Graham) rose to fame as a cast member on the series 'Degrassi: The Next Generation' (2001-2015). Further up the street at 52 Degrassi is an example of the workers' cottages built for manufacturing labourers in the neighbourhood (Please observe this private home from the sidewalk only). The street was also once home to the Grand Trunk Railway's Queen East Station in 1896, renamed Riverdale Station in 1907. Dwindling passenger numbers during the Great Depression resulted in the station's closure in 1932. It was demolished in 1974.

Jimmie Simpson Park & Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre
872 Queen Street East
Jimmie Simpson Park features a ball diamond, multipurpose sports field, lit hockey rink, two lit tennis courts, basketball courts, a children's playground, and a wading pool. The nearby Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre offers programming for everyone from preschool to older adults. Activities include swimming, fitness, youth sports, after school and preschool programs. The centre offers an outdoor rink featuring a hockey pad and pleasure skating pad. The park is named after James 'Jimmie' Simpson who was born in England in 1873 and immigrated to Canada at the age of 14. Simpson started as a factory worker before becoming a printer and reporter for the Toronto Daily Star. He was a founder of the Canadian Labour Party and active member of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation (CCF). Simpson supported various labour reforms and was elected Mayor of Toronto in 1935.

John Chang Neighbourhood Park
50 Colgate Avenue
Located on the former site of the Colgate-Palmolive factory, John Chang Neighbourhood Park boasts a children's playground and artwork by artist Jungle Ling. John Chang had lived in the South Riverdale community since the 1980s and was an advocate for improving the South Riverdale and Leslieville area. Chang initiated community gardens to grow food locally; he was also an outreach worker who helped reduce crime in the area. The artist Jungle Ling met Chang in 2003, describing him as a 'local visionary.' Their acquaintance led Ling to donate his artworks in Chang's honour. Ling's pieces include sculptures made of rebar pulled from the nearby Leslie Spit and several benches of reclaimed wood from Manitoulin Island. The park also boasts a heritage plaque harkening back to the neighbourhood's history as a manufacturing hub.

Cherry Beach and the Port Lands
1 Cherry Street
The Port Lands make up an industrial and recreational zone in Toronto. The area was connected to the Toronto Islands archipelago until 1858, when a storm created a break in the land. The Port Lands were used as a waste disposal site from the mid to late nineteenth century, with companies such as Gooderham and Worts using it for farm and distillery waste. In 1912, to address health concerns, the Toronto Harbour Commission began developing the area for shipping, draining and filling in the marsh with the hope of making the area a major industrial hub; however, most industries had left the area by the 1970s. In the early 2000s, film studios were built in the area, and the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (now Waterfront Toronto) planned to redevelop what had become the largest underdeveloped and underused space in North America. The Port Lands is home to a number of sailing clubs, and the Martin Goodman trail - named for a former editor-in-chief of the Toronto Star newspaper - connects the area to other waterfront destinations such as Cherry Beach. One of the calmer, warmer beaches in the east end, Cherry Beach is sheltered from the waves of Lake Ontario thanks to the Leslie Street Spit. It features picnic areas and an off-leash dog area, and was first made a park (then Clarke Beach Park) in the 1930s.

The Hearn Generating Station, Tommy Thompson Park, and Leslie Street Spit
1 Leslie Street
Designed by Stone & Webster, the Hearn Generating Station was opened in 1951 and named after Dr. Richard Lankaster Hearn, an integral figure in the development of Ontario's energy system. Located on Unwin Avenue, the plant was powered by coal before being converted to burn natural gas in 1971. Although decommissioned in 1983, the building has recently been used as a temporary venue for the Toronto Luminato Festival. It stands in close proximity to the Leslie Street Spit, which is a five kilometre, man-made peninsula. Created in 1959 by filling the lake with dredged sand and construction waste, the Spit was intended as an extension of the Toronto Harbour and as a breakwater to control erosion. Natural wildlife had begun to take over the area after the 1970s, and it is now home to Tommy Thompson Park (named after the City's first Parks Commissioner). Much of the Spit is now classified as an Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA), as well as an Important Bird Area. The Spit is an important stopping point for migratory birds and insects, such as snowy owls and monarch butterflies.

Woodbine Beach Park
1675 Lake Shore Boulevard East
A broad and beautiful curve of sand at the foot of Woodbine Avenue, this popular 15.2 hectare park is one of the city's many beaches and the gateway to three kilometres of sandy waterfront stretching eastward along the Lake Ontario shoreline. Woodbine Beach is a popular spot for picnics, sunbathing and swimming with wide stretches of sand, summer lifeguards, a bathing station and the Donald D. Summerville Outdoor Olympic Pool nearby. The recently renovated bathing station features upgraded ventilation and lighting, a new roof, an enlarged patio, change rooms, accessible washrooms, water bottle filling stations and a beach shower with a foot wash. The Ashbridges Bay and Martin Goodman trails run through this park, which also includes a playground, outdoor fitness equipment, beach volleyball courts, picnic shelters, snack bar, full-service restaurant and parking at Ashbridges Bay Park.