| mmery biking adventures through Toronto continue. | | | | of the most distinctive features of Toronto’s |
| This morning I packed my backpack and as usual I | | | | topography is a multitude of deep ravines that |
| entered the Taylor Creek Park system. Heading down | | | | criss-cross the city, have remained largely untouched |
| into the lush green river valley that is fully closed in by | | | | by development and provide a natural oasis in this |
| trees and bushes on both sides is always such a great | | | | densely populated metropolis. These ravines were |
| feeling, as if the big city was miles away. | | | | formed when rivers and creeks cut deep gouges into |
| A few kilometers west my trail joined up with the Don | | | | the glacial deposits that were left over after the last |
| Valley biking trail and I started to ride south. But instead | | | | ice age about 12,000 years ago. Due to the danger of |
| of heading all the way down to Toronto’s | | | | flooding these ravines are largely uninhabitable and |
| lakefront, I saw an old road branching off to the right | | | | have remained virtually completely in their natural state. |
| north of Pottery Road and I thought I would just ride in | | | | Today, Toronto’s ravine lands are protected by |
| there and see what I could discover. I had never | | | | municipal bylaws. |
| before left the main trail and was curious to explore | | | | Cedarvale Park is located in one of those ravines and |
| this new area. Actually, I thought I would arrive at the | | | | riding westwards I looked up to admire the structure of |
| Don Valley Brickworks, the leftovers of an industrial | | | | the Bathurst Street Bridge. I arrived at the western end |
| brick making complex dating back to the late 1880s | | | | of Cedarvale Park where a cricket match was in full |
| that was closed down some time ago. The bricks | | | | swing. Back on city streets I cycled south into a St. |
| from this quarry were used on many famous Toronto | | | | Clair West neighbourhood called Hillcrest Village which |
| landmarks, including Casa Loma, Osgoode Hall and | | | | was just celebrating Latin culture with its big annual |
| Queens Park (the Ontario Legislature building). The | | | | festival: Salsa on St. Clair. |
| green space surrounding the empty buildings has been | | | | First launched in 2005 Salsa on St. Clair has become a |
| turned into a public park by the city. | | | | popular street festival that features all sorts of Latin |
| But as I continued the road turned into a narrow | | | | music performances, street vendors, Latin American |
| pathway that crossed a field and the path started | | | | delicacies and special events. Salsa lessons, jumping |
| taking me in a northwesterly direction, away from the | | | | castles, children’s soccer competitions and all |
| Brickworks. Now I was really wondering where this | | | | sorts of free samples and giveaways enchanted the |
| path was going to lead. After crossing some more | | | | crowds. |
| meadows the path took me into a forested area | | | | From here I cycled south on Christie Street and then |
| where the narrow trail continued, sometimes over | | | | headed over to Ossington and south to Queen Street. |
| roots and stones, sometimes beside some railway | | | | In a small neighbourhood park I ran across a large |
| tracks. Now you might think that it could be quite | | | | group of teenagers dressed up as medieval knights |
| dangerous for a woman by herself riding these trails, | | | | who were practicing their jousting skills. Sometimes |
| but I actually felt quite safe. The only people I | | | | Toronto is truly like a box of chocolates: you never |
| encountered were a father and daughter team who | | | | know what you’re gonna get…Once on |
| were enjoying their own little mountain bike adventure. | | | | Queen Street I cycled past recently renovated |
| I kept riding through the forest, up and down and at | | | | landmarks like the Drake Hotel and the Gladstone |
| some point I saw a road just above the embankment | | | | Hotel into the Parkdale neighbourhood, one of the most |
| that I was cycling beside, but my suspense grew as to | | | | colourful areas in Toronto. |
| where I would actually end up. Finally I saw an opening | | | | The neighbourhood underwent a serious decline and |
| in a fence at the edge of the forest and I realized I had | | | | today features a large aIn the late 1800 Parkdale was |
| popped up at the southeastern end of the Loblaws | | | | an upscale residential suburb of Toronto that featured |
| Supermarket in Leaside. This was quite a bit further | | | | great Victorian mansions and superb views of Lake |
| north than I had anticipated. | | | | Ontario. |
| So back on city streets I decided to ride through the | | | | Today the neighbourhood is being revitalized due to its |
| residential area of Leaside, one of the most popular | | | | beautiful architecture, established trees and favourable |
| residential areas in Toronto. Settled as early as the | | | | location close to downtown and Lake Ontario. Signs of |
| beginning of the 19th century by the Lea family, the | | | | gentrification are noticeable everywhere. |
| Town of Leaside came into being in 1913. Today many | | | | The Victorian mansions on Cowan Avenue impressed |
| houses from the early 20th century remain and are | | | | me and as I got closer to the Lake I can only imagine |
| being renovated or expanded. Leaside has become | | | | what a beautiful residential district this must have been |
| particularly popular with real estate investors who buy | | | | in its heyday. I crossed the railway tracks and the |
| some of the small single story bungalows and convert | | | | Gardener Expressway near Jameson Avenue and |
| them into two or three story mansions. | | | | arrived at the multi-purpose trail in Marilyn Bell Park on |
| Bayview Avenue marks the western boundary of | | | | Toronto’s lakefront. |
| Leaside and is a popular entertainment area with lots | | | | Close to a century ago this was one of the most |
| of retail stores, cafes and restaurants. I cycled south | | | | popular areas in Toronto and featured a large |
| on Bayview to the Intersection of Moore Avenue | | | | amusement park from 1922 onwards. The area was |
| where there is a local landmark: a concrete moose | | | | drastically changed in the 1950s with the construction |
| that is located in front of a company called | | | | of the Gardiner Expressway which essentially reduced |
| IntegraCare, a private nursing company. | | | | the parkland in half and led to the destruction of the |
| From April to October of 2000, the City of Toronto | | | | amusement park. Today, the only original buildings |
| was graced by 172 moose sculptures that were | | | | remaining from this era are the Palais Royale (a |
| located all over the city and painted and decorated by | | | | recently restored ballroom and banquet facility), and |
| local artists. The event was called “Moose in | | | | the Sunnyside Bathing Pavilion which houses a popular |
| the City” and similar in idea to other animal | | | | waterfront café. |
| sculpture campaigns in places such as Chicago, | | | | Despite these changes, Toronto’s western |
| Mexico City etc. After the completion of the campaign | | | | waterfront in Humber Bay is hugely popular with |
| the moose were auctioned off for charitable purposes | | | | people. Walkers, picnickers, inline skaters and bikers |
| and more than 75 local charities benefit from this | | | | make extensive use of the Waterfront Trail. Three |
| unique fundraising idea. Events like | | | | beach volleyball nets grace the narrow strip of sand in |
| “Toronto’s Running of the | | | | front of the café and a boardwalk made from |
| Moose!” and “Moose Jam on City | | | | recycled plastic invites for a walk on the waterfront. I |
| Streets” enlivened the campaign and | | | | grabbed myself a slice of pizza and relaxed a bit on |
| entertained the public. | | | | bench, watching the comings and goings in a beautiful |
| I figured Integracare must have purchased one of | | | | sunny spot by the water. |
| these moose sculptures and after doing some | | | | I then started heading eastwards along the Waterfront |
| research on the Internet I found out that the | | | | Trail past Ontario Place, a multi-purpose entertainment |
| moose’s name is “Florence | | | | and seasonal amusement park. Opened in 1971 Ontario |
| Moosengale, RM (Registered Moose)”, her | | | | Place consists of three artificial islands that feature |
| name obviously inspired by Florence Nightingale, the | | | | walking trails, food and drink concessions, an IMAX |
| founder of modern nursing. Three Integracare | | | | theatre located in a geodesic dome-shaped structure, |
| employees regularly create new costumes for the | | | | an amusement park for children and an outdoor |
| moose which has been dressed up as Santa Clause, | | | | concert facility, the Molson Amphitheatre. |
| a witch for Halloween, a pink Easter Bunny, a prison | | | | Immediately adjacent to Ontario Place is Coronation |
| inmate, a lady bug, and in many other outfits. Currently | | | | Park, a park centered around a royal oak tree that |
| Florence is dressed up as a rider in the Tour de | | | | was planted in tribute to King George VI. Right in front |
| France, complete with a yellow jersey and an | | | | of the park is a marina that houses hundreds of |
| oversized bicycle. | | | | sailboats. Cycling further east I passed by the recently |
| Well, this moose always makes me chuckle and I truly | | | | renovated Tip Top Tailor Building, a historic property |
| applaud the efforts of the three ladies at Integracare in | | | | built in 1929 in true Art Deco style. |
| brightening up the intersection of Bayview and Moore | | | | From here I snaked onto Queen’s Quay and |
| Avenue. From here I rode into the Mount Pleasant | | | | made a stop at the Toronto Music Garden, a |
| Cemetery, Toronto’s largest cemetery which | | | | waterfront garden that was inspired by Bach’s |
| stretches from Bayview Avenue in the east to Yonge | | | | First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello and designed by |
| Street in the west. Originally conceived in 1873, the | | | | internationally renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma and |
| cemetery opening in late 1876 and became the final | | | | landscape designer Julie Moir Messervy. The Toronto |
| resting place for more than 160,000 Toronto citizens. | | | | Music Garden features spiral-shaped walkways |
| The cemetery holds many local celebrities, including | | | | surrounded by lush shrubs and flowers and is |
| Frederick Banting - the co-discoverer of insulin, Timothy | | | | highlighted by an outdoor amphitheatre that offers free |
| Eaton – a Canadian department store magnate, | | | | concerts to the public. |
| Hart Massey – a 19th century tycoon in the farm | | | | My ride continued to Harbourfront, a popular |
| equipment business, Robert Simpson – another | | | | entertainment area at Toronto’s waterfront. |
| Canadian department store magnate, pianist Glenn | | | | Harbourfront Centre, a former warehouse, today holds |
| Gould and W. Garfield Weston, a business magnate | | | | a high-end shopping centre, commercial office spaces |
| and member of one of Canada’s most | | | | and condominiums. The bottom level also features |
| wealthy families. By accident I came across the grave | | | | restaurants and outdoor patios that look out on the |
| of William Lyon Mackenzie King, one of | | | | docking facilities for the many tourist boats that depart |
| Canada’s longest-serving and most influential | | | | from here for harbour tours. |
| prime ministers. | | | | Free concerts are held every weekend at |
| Although inline-skating is prohibited it is possible to ride a | | | | Harbourfront on the Concert Stage while the World |
| bicycle in the cemetery and many people also use this | | | | Café and the International Marketplace feature |
| beautiful environment to go walking or jogging. The | | | | foods and merchandise from around the world. |
| gravestones in the western, older section of the | | | | Additional cultural offerings are provided by the Power |
| cemetery are particularly beautiful, and its large tree | | | | Plant Gallery, the Premiere Dance Theatre, the |
| collection makes it one of North America’s | | | | Enwave Theatre and the York Quay Centre. A |
| finest arboretums. | | | | Cuban music group was enchanting the crowd at the |
| I then crossed Yonge Street and rode west along | | | | Concert Stage. |
| Heath Street in order to avoid the busy traffic along St. | | | | Finally, after an action-packed day full of explorations |
| Clair Avenue. The surrounding Forest Hill | | | | and almost 60 km of riding I got on my iron horse one |
| neighbourhood is one of Toronto’s most | | | | last time to make the 45 minute trek home along |
| affluent areas. Today many huge mansions grace the | | | | Toronto’s lakefront. Summer in Toronto is |
| neighbourhood and two elite private schools, Upper | | | | amazing; I had cycled from secluded nature areas, |
| Canada College for boys, and the Bishop Strachan | | | | through a Victorian-era cemetery to a Latin festival, |
| School, a prestigious day and boarding school for girls, | | | | enjoyed the waterfront and caught two more free |
| are also located here. | | | | concerts in or near Harbourfront. There is so much |
| Underneath the canopy of leafy trees I turned onto a | | | | going on in this city in the summer and the bicycle is |
| street called Lower Village Gate and unexpectedly | | | | the ideal way to explore it. |
| found myself in Toronto’s Ravine system. One | | | | |
