Toronto Travel: Toronto walking tour: Social history @ Atkinson Housing Coop

These video clips were taken during my walking tour with famous Toronto historian and tour guide Bruce Bell on July 16, 2007. After meeting at the famous and eclectic OCAD Building (I call it the "gift box on stilts") just south of the University of Toronto, Bruce took us past the Grange, Toronto's oldest building, past the Art Gallery of Toronto to some of the mansions along Beverley and Baldwin Streets. Along the way Bruce explained to us the early history of Toronto, and the family compact -- a group of extremely wealthy and powerful English families that used to rule Toronto in the early days.

We then walked westwards to Chinatown and the ethnic mix of the Kensington Market area which started as a Scottish market, then became a popular Jewish residential area in the 1910s and 1920s (evidenced by two local synagogues) and morphed into the diverse, multicultural and hip neighbourhood that it is today. Vendors sell fruits, vegetables, cheeses, dry goods, meat, fish, vintage clothing and all sorts of other unique items in this Bohemian neighbourhood. A great variety of different ethnic restaurants caters to eclectic tastes. We then visited Denison Square and admired a statue of one of Toronto's popular actors, Al Waxman, the "King of Kensington". We then continued on our walk through busy Chinatown to Toronto's Garment district along Spadina and Queen Avenues and then headed east along a variety of restaurants and bars on Queen Street West to end in front of the Italianate palace occupied by City TV. Along the way we got informed and entertained about Toronto's history from a small English enclave that started in 1793, to the exciting, vibrant and multicultural metropolis that it is today. You can read the full story at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/chinatown_kensington.htm.

The clips from this walking tour are part of my "Toronto Favourites" series and many more of these discoveries are to come. I am actually a travel writer, and whenever I am not out of town, I write about the city that I live in: Toronto, a city that has many cool places. I love to get out and explore the city and discover some new cool spots, and now you can enjoy them with me. Feel free to check out some of my 700+ articles and interviews on http//www.travelandtransitions.com. My personal travel stories are located at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos.htm.

Also, my FREE travel ebooks containing stories from my trips to destinations such as Sicily, Havana, Mexico City, New York City, Chicago, Florida, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Vancouver, Halifax and many others are going up right now at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/ebooks.html.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Toronto
• Kensington
• China
• Town
• Canada
• Bruce
• Bell

[Punzflaggin]

Yes, P to the O dot...Carr Street, born & raised. C'mon now, people, let's keep it real for two seconds...homeboy wasn't talking shit for cats like HIM (he look like food ready 2 get eat)...but P.O was a problem back in the day (if u didn't live there). If you lived there or around the area, it was the STRONGEST in community pride. Still talk with peeps around there. Loved that neighbourhood. Used 2 go 2 Ryerson & all.

[abbash786]

acual i find atkinson a great place i don`t live there but ican walk thur at any time day or night and not find any trouble . early morning and afterschool all the kids are walking to /or from school in late afternoon kids are playing in courtyards, most of the time people passing by just give a friendly smile not some snob look. i say akinson is great example of co-op housing should be oh by the when it was built it was a great idea not a mistake

[realMan43]

You Never want to Walk in the there thats shit is the truth he's not lyin PO niggas are wild B believe me or walk in there get be ready for the aftermath that comes your way these PO niggas is fuking nuts don't walk in there for your own good don't be brave just giving u niggas a big safety Tip..

[MrVanauley]

Fuck That White Boy He Can Get A 30 Still P.O.B All Day Vanauley Walk All Day You No Where We At

[kathysousa]

in regards to this persons comments on the area i grew up in and still live in..you have no clue on what you are telling the other people in this video,you are suppose to be a historian-bullshit-you are the mistake,not our area..If you are such a historian why were talking our our"ghetto" from the outside and not walking threw,oh right,we are so bad...grow up and find out your facts before you talk about a neighbourhood that you know nothing about and get a real job instead of lying to tourist.

[CombatScent]

This man is talkin shit, I lived on Napanee Court my whole life, randoms walk through all the time... shit goes down, but it don't involve people cuttin' through on the way to school

[backitupchichi]

i fully agree with you... i found your video through google.... doing a project now on the urban planning!