Toronto Travel: Fall in Toronto The Distillery District &

As the days get shorter and the temperatures get lower, every little ray of sunshine seems to count and tempt me to rush outside to breathe in the last few glimpses of nice weather before we head into our long, cold and dark winter here in Toronto.

So on September 19, 2009 I hopped on my bicycle again and cycled southwards along the Don Valley bicycle path. The colours are slowly turning and signs of fall are in the air everywhere. I headed to one of my favourite Toronto destinations: the Distillery District, North Americas largest collection of vintage Victorian-era industrial buildings that has been transformed into a popular entertainment and cultural district.

After my delicious late lunch which included one of my favourites, baked pretzels with Dijon beer aioli & marinara sauce at the Mill Street Brew Pub, I took a stroll through this busy entertainment area that has become a favourite Toronto destination among locals and tourists alike. A major art installation graced the large outdoor space at the end of Trinity Street. I still havent been able to figure out what the combination of what appears to be a giant funnel and an oversize spiral is supposed to be and who it was created by.

On September 20, 2009 another gorgeous day awaited me, and I had a few hours available to go biking on a busy day. I had read that a new portion of the Toronto Waterfront Trail had been opened next to Ontario Place the day before and wanted to see this newest addition to Torontos bicycle trail network. Being located in the east end of Toronto, it would have taken me too long to get there, so I hopped on the Queen Street streetcar with my bicycle (bikes are welcome on the TTC outside of rush hour) and spent about an hour going through interesting neighbourhoods such as the Beach, Leslieville, Downtown Toronto, Queen West, West Queen West and Parkdale to finally disembark near the Humber River.

From here I cycled east over the beautiful bridge over the Humber River past Sunnyside Beach towards Ontario Place where I admired the brand new section of the Martin Goodman Trail. Spanking brand new and smooth pavement, excellent traffic markings and traffic signals facilitate bicycle traffic along a tree-lined corridor next to Lakeshore Boulevard in the Ontario Place area.

From here I continued past Coronation Park and the historic Tip Top Tailor Building to Ireland Park at the foot of Bathurst Street, where the Toronto Irish Famine Memorial remembers the plight of Irish immigrants who came to Toronto, escaping the Great Irish Potato Famine of 1845 to 1852. Five sculptures, including The Jubilant Man, The Pregnant Woman, The Woman on the Ground, The Orphan Boy and The Apprehensive Man, grippingly demonstrate the devastation of hunger that Irish immigrants endured.

Ireland Park also offers a sensational view of Downtown Toronto and Harbourfront. A great panorama of the CN Tower, surrounded by the many skyscrapers, and the lively cruise boats at Harbourfront rewards the visitor of Ireland Park. This is probably the best waterside view of Toronto aside from the Toronto Islands. From here I continued my bike ride east past Torontos Music Garden to Harbourfront where I enjoyed a typical Canadian snack, poutine, right next to the pond beside the Power Plant. A leisurely ride through downtown Toronto ended my brief excursion on this sunny Sunday.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Toronto
• Travel
• Canada
• Fall
• Distillery
• District
• Waterfront
• Trail
• Humber
• River
• Coronation
• Park
• Ireland
• Music
• Garden