What's On at the Library

 On October 10, 2 pm, at the Northern District branch we kick off a series of programs about the history of Yonge Street and the stories that have shaped the street and the city. Said to be the world's longest street, Yonge Street runs from the shores of Lake Ontario to the Rainy River and the border between Ontario and Minnesota, a whopping 1,896 kilometres. Along the way, it has generated a remarkable and often contentious history.

The Subway and the Street: How Underground Transit Transformed Yonge Street explores the ways in which the subway altered daily life for
Torontonians and the built landscape around Yonge Street since the
1940s. As the issue of rapid transit continues to roil Toronto, this talk could not be more timely.

The special guest speaker is Jay Young, historian of technology, environments, and cities. Jay has written extensively about the subway and its history, and in particular how it transformed the Toronto metropolis. His dissertation, “Searching for a Better Way: Subway Life and Metropolitan Growth in Toronto, 1942-1978,” can even be downloaded. His website, Jay Young, is a real trove of social history.

There will be three more youryongestreet programs, on the 1960s upheavals in Yorkville, on the 1981 bathhouse raids and on the seedy side of Toronto the Good as seen on the Yonge Street strip.

This event is part of youryongestreet, a interactive online exhibit of
people, places and events along the world's longest street. Check back soon to find out how you can contribute your own stories and memories.

The talk is also part of the Orchardviewers series, which has run every Thursday at Northern District for many years and is in itself a part of Yonge Street's history.