Toronto Reference Library Blog

Jane’s Walks will be held on May 1-3, 2015 in most Toronto neighbourhoods, as well as in many other Canadian centres and countries around the world. Named to honour writer and civic activist Jane Jacobs, several Toronto walks feature Toronto Public Library branches.

Many of us treasure our memories of walking to the local library with friends and family. Remember the first time you were allowed to walk to the library with your friends — no paren'ts allowed?

Daniel Rotsztain walked the walk; he visited and drew every branch of the Toronto Public Library in 2014. This weekend he will lead 2 walks to explore some of those branches. Starting at the beloved Lillian H. Smith, on to the original Reference Library and walking north to the city's oldest and biggest branches, he will also stop at some of U of T's libraries along the way. He hopes to evoke memories of walkers' favourite branches, wherever they may be. And appreciate how lucky we are to have such a wonderful, free public library system. 

The Toronto Public Library have programs planned around Jane's Walks. Here are a few highlights: 

As a lead-up to the Jane's Walk weekend, the High Park branch hosted The Shadow Side of Sunnyside : the history of Sunnyside, from the heydey of The Palais Royale, the Amusement Park, etc., to the uncertain aftermath of the Gardiner Expressway.

Jane's Walk: Downsview – the Top of the Town kicks off the weekend. On Friday, May 01 at 1:00pm, gather at the Downsview Branch for a 90-minute fun, fact-filled stroll through the neighbourhood around the Downsview Branch. Discover who named the area; the history of the Downsview United Church; why the MOTH Gardens Parkette was patterned on Italian Renaissance garden designs and where the current cultural hub is.

And if you've never been to the Maria A. Shchuka Meeting Room, why not stop in on Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 to join Farms to Record Studios: Explore Eglinton West by Foot, a walking tour of the International Market on Eglinton Avenue West, covering the past, present and future of the neighbourhood. Learn about the history of the belt line and development of the neighbourhood from farm land.  And more recently, check out the musical history of the area by visiting landmark storefronts and the proposed Reggae Lane project.

If you can't make it to a walk over the weekend, get over to the Palmerston Branch for The Nordheimer Ravine: A Virtual "Jane's Walk" Presentation on Thursday, May 07, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Susan Aaron, a natural environment volunteer steward, will present an audio-visual virtual Jane's Walk of the Nordheimer Ravine and Cedarvale Ravine.

Stay in your own neighbourhood or explore somewhere new across town; either way, you are bound to learn a lot. And, as a bonus, enjoy what promises to be wonderful weather with a group of kindred spirits.

Interested in exploring Toronto's neighbourhoods further? 

Come visit the Humanities and Social Sciences Department's

Toronto Collection at the Toronto Reference Library.

Jane’s Walks will be held on May 1-3, 2015 in most Toronto neighbourhoods, as well as in many other Canadian centres and countries around the world. Named to honour writer and civic activist Jane Jacobs, several Toronto walks feature Toronto Public Library branches.

Many of us treasure our memories of walking to the local library with friends and family. Remember the first time you were allowed to walk to the library with your friends — no paren'ts allowed?

Daniel Rotsztain walked the walk; he visited and drew every branch of the Toronto Public Library in 2014. This weekend he will lead 2 walks to explore some of those branches. Starting at the beloved Lillian H. Smith, on to the original Reference Library and walking north to the city's oldest and biggest branches, he will also stop at some of U of T's libraries along the way. He hopes to evoke memories of walkers' favourite branches, wherever they may be. And appreciate how lucky we are to have such a wonderful, free public library system. 

The Toronto Public Library have programs planned around Jane's Walks. Here are a few highlights: 

As a lead-up to the Jane's Walk weekend, the High Park branch hosted The Shadow Side of Sunnyside : the history of Sunnyside, from the heydey of The Palais Royale, the Amusement Park, etc., to the uncertain aftermath of the Gardiner Expressway.

Jane's Walk: Downsview – the Top of the Town kicks off the weekend. On Friday, May 01 at 1:00pm, gather at the Downsview Branch for a 90-minute fun, fact-filled stroll through the neighbourhood around the Downsview Branch. Discover who named the area; the history of the Downsview United Church; why the MOTH Gardens Parkette was patterned on Italian Renaissance garden designs and where the current cultural hub is.

And if you've never been to the Maria A. Shchuka Meeting Room, why not stop in on Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 to join Farms to Record Studios: Explore Eglinton West by Foot, a walking tour of the International Market on Eglinton Avenue West, covering the past, present and future of the neighbourhood. Learn about the history of the belt line and development of the neighbourhood from farm land.  And more recently, check out the musical history of the area by visiting landmark storefronts and the proposed Reggae Lane project.

If you can't make it to a walk over the weekend, get over to the Palmerston Branch for The Nordheimer Ravine: A Virtual "Jane's Walk" Presentation on Thursday, May 07, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. Susan Aaron, a natural environment volunteer steward, will present an audio-visual virtual Jane's Walk of the Nordheimer Ravine and Cedarvale Ravine.

Stay in your own neighbourhood or explore somewhere new across town; either way, you are bound to learn a lot. And, as a bonus, enjoy what promises to be wonderful weather with a group of kindred spirits.

Interested in exploring Toronto's neighbourhoods further? 

Come visit the Humanities and Social Sciences Department's

Toronto Collection at the Toronto Reference Library.