Junction Triangle

Junction Triangle Jane's Walk 2010

Started in 2007, Jane's Walk is an annual event honouring the late urban thinker, activist, and writer Jane Jacobs. On May 7 and 8 2011, free walking tours will take place in cities all over Toronto, Canada, and other countries around the world.

I just wanted to remind everyone that out of the 170+ walking tours taking place in Toronto this weekend, there are some promising local events that are worth checking out (click their names to go to the Jane's Walk website for more details):

Murals and Public Art in the Junction Triangle
When: Saturday, May 7, 2011, 10:00AM
Where: Starts at the railway underpass on Bloor St., just west of Lansdowne Ave (1360 Bloor St. W.)
What: The Junction Triangle neighbourhood in west Toronto is bordered on all three sides by railway tracks and underpasses, making it an ideal place for public art. Our walk will explore painted murals, ghost signs, graffiti, and other public art throughout the neighbourhood.

Romero House - Community Walk
When: Saturday, May 7, 2011, 2:00PM
Where: Starting from Romero House - 1558 Bloor Street West, just west of Dundas St. West
What: Romero House is a community in the west end of Toronto that serves refugees to Canada. This walk provides an opportunity to explore the west end through the lens of the Romero House community. During the walk, we’ll discuss issues facing refugees to Canada as well as Romero House’s approach to community-building - an effort to foster an inclusive and welcoming environment for newcomers as well as the surrounding neighborhood.

Junction Triangle vacant TTC site
When: Sunday, May 8, 2011, 10:00AM
Where: Starts at Bloor/Lansdowne subway exit - west side
What: A former TTC maintenance yard sits vacant at Landsdowne, just south of Wallace Ave., north of Bloor. This walk will be in two parts; the first a discussion of the history of the site, and the sources/conflicts from the pollution, and a walk around the site observing and discussing a work of art produced by Marianne Lovink and Scott Eunson. Lovink and Eunson won a competition held by the TTC to create the the Lansdowne Fence ‘Streetscape,’ to beautify the site during the period in which it is vacant while the soil is reclaimed from industrial pollution.

Arrivals and Departures in the West End
When: Sunday, May 8, 2011, 2:00PM
Where: Starting from outside Crossways Mall - Bloor Street Entrance (just east of Dundas St. W.)
What: Culture Link’s Newcomers Explore and Appreciate Toronto (NEAT) is a walking group for new Torontonians who are curious about their city. Toronto is a city full of flavour with ever-changing faces. Every little street has an interesting story and every old building has witnessed a period of extraordinary history. Proud Torontonians are eager to share their contagious feeling about the city. NEAT leads a Jane’s Walk through the Junction Triangle neighbourhood of Toronto. In one block, you can see generations of immigrant influences - a Hindu shop right next to a Serbian community centre, an African Muslim community group next to a Slovenian bakery. Join us as we explore this west-end neighbourhood through they eyes of newcomers - from what it’s like to ride a bike back home versus in Toronto, to safety, transportation and more.

For a complete list of Jane's Walks in Toronto, please visit the Jane's Walk Toronto website.

If you're looking for other walks further afield, here are a couple of links with suggested walks around other parts of Toronto:

• 10 Jane's Walks worth checking out in 2011 (BlogTO)
• Walking the Jane's Walk (Torontoist)