A walking tour of downtown Toronto

One of Toronto’s best features is how walkable it is, which gives visitors the ability to venture outside and discover interesting neighbourhoods and scenic green spaces, writes Saeed Ibrahim

Soldiers’ Tower is a bell and clock tower at the University of Toronto that commemorates members of the university who served in the World Wars. PhOTO/NAILA IBRAHIM &PRATHYUSHA KOKKU

During a brief visit to Toronto, en route to the USA, my wife and I were wondering, given the limited time available to us, how best we could visit the noteworthy tourist spots in the city. When our friend Prathyusha suggested that she had a free morning and would gladly show us around, we jumped at the opportunity. She proposed a walking tour in downtown Toronto skipping the usual tourist destinations of the CN Tower, Art Gallery of Toronto, St Lawrence Market etc. With some beautiful summer weather and a clear blue sky, we followed her lead and set out on a fascinating and off-the-beaten-track tour of Toronto.

The starting point of our on-foot excursion was the St Michael’s Cathedral Basilica located at 65 Bond Street. It is a Roman Catholic Church and one of the oldest churches in Toronto. Its foundation stone was laid in May 1845 and its construction was mainly financed by Irish immigrants residing in the area at that time. The cathedral is built in the English Gothic Revival style with an imposing tower 260 feet above the ground. But it was the beauty of the cathedral’s stained glass windows that took our breath away, especially a large window above the altar, which is the focal point of the building’s interior. It depicts the crucifixion of Christ and blue, yellow and red are the prominent colours in this outstanding window pane. Leaving the hushed sanctity of the cathedral, we walked further down Bond Street to the Georgian-style Mackenzie House. This was the last home of William Lyon Mackenzie, Toronto’s first mayor, who lived there until his death in 1861. Today it has been converted into a historic house museum on the life and times of the Mackenzie family and provides a glimpse into the social climate of Victorian Toronto from the 1860s to the 1890s. Unfortunately, having set off early, we were unable to visit the museum which is normally open from 12 pm. Disappointed, we continued on our way with a five-minute walk to Dundas Station. This was our first journey on the Toronto subway, a quick 10-minute ride to Queen’s Park Station. From there it was a 500-metre walk to our next destination — the Legislative Assembly Building of Ontario in Queen’s Park. This stately Romanesque structure houses the unicameral legislative chamber of the Canadian province of Ontario, of which Toronto is the capital. We were just in time for a free guided tour of the stunningly beautiful interior sections of the building, encapsulating the nation’s history, architecture, art and traditions. The grand staircase was impressive with its mahogany railings and decorative ironwork. As we climbed up, we noticed, mounted at the entrance to the mid-landing, the Coat of Arms of Ontario, containing emblems reflecting Ontario’s British heritage as also a symbolic representation of the deer, moose and bear — the most common animals indigenous to Ontario. At the top landing was the lobby of the Legislative Chamber, which regrettably was out of bounds as the assembly was in session.

On either side of a long atrium, lined with ornate railings, were the building’s east and west wings. The walls of the east corridor were decorated with dark wood panelling, while the walls of the west corridor were lined with white marble. Exiting the Ontario Legislative Building, we strolled through Queen’s Park, enjoying the outdoors and the warm, sunny weather. We then walked towards the northern end of the park and entered the grounds of the University of Toronto. The university is made up of several different colleges each with its own buildings, dining halls, and libraries. We found our way towards Hart House, the vibrant student activity centre of St George Campus where students can engage in social, artistic, cultural and recreational pursuits. Stopping by the Justina M Barnicke Gallery we stood transfixed before several modernistic sculptures and artworks by contemporary artists. However, it was Hart House’s Gothic Revival architecture that we found the most charming. The pointed arch shape dominating the doors and hallways, the high ceilings, steeply-pitched roofs and the decorative stone and wood carvings inside and outside the building, evoked a period atmosphere and the semblance of an old, time-honoured academic institution. The last stop on our itinerary was the 143 ft high Soldiers’ Tower, situated at the western end of Hart House. This bell and clock tower commemorates members of the university who lost their lives in the two World Wars. They have been honoured with their names etched in stone in the tower’s archway.