Tours you can take in July and August

Bill Genova's

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Tours you can take in July and August

Here's a chance to visit your home town like you never have before

JULY 19^TH, SATURDAY, BIKE RIDE, THROUGH PEACE AND QUIET, RIGHT IN THE HEART OF THE CITY

This is a nice easy ride through pathways or on side streets so traffic is not a problem. It is spread over four hours with many stops and a break for lunch.

We will be meeting at 10 a.m. at the entrance to the Mt Pleasant cemetery off Yonge St just north of St. Clair. Youll learn the history of Mt Pleasant and some of its famous and infamous permanent guests as we ride through.

From here we will exit to the Moore Park Ravine down into the peaceful, forest glade following one of the lost creeks of Toronto downhill to the Don Valley Brick Works. Today, the buildings on this site represent several different time periods in the history of the Brick Works. The Brick Works comprises industrial buildings, the Quarry Garden, surrounding parkland and special geological features unique to the site.

Next we will join the Don Valley trail proceeding south along the Don River in a slow easy ride downhill on a paved path through the wild growth along the rivers edge. We will then arrive at the Distillery District and visit the historic Gooderham and Worts works. Ill tell you all about the history of this site. Here we will have lunch at your expense.

After lunch we will proceed up through historic Cabbage Town while I highlight points of interest on the way We will arrive at the Riverdale Park and farm visiting the Necropolis and St James Cemetery. After this we will travel up through historic Rosedale on its side streets taking in the grand homes in the area back up to St Clair and the where we began.

The cost of the tour is $10. Please contact Bill Genova if you are coming at 416-367-0380

JULY 26^TH, SATURDAY,

GOURMET AND HISTORIC BOAT CRUISE

We will board a 42 ft classic yacht at the Outerharbour Marina at 10 a.m. Proceeding out of port past the Leslie St Spite well journey through the Eastern Gap and into the Toronto Harbour. Youll learn about the history of Toronto and the founding of York as you travel along. We will travel into the Toronto islands tying up along the shore for a gourmet lunch prepared by yours truly and two glasses of wine. Believe me I have good taste so you will eat well. Youll hear of the history of the islands about Torontos oldest building that is still standing, the famous yacht Clubs that dot the island, the ghost towns and amusement park that once stood on the island, and where Babe Ruth hit his first home run. We will travel back into the harbour and I will tell you the history of the Toronto skyline. Then out the western gap following the shore to the Humber River then turning back. Entire trip will take four hours. Cost is $50. Limited number of 10. Please contact Bill Genova if you are coming at 416-367-0380

AUG 1^ST, FRIDAY, SIMCOE DAY, WALK DOWN GARRISON CREEK ONE OF TORONTOS MANY HIDDEN CREEKS

Garrison Creek rises as two small streams north of St. Clair Avenue West. They join up and then flow south through what are now Christie Pits, Bickford Park, Fred Hamilton Park, Trinity Bellwoods Park, to enter Toronto Bay at Old Fort York. It was also know as the Garrison at York and hence the name of the Creek next to it. Youll be surprised to find out that Garrison Creek even though it is buried is still reflected in the landscape. Ravines show its past course, bridge railings tell of buried bridge under the roadways, and street directions follow the course of the Creek.

The Creek still flows through storm sewers into the Lake and in fact there is a movement to bring sections of the Creek back to the surface. We will meet at the Christie subway stations exit on the Bloor Subway line at 10 a.m. The cost of the tour is $10. Please contact Bill Genova if you are coming at 416-367-0380

AUG 2^ND, SATURDAY, SIMCOE HOLIDAY BIKE TOUR OF TORONTO FRENCH AND BRITISH FORTS

We will start at the Old Mill Station at 10 a.m. From here we will travel down the Humber River to the Lake on a paved trail hearing the story of the French Forts located on the Humber. We will travel east along the Lakeshore boardwalk past Sunnyside to the Exhibition grounds where the French fort of Fort Rouille is located. After that visiting the Stanley Barracks and a visit to Ft. York and do battle with the invading Yankees.

It is a pleasant ride on paths and will take about three hours. The group can have lunch together if they choose to. The cost of the tour is $10. Please contact Bill Genova if you are coming at 416-367-0380

AUG 9^TH, SATURDAY, WALKING TOUR OF KENSINGTON AND SPADINA FROM FOREST TO CONCRETE JUNGLE

Most people when they think of Spadina think of China Town and the old Jewish Market known as Kensington. Before all this happened this was dense forest until Lord Simcoe arrived and divided the land into lots of 100 acres. These lots which ran 1-¼ miles from Queen to Bloor and 1/8^th of a mile wide formed the original land holdings. The story of their development and subdivision by the Baldwin and Dennison families, is what you will hear about as you join me on a historic tour of Spadina and Kensington. Spadina became the main thoroughfare taking its name from Spadina House located next to Casa Loma but other historic squares and streets reflect its British past.

The Tour will be three hours. We will meet at the northeast corner of Spadina and Dundas at 10 a.m. The cost of the tour is $10. Please contact Bill Genova if you are coming at 416-367-0380