This Friday, April 9th we will be touring the Gooderham & Worts Distillery
a beautifully preserved complex of 19th century industrial buildings surrounding the corner of Mill Street and Trinity Street in downtown Toronto.
The complex was begun in 1837, when a still was set up on the site to make whisky out of extra grain brought to the existing mill. The business grew steadily, along with the city as a whole. The large stone distillery, brick malthouse, kilns, warehouses, shops, and offices, all built before 1900, form an outstanding example of Victorian industrial design.
The smell of booze has gone from the old Gooderham & Worts Distillery; but whats fermenting there now is an equally potent blend of culture, commerce and urbanism. There are over 44 buildings housing a variety of galleries, restaurants, shops, bars, studios, theatres and showrooms. I will tell of the history of Gooderham & Worts visiting the various buildings and telling of its commercial past and its current usages.
Following our tour of Gooderham & Worts we visit the areas where the workers who laboured at here and other industries lived. These areas just north of the distillery are called Corktown and Cabbagetown. We will visit these areas as well.
The tour starts at 2 p.m., Friday April 9th. We will meet at Gooderham & Worts at 55 Mill Street. Cost $15. The gathering point is at the Main gate. . Confirmation and Information call Bill Genova at 416-367-0380 or email me at genova@sympatico.ca.