OUR WALKS
CONTINUE!We've had so many walkers eager to discover
the history of the neighbourhoods in this area! If you would like to join, please let us
know at tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com. Let us know your particular interest and
when you are free to walk and we will let you know where and when to show up. As we
conduct these walks as part of our efforts to support the operation of the Tollkeeper's
Cottage, we suggest a donation of $10.
A NOTE FROM DOCENT MARILYN
SPEARIN:
The season for our
local history walking tours is upon us!
Here are some of the tours we
do:
- Seaton Village – including its Black history
- the West Annex – with
Jane Jacob’s house
- the Christie Pits area
– Koreatown, unusual houses, the Riot
- Tarragon Village – with
Baldwin and George Brown
- Wychwood Park – with or
without turtles
- Casa Loma – with very
grand stables
If you would care to
join us for a guided walk through Seaton Village, the West Annex, or many other
interesting areas nearby, send us a message at tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com to be added to the list of
those we contact when a walk or two are imminent!
Our walks are for
anyone interested. No fee, but we would appreciate a donation!
|
|
|
WEST ANNEX
TOUR
On this tour
you will see the house in which an 18 year old servant girl shot and killed her
employer, Charles Massey, in 1915. The book by Charlotte Gray describes the
provocation and the subsequent trial that gripped all of Toronto: "the Massey
Murder, A Maid, her Master and the Trial that shocked a
Nation".
|
|
|
SEATON VILLAGE
TOUR
On Follis
Avenue we find one of the few remaining workers' cottages that were once
abundant in the area. The house above was formerly a livery stable (probably behind
it), a butcher’s premises, and a saddlery over the years. One occupant was a butcher
named Sheepway.
|
|
|
CHRISTIE PITS
TOUR
This tour covers the western side of Seaton Village, with its
eccentric "wood cake" house. We pass by Crestfallen Lane and learn about the
horse that provided Canadians with low-cost diphtheria vaccine. We look at the meaning of
the tiger in Koreatown and find the plaque that commemorates the riot here that shocked
Toronto. We take note of several crooked houses and see the elaborate residence shown
above.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
COMMUNITY HISTORY PROJECT BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2024-25 Thank you to our members for
an interactive Annual General Meeting, where we passed the new Constitution and
celebrated our Ontario Trillium Grant. Thank you to Ethan Doddes, who took MPP Jill
Andrew's place while she was recovering from a foot injury. Wishing you
a speedy recovery, Jill! We wish our hard-working board another successful year!
President: Jeannette Mazzocato
Vice president: Ed Janiszewski
Secretary: Nick
Gunz Treasurer:
Timothy Watson Members at
large: Ronnie
Burbank William Kindree
Doreen
Moor-Mapes
Robin
Rhodes Erin Shaw
Marilyn Spearin
Catherine Watts
MENDING IS STILL
AVAILABLE!
Don't throw out that well loved sweater, jeans, shirt,
tablecloth, toy, just because it has a rip or hole! Our menders at the Tollkeeper's
Cottage are happy to give these items new life. On any Saturday, you may leave your piece,
wrapped in a plastic bag, with the message: "To be mended" and your contact
information. One of our volunteers will be in touch when it's ready. Repairs are by
donation at the Cottage (in cash) or by e-transfer at tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com. On the e-transfer you need to ask a
question with the answer "museum."
|
NEW--SUNDAY
OPENINGS We
know that Saturday is not possible for all who would like to visit the
Tollkeeper's Cottage, so in addition to our regular Saturdays, beginning on
Sunday April 7, we will be open the first Sunday of every month from
1:00-4:00! |
|
|
|
|
VICTORIA DAY Are you
ready for another elegant Victoria Day Tea with fine china and biscuits? May 20, $10
adults $5 kids
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE IMPACT OF BILL
23: MORE HOMES BUILT FASTER ACT
Many of you who live in Seaton Village know that the
Residents' Association has become active again. Jeannette Mazzocato and Ed Janiszewski,
both on the Community History Project Board, have attended the SVRA meetings and we are eager
to see where collaboration will be possible on heritage matters. The issue right now is what
buildings in this neighbourhood need to be designated before their time as listed buildings
runs out, as per the province's Bill 23, passed by the provincial government in Nov.
2022. If the buildings do not receive designation by the end of 2024, they
will be unprotected from possible development and will be unable to achieve protected status
for another five years. Some of the buildings we think should be designated are:
the Russian Orthodox Church on Manning Avenue (formerly St. Cyprian's
Anglican Church), St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church on Bathurst Street,
the ambulance building on Markham Street; and two bank
buildings: one on the north east corner of Christie and Dupont (now Popeye's),
and the other across the street, now the A & W. We will be meeting with other
groups hoping to provide a combined response to our local and provincial elected
representatives. If you are interested in helping with this, please let us know at tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com. The SVRA can be contacted through
their google group: https://groups.google.com/g/svranew
|
At this year's Annual General Meeting i we formally
announced and thanked the Trillium Foundation for its generous grant to
us that made possible a brand NEW HEATING AND
COOLING SYSTEM. The gas fired hot water heater will be replaced with
an "on demand" and more environmentally friendly electric HEAT PUMP. We hope that the grant
will extend to replacing and insulating our 25 year old roof over the resource centre to
further improve energy efficiency. These investments will improve your experience and
comfort whenever you visit the Cottage or resource room!
MEMBERSHIP
By taking out a membership at the low cost of $20, you can support our work and
participate in the decision-making at Annual General Meetings. Current membership runs
from this January to December. You may e-transfer the funds to tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com with your name, email and home address.
Be sure to type membership in the message section. Tax receipts the following
February.
Also, we are eager to showcase the skills of
more VOLUNTEERS, including docents and people skilled in nineteenth
century crafts (spinners! YES!). We can also use people to help with maintenance,
gardening, finance, governance, tech skills. Let us know at tollkeeperscottage@gmail.com.
|
You may have noticed that
the HERITAGE PLAQUE describing the importance of Davenport Road has been
missing for many months--a victim of one of the thefts of such coveted bronze signs
around the city. Our Board of Directors has followed up and seen a preview of the new,
re-worded plaque that emphasizes local Indigenous heritage. Such is the silver lining
behind this dastardly deed! It'll take several months for the new plaque to be
installed, but do look for it, on the north side of Davenport Road just west of Bathurst
Street.
Davenport Road was known in Ojibwe as Gete-Onigaming: "at the old
portage."
|
|
|