East York Historical Tour

"The county was first surveyed in 1791 and was originally called Dublin Township. Its name was changed several years later by Governor John Simcoe to honour the Duke of York. East York was a municipal township in York County. Early settlements in East York included the communities of Leslieville, Norway, Doncaster and Todmorden.

An area of the township close to the eastern branch of the Don River was the site of several early industries built to supply York (what Toronto was then called), the first of which were a sawmill and gristmill built by the brothers, Aaron and Isaiah Skinner. Prominent industrialist families included the Helliwells, who erected a brewery and distillery, and the Taylors with paper mills. Carding and woollen mills were also located here. Todmorden Mills Heritage Site presents this part of Toronto's industrial heritage.

The area was a prosperous agricultural area between 1840 and 1880, growing wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, peas, beans and turnips. Urban encroachment on the township began shortly thereafter. With the annexation of North Toronto in 1912 and the separation of Leaside in 1913, the east and west sections of the county were isolated. In the 1920s further pieces of the county were split, including the suburban township of East York. In 1967 the township of East York was reunited with the town of Leaside to become the borough of East York. Today East York is an integral part of Toronto." (The Canadian Encyclopedia)

Join us for a FREE, public walking tour that will be a good experience for anyone: whether you’re 8 or 80 years old, and whether you’re a curious local, solo traveler, backpacker, part of a small groups of friends, or a newcomer.

ABOUT

Beginning in front of East York Civic Centre (850 Coxwell Ave, East York, ON M4C 5R1), the interactive tour will be hosted by your guide Alex Rascanu. The tour will focus on East York community's history. The historical tour will conclude at Mofer Coffee Danforth (1577 Danforth Ave unit 1, Toronto, ON M4C 1H7).

WHEN

Saturday, September 7, 2024 at 10:00am. The tour will last approximately 90 minutes.

WHERE TO MEET

The tour will start in front of East York Civic Centre (850 Coxwell Ave, East York, ON M4C 5R1).

WHERE IT ENDS

This tour will end at Mofer Coffee Danforth (1577 Danforth Ave unit 1, Toronto, ON M4C 1H7), where you can order coffee and/or brunch and spend some more time speaking and connecting with fellow historical tour participants.

ORGANIZED BY

Alex Rascanu advises on Toronto-area commercial and residential real estate acquisitions and sales. He provides expert advice to investors, entrepreneurs, publicly-listed, private and family companies, sponsor-backed businesses and management teams, and lenders. Clients benefit from Alex Rascanu’s expertise and extensive network. Learn more and connect with Alex Rascanu: Rascanu.com.

JOIN OUR MEETUP GROUP

You may enjoy being part of our meetup group, where we post photos from past events and you can discuss with attendees about each of our events: meetup.com/ExperienceTO.

Host or Publisher Alex Rascanu