September 2021 Walk

From there you get a beautiful view of old Fort York which used to be on the shore of the lake but because of landfill is now isolated between roads and railway tracks.

Walking west on Fort York Blvd., notice the new modern entrance to Fort York.

This entrance is under the Gardiner Expressway in an area known as The Bentway.  In the same location is a combined roller- and ice-skating loop. The city has made this area which used to be a wasteland very pedestrian-friendly and has installed art works.

If you are lucky, you might see the soldiers drilling at Fort York.

Continue west and south on Fort York Blvd. to Lake Shore Blvd.  Cross over to Coronation Park and walk east to HMCS York Naval Station and the old Tip Top Tailors building, a splendid example of Art Deco architecture and now a sought-after condo building.  At TTT, turn south past some townhouses and walk along an old pier (a sign says “Keep off”) and watch the ferry to the airport perform the shortest ferry ride in the world. 

Once past the Porter airlines terminal, you will see the old Victory Mills silos, stark reminders of Toronto’s past lost industry.  At the base of the silos is the Ireland monument, a tribute to the Irish immigrants who died in the famine and of cholera.

Follow the promenade by the silos north to the bike/pedestrian path and head east to the Music Garden.

Each of several sections is named after a musical movement, e.g. allegro, and was designed by Yo Yo Ma.

At this point, we realized that we had been walking for almost 2 hours and the temperature was about 36ºC.  So, instead of continuing the walk, we headed to the Queen’s Quay Terminal Warehouse for an air-conditioned lunch at The Pearl restaurant. 

On the way, we passed the picturesque H2O beach.

Only $14.95 for a filling lunch!

The continuation of the Harbourfront walk is planned for the next newsletter.