Remembrance Week Project: “They walked these streets… We will remember them”

Join us on Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, for a special event presented by the Remembrance Week Project titled On “Active” Service—Stories from the Field and on the Home Front during World War I and II. This unique evening will share stories of soldiers from Toronto’s west-end neighborhoods—Bloor West Village, Junction, High Park, Roncesvalles, and Parkdale—who served in World War I and II but never returned home.

• Date & Time: Tuesday, November 5th, 2024, from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
• Location: Memorial Hall, Runnymede United Church, 432 Runnymede Road, Toronto, ON M6S 2Y8 (Two blocks north of Bloor Street on the west side of the street. Closest subway stop: Runnymede. Take the 71 or 79 buses north. The bus stop is across the street from the church.)

What to Expect:

• Stories of soldiers: Hear about soldiers from all military forces who walked the streets of West Toronto, brought to life by project coordinator Katy Whitfield.
• Historical displays: Explore curated exhibits of artifacts, photographs, letters, and service records from the Runnymede United Church Archives, highlighting the soldiers’ service and community responses on the Home Front.
• Interactive activities: Kids can create pool noodle poppies to be added to neighborhood commemorative displays, participate in a scavenger hunt with info cards, or make a Remembrance Day poster to take home.
• Reflection and community: Join friends, neighbors, and community members to pause, reflect, and honor the memories of those who sacrificed their lives in both World Wars.

All are welcome! This is a free, family-friendly event with light refreshments provided. The venue is accessible (an elevator is available at the northeast entrance off Runnymede Road).

For more information, contact us at: theywalkedthesestreets@gmail.com.

Explore the Junction and its unique history like never before–with booze and boos! Join Junction historian and veteran tour guide Neil Ross for a night of spooky tales from the Junction’s past, told in some of the neighborhood’s favorite watering holes.

Snacks will be provided at one of the stops. Please drink responsibly.

Please note that the event is 19+ and not accessible (involves stairs).

Two Dates to choose from: Friday, October 18, 2024; Saturday, October 19, 2024.

Location: The tour begins at Axis Cafe, 3048 Dundas Street West.

Start time: 7:00pm. Please arrive 15 minutes in advance to check in.

Tickets: $25 for non-members of WTJHS | $10 for WTJHS members.

To purchase tickets, please visit the following link and select the date you want to attend: 

**Limited number of tickets available so purchase early!**

WTJHS thanks Axis Cafe and Shox Billiard Lounge for their generous support and contributions to the event.

Join us at the Annette Street Library at 6:30 pm on October 3, 2024, for a stimulating presentation by Chris Higgins based on his recent book, RIVERSTORYZ.

Most of what people know about the Humber is inscribed on heritage plaques, or published on popular websites. But there are other stories about this river in Toronto’s west end. If you care to search archival newspapers, they turn up in bunches. There were criminals who rampaged along the Humber, and cops that tried to stop them; schools of fish that were driven away; swimmers who drowned, and those that left for cleaner waters; artists and musicians who drew inspiration there; a silent film studio that made it their backdrop; a swinging dancehall that burned to the ground; brawls, liquor, accidents, killings, and drownings.

To learn about the Humber, by all means, read the plaques and surf the web. But for the rare stuff, read RIVERSTORYZ.

Date & Time: October 3, 2024. Doors open at 6:30 pm, event starts promptly at 6:45 pm and will end by 8:00 pm.

Location: Auditorium, lower level of Annette Street Library, 145 Annette Street (two blocks west of Keele Street)

A video recording of this meeting is now available for viewing via this DropBox link:

Meet our Presenter, Chris Higgins

Chris was born in Montreal but has been living happily in Toronto since the 1980s. After a 29-year teaching career with the Toronto District School Board, he retired in 2020 and took up writing. Chris’s first book – “BRICK by BRICK: Swansea Public School, 1890-2020” – was a love letter to a school where he’d taught for 17 years. Next came “RIVERSTORYZ: Conversations on the Humber.” Chris is currently working on “The Gaol Carpenter’s Diary,” a work of historical fiction about a jail employee who witnesses eleven high profile murder cases in nineteenth century Toronto.

Discover the unique history of the Junction and learn about efforts to preserve its rich heritage at our upcoming event, “Junction Heritage, Then and Now: Planning to Preserve the Junction.”

Date: Thursday, June 6, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: St. John’s West Toronto Anglican Church, 288 Humberside Ave (between High Park Ave. and Quebec Ave.)
This event will be held both, in-person and on Zoom.

Why the Junction Matters: Once a separate city before merging with Toronto in 1909, the Junction boasts numerous heritage resources that chronicle its development. The Junction Heritage Conservation District (JHCD) organization is collaborating with the City of Toronto to protect Dundas Street West under the Ontario Heritage Act. This event will shed light on our ongoing initiatives to promote heritage conservation in the area.

What to Expect:

• Introduction to Our Work: Learn about the JHCD’s efforts, including our website and streetscape mapping initiative.
• Heritage Conservation District Study: Discover the current progress towards designating Dundas St. West as a heritage conservation district, supported by City Council funding.

Featured Speakers:

• Marilyn Miller, Chair JHCD Board: A retired heritage planner with experience in the Ontario Ministry of Culture and the City of Toronto, and a resident of the Junction area.
• Charles Hazell, Vice Chair JHCD Board: An architect with a practice on Dundas St. in the Junction, known for developing heritage plans across Toronto.

For more information about the Junction Heritage Conservation District, visit conservejunctionheritage.org.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the community and play a role in preserving the Junction’s unique heritage. We look forward to seeing you there!