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Potluck Picnic in the Park...June 6, 4:30-7:30...Riverdale Park West, outside the Farm

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416 629 3655

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Dance Schools Toronto | Toronto Dance Company | The School of CCDT

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Dance Schools Toronto | Toronto Dance Company | The School of CCDT

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Register for dance classes today 416-924-5657. The School CCDT offers classes in modern dance, ballet, jazz, tap & more at our Toronto Studio.

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Toronto Personal Trainer, Nutrition & Fitness Coach, Ladylean

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Ladylean: personal trainer providing fitness coaching, diet & nutrition consulting in downtown Toronto. The body is a machine. Fuel it right. Keep it lean

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Aluna Theatre is a not-for-profit charitable company that creates, develops, produces and presents artistically innovative and culturally diverse performance work, with a focus on Latin Canadian and women artists.
Click here for a google map to Aluna Click here for TTC from Dundas West Station

Events Calendar

STONES (more...)

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Aluna Theatre is a not-for-profit charitable company that creates, develops, produces and presents artistically innovative and culturally diverse performance work, with a focus on Latin Canadian and women artists. Click here for a google map to Aluna Click here for TTC from Dundas West Station STONES (more...)

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50 years of leading contemporary dance training in Canada

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Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces Tour 2018

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Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces Tour 2018

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Hidden Gardens & Private Spaces Tour 2018 | Cabbagetown Preservation Association

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The Cabbagetown Preservation Association information booth (blue canopy) will be located at 89 Winchester Street (south side, west of Sackville Street) on the day of the tour. We will provide information, sell tour tickets and other CPA merchandise. Note that the first 150 people to visit the booth will be offered a pansy plant, courtesy of Blooming Flower Bar.

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In the heart of downtown Toronto

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201 Winchester St, Toronto

TTC Information: Travel to Castle Frank Station, eastbound platform. Board the 65 Parliament towards Esplanade. Exit on Parliament Street at Winchester Street. Turn left on Winchester and walk to arrive at 201 Winchester Street.

Click for the Riverdale Farm Map, hand painted on wood by local artist Tim Zeltner.

Riverdale Farm officially opened on September 9, 1978. Originally owned by John Scadding, the City of Toronto purchased what was to be Riverdale Park in 1856. In 1894, the Riverdale Zoo opened to become Toronto's first zoo, but eventually it was closed in 1974 with the animals relocated to the new Toronto Zoo in Scarborough. From 1974 to 1978, many of the Riverdale Zoo buildings were removed and the site levelled. The Residence, the Donnybrook, and the Island House buildings are the only zoo buildings left remaining on the Riverdale site.

The Francey Barn

This barn is located inside the main gates. Originally built in 1858 on a farm in the Markham Township, it was donated by Mrs Garnett Francey to the City of Toronto in 1977. The Francey Barn is a rare type of architecture, known as a Pennsylvania Bank Barn. Bank Barns are built on the side of hills or river banks. This has the advantage of having an upper and lower floor accessible from ground level. The animals are housed on the lower level, while upstairs the Francey Barn holds tonnes of hay, straw and feed.

The Simpson House

The Victorian-style farmhouse, named after the restoration architect ( Napier Simpson Jr.) who built it, is to the left of the main entrance. It is a reproduction of the original Francey farmhouse to complement the Francey Barn. Public washrooms are located on the ground floor. Wheelchair access is on the north side of the Simpson House.

The Pig and Poultry Barn

This Barn is located to the east of the Simpson House. Domesticated waterfowl, chickens, turkeys and pigs are found in and around this barn. During the day our waterfowl can be found visiting the Duck Pond located across from the Meeting House. The Farm regularly replenishes the flock of chickens and turkeys.

The Driveshed

At Riverdale Farm, this building serves a number of purposes and the lower level is open to the public for special events and seasonal education / interpretive programs.

The Meeting House

The three-storey building, completed in 1993 is located at the east-end of Riverdale Farm by the duck pond. Recreational and interpretive activities are offered to the public inside the Meeting House. The farm's lost and found, first aid, public washrooms and baby changing facilities are all found on the main floor. Pottery and spinning/weaving rooms are located downstairs. Classes are offered seasonally from September to June. The Meeting House is the home base of the Farm's Summer Camp Programs.

The Old Zoo Ruins

From 1894 to 1974, the Riverdale Zoo was located on this site. When the Metro Zoo opened in Scarborough in 1974, the site was restored as a farm to provide children with the chance to see how a farm works.

Three buildings remain from the old Riverdale Zoo:

Donnybrook Ruin stands beside the cow paddock. It was originally a two-storey building, but a tower and the main floor is all that remains today.

Island House sits in the middle of the lower pond. It housed many different kinds of birds and animals during the eighty years of the zoo.

Resident Zookeeper's House is located beside the Meeting House. It was built in 1902 by prisoners of the Toronto Don Jail and functioned as a residence, a staff building, zoo hospital, and temporary morgue for the Necropolis Cemetery. Today, the "Residence" (as it is now called) is used for a variety of farm-related and community-based programs.

Learn and chat with the farmer during daily chores that may include animal feeding, egg collection, cow milking or goat milking (11:30 a.m. daily), horse grooming, and mucking out the stalls, pens and paddocks.

Visit the Residence Saturday and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and chat with the Cabbagetown Regent Park Community Museum volunteers, view the exhibits and displays.

Host your child's (1-8 yrs) birthday party in the Meeting House. To permit facility space in the Residence for your meetings or workshops, contact farm@toronto.ca or 416-392-6794.

Riverdale Farm is a representation of a rural farm in Ontario. It is not a petting zoo. We ask that our visitors do not feed the farm animals, as hand feeding can encourage aggressive behaviour and discourage consumption of their controlled nutritional diet.

Note: Dogs, bicycles, in-line skates, foot scooters, ride toys, and vehicles are not permitted on the Farm property.

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201 Winchester St, Toronto TTC Information: Travel to Castle Frank Station, eastbound platform. Board the 65 Parliament towards Esplanade. Exit on Parliament Street at Winchester Street. Turn left on Winchester and walk to arrive at 201 Winchester Street. Click for the Riverdale Farm Map, hand painted on wood by local artist Tim Zeltner.

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join a guided tour and see what cabbagetown is all about

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Cabbagetown Walks 2018 | Cabbagetown Preservation Association

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Meeting Point: east end of Winchester Street (200 Winchester Street). Winchester Street is the quintessential Cabbagetown street: quaint, tree-lined, with most Victorian architectural styles represented, including a beautifully restored hotel and the only remaining Victorian school building in the area. Winchester Street, throughout its history, connected people and institutions.

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Book your hotel in Cabbagetown, Toronto online. But where exactly? Find all hotels in Cabbagetown, Toronto on a city map. No reservation costs.

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Proposed daycare divides Cabbagetown community

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Proposed daycare divides Cabbagetown community

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In the heart of Cabbagetown, just a stone's throw from the hustle and bustle of the busy downtown core, stands a picture perfect 130-year-old heritage building. And it's empty.

"One of the neighbours approached us and suggested the idea of a daycare and that's when we thought, 'oh, never thought of that but what an excellent idea,'" said Sherry D'Costa, who purchased the building at 461 Sackville Street with her husband in July 2016.

D'Costa recalls the struggle to find appropriate childcare when the couple's two teenage daughters were young, especially while managing a full-time career.

READ MORE: Ontario Liberals vow to offer free child care for pre-schoolers beginning in 2020

"We know there's a big shortage of daycares in Canada, there's a dire need for this," she noted. "Anything we can do to help promote and keep women in the workforce is not just good for the community, it's good for Canada."

D'Costa and her husband Robert Ulicki enlisted the help of an architect who has been involved with the design of six other daycares in the downtown area.

"It's a great neighbourhood for the children, there's so many children already in the neighbourhood, there's parks and facilities they could use, daycares like to take kids out and be around the neighbourhood, so that's all positive things," Lea Wiljer said.

READ MORE: Parents scrambling after government deems Toronto after-school program an unlicensed daycare

Wiljer had expected that the Cabbagetown community would embrace the prospect of a new daycare.

"There are plenty of parents who are really supportive of the daycare. Lots of support letters have come in from people who really love the idea," she said.

"I think the daycare is already full if they take all the kids that want to come here."

The process of getting approval to convert what has traditionally been used as a multi-dwelling unit into a childcare facility has been complex, time consuming and expensive.

"It was $2.15 million and that has to be carried, it's not free money, and we have a mortgage to pay and without any tenants, whether it be a daycare or multi-level residential, there's a cost associated with that," Ulicki said.

Ulicki noted, if the proposed daycare goes ahead as planned, it will cost another $3.5 million when it is all said and done.

But there are no guarantees.

A meeting to review the zoning application is planned for mid-week at Toronto City Hall.

The application received many letters of support, but even more letters of objection, from people like Shauna MacDonald, who lives a few doors away from the building.

She has owned her home for the last 15 years and worries about the "interference" a daycare would cause in people's lives.

"It has nothing to do with it being a daycare, it is only a business that is bringing in 82 people and changing the traffic, because then you're on a high traffic street, and when you're on a high traffic street your property value is less," she said.

As she pointed out, the plan is for the daycare facility to provide spaces for 82 children with up to 18 staff members.

Mother of two Judy Lu sees the benefits, and added value to the community.
READ MORE: 'Our pockets are being squeezed': Ontario family's daycare increases cost after minimum wage hike
"Definitely something to be able to walk your child to, so you don't have to rush to another neighbourhood, is something any parents dream of," Lu said, holding her toddler in her arms.

Lu was unable to find daycare for her daughter and hopes to put her on a waiting list should the proposed daycare become a reality.

City Councillor Lucy Troisi acknowledged there is a need for childcare in downtown Toronto, but noted "it's really about the scale and the location."

Troisi pointed out "we just have to make sure the scale is appropriate and that the site itself is safe for children, especially 82 children that we're talking about for this particular site."

Besides traffic, a big concern for area residents is parking.

As noted in one letter of objection, "There is no space for stopping and parking for pick-up and drop-off. There is limited street parking in Cabbagetown, and the streets are so narrow there is no room to double park."

And in another, "This parking is already limited. Many of these residents are seniors needing a spot close as possible to their home."
READ MORE: Ontario Liberals promise to boost funding for special needs education
Ulicki countered that argument with the fact that the property has a legal parking pad for three vehicles to facilitate drop offs and pick ups. The permit, however, would need to be reapplied for with the change of use. The hope is that the city will support the continued use.

"The parents would drive in, in theory the first car would move forward and there will be someone from the daycare who would be there and accept the child, go in through the side door there and then drives off," Ulicki said.

The "kiss-n-ride" practice would be encouraged so parents maintain a quick drop off and further reduce parking times and take pressure off at peak times.

But as yet another opponent points out in her own letter of objection, "The idea that a kiss-n-ride program and two boulevard parking spots would meet the needs of a facility with a staff of 16-18 and up to 82 children is nonsensical. Noise is a concern as well as the alterations necessary to convert this historical property into a daycare."

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Proposed daycare divides Cabbagetown community

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"We know there's a big shortage of daycares in Canada, there's a dire need for this," she noted. "Anything we can do to help promote and keep women in the workforce is not just good for the community, it's good for Canada."

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Cabbagetown (Toronto) - All You Need to Know Before You Go - UPDATED 2018 (Toronto, Ontario) - TripAdvisor

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Cabbagetown, Toronto: See 103 reviews, articles, and 25 photos of Cabbagetown, ranked No.111 on TripAdvisor among 538 attractions in Toronto.

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Cabbagetown is highly rated for Gardens and Flowers by 7 people

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Top 10 Cabbagetown Hotels: Cheap Hotel Deals C$28

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Check out the top 10 hotels in Cabbagetown, Toronto at Expedia.ca. Compare prices and read user reviews to book the right room

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See inside a 138-year-old house with an all-new interior

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The Cabbagetown Preservation Association (CPA) was founded in 1989 to help preserve the architectural integrity and historic character of Cabbagetown. The CPA was instrumental in the creation of the Cabbagetown heritage conservation districts (HCDs) in the early 2000s.

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About Cabbagetown

In 1983 the Globe and Mail once wrote, "Cabbagetown is probably the epitome of successful labelling. The core of the area-generally defined as being bounded by Parliament, Wellesley and Dundas Streets and the Don Valley, was once Toronto's skid row. Today, about a decade after the area was invaded by young professionals, speculators and real estate agents, there are still a few derelicts around... The houses, meanwhile, sell for upward of $200,000." Oh how the times have changed. From 'skid-row', cabbage gardens, and shared housing, to one of Toronto's most sought-after neighbourhoods. Cabbagetown is an area of Toronto that has seen it all - and offers it all.

Thanks to its early Irish settlers, Cabbagetown homes are beautifully-constructed, Victorian-style, brick row houses and stately historical-status homes. Visitors to a Cabbagetown home are left charmed by fine wood carved banisters, colourful stained-glass windows, painted wood front porches, and beautiful high ceilings.

This is an area of Toronto that takes pride in its rich history and abundant diversity.In fact,in warmer months droves of visitors take part in Cabbagetown Walking tours - that showcase the various architectural marvels of the area and educate about famous Cabbagetown-dwellers throughout history.

Cabbagetown is the neighbourhood for you if you love the feeling of living in a village, without losing the amenities of being centrally located in Toronto's downtown core. It even offers a slice of country-living at Riverdale Farm - accessorized with real-life piglets, horses, chickens, roosters, and cows. Here, you will find children and parents trying to 'talk' to animals, chomping on freshly baked oatmeal cookies and sipping on warm coffee from the local Riverdale Farm gift shop.

On sleepy Sundays, content "Cabbagetowners" stroll their way through the farm towards the local park, to play catch at the local baseball diamond, take the dog off the leash for a run (dog party!!!) or join in on a fitness boot camp. A quick march over the bridge of Riverdale park and you're warmly greeted (yet again) by fancy espresso bars, tree-covered residential streets, and the extremely noteworthy skyline views atop Riverdale park's running-track-rooted hillside.

It's important to note that Cabbagetown might not be the right place for you if you're not comfortable with a little rock-and-roll, or a little 'edge'. Although this is a neighbourhood that plays host to some of Toronto's most influential, highest income-earners, and multimillion dollar homes - it is still residence to a half-way house and an assorted collection of interesting characters. But then again, this is also a part of it's charm! I guess you will have to judge for yourself...

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In 1983 the Globe and Mail once wrote, "Cabbagetown is probably the epitome of successful labelling. The core of the area-generally defined as being bounded by Parliament, Wellesley and Dundas Streets and the Don Valley, was once Toronto's skid row.

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Cabbagetown is one of Toronto's most popular neighbourhoods. Its residents come from a wide variety of backgrounds, however they all share a strong sense of community spirit and pride in their neighbourhood.

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Cabbagetown - Toronto Map - Toronto Neighbourhood Guide

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Cabbagetown is one of Toronto's most popular neighbourhoods. Its residents come from a wide variety of backgrounds, however they all share a strong sense of community spirit and pride in their neighbourhood.

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This residential enclave boasts wonderful restored homes, a popular park and farm and one of the city's top Taiwanese restaurants.

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Sunday May 6, 2018 from 10 AM to 3 PM

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About the Forsythia Festival
Every May, Cabbagetown residents gather at Wellesley Park to celebrate the official welcoming of Spring. Mark your calendars for 2018: the Cabbagetown Residents Association is pleased to be hosting the 47th annual Forsythia Festival on Sunday May 6, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Stay tuned for more details as they are confirmed!

Volunteers needed for 2018 Festival: We need you to help supervise various activity stations at Wellesley Park on the day of the festival. Volunteer shifts are kept short to allow you enough time to enjoy some of the festival with your own family.

We need more than 100 individuals to do everything from face paint, to assist at the food and beverage area, to tie doughnuts to tree branches (which is way more fun than you might think.) We need people to help set up and take down all the tents and activity stations. We even need people to help as marshalls for our Festival-opening neighbourhood parade. If you would like to volunteer, we'd love to have you! Please contact us at info@cabbagetowner.com for more details.
Read about our 2017 Forsythia Festival - no rain or snow!
Parade: We gather at the corner of Sumach and Winchester Streets at 10 a.m. on the day of the festival and march through the neighbourhood. Stay tuned to learn which band will lead the way!

Dress code: Yellow! Dress your strollers, your kids, your pets and yourselves in yellow. Be creative.

Festival at Wellesley Park: The parade ends at Wellesley Park and that's were the serious fun begins. After a short official opening ceremony and welcoming of Spring, activities will begin. Previous years have featured dangling doughnuts, bouncy castle, face painting, parachute game, photo booth, crafts, bubbles, bean bags and a magic show by Scott Dietrich.

Food and beverages: Our 2017 partners were local butcher Mark from St. James Town Steak and Chops and the beer tent was sponsored by local Stout Irish Pub.

Bicycle Tune Up Shop: Another new addition to the 2017 Forsythia Festival was a "Pop Up Spring Tune Up Shop" sponsored by Cycle Solutions.

There are always plenty of prizes available from our generous donors and businesses around Cabbagetown.

Festival Queen and King
Each year, two residents are recognized for their community spirit by being named the Forsythia Festival Queen and King. Their Majesties lead the parade (dressed in yellow of course!) and act as ambassadors at the post-parade event in Wellesley Park.

In 2017, Trish and Andrew Finkelstein were our Festival Queen and King. We received multiple nominations for Trish and Andrew with most lauding Trish's work as a previous board director of the Residents Association and her role as chair of the Forsythia Festival Committee for the past five years before leaving the board in June 2016. Andrew provided enthusiastic support to Trish and the festival by participating in many of the organizing functions and was nominated to be the "power behind the throne".
And remember.... The festival happens rain or shine. History of the Forsythia Festival
The Forsythia Festival was founded in 1971 by the late Tony Brady (1935-1991). Tony was a Cabbagetown resident renowned for his community spirit and love of entertaining young people. The Forsythia Festival was his pride and joy and he can be credited with popularizing it as an annual event in Cabbagetown.

The Forsythia Festival is Cabbagetown's official welcoming of spring. The festival is organized by a committee of volunteer Cabbagetown residents and is made possible by the generous support of our local businesses.
About Wellesley Park
Wellesley Park plays host to the main Forsythia Festival activities each year. The park is situated at the eastern most end of Wellesley Street in Cabbagetown. It is approximately two hectares in size and boasts a wonderful array of trees, large grassy areas, a splash pad for children in the summer and a kids playground that was redesigned by the City in 2005 and embellished with Terry's Gate in 2007; a memorial erected to commemorate the late Terry Michelin who was a much-loved business owner in Cabbagetown.

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Forsythia Festival | Cabbagetown Residents Association - CRA

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About the Forsythia Festival Every May, Cabbagetown residents gather at Wellesley Park to celebrate the official welcoming of Spring. Mark your calendars for 2018: the Cabbagetown Residents Association is pleased to be hosting the 47th annual Forsythia Festival on Sunday May 6, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.