Rivers, Cabbages, and Doctors Walking Tour
Explore Cabbagetown and Riverdale Park West through a new lens to discover key markers of Toronto's history and development.
Date and time
Location
Riverdale Park West, corner of Winchester St. and Sumach St.
Winchest St. and Sumach St. Toronto, ON M4X 1B8 CanadaRefund Policy
About this event
Explore Cabbagetown through a new lens to discover key markers of Toronto's history and development. From stories of immigration to early public health institutions, from the legacy of the Riverdale Zoo (now Riverdale Farm) to the Women's Medical College, unpack how Cabbagetown and Riverdale Park West have contributed to the growth of the city.
This tour was developed and will be led by Gilles Huot. Gilles has lived in Cabbagetown since 2005. He started his long civil service career in communications – writing, editing, and translating, before transitioning to policy work. One of Gilles’ passions is the history of his adopted city, Toronto. Gilles chairs the CPA Walking Tour and Cabbagetown People committees. Gilles also volunteers with other organizations such as the Royal Ontario Museum and la Société d’histoire de Toronto.
Please note that dogs are not permitted inside of Riverdale Farm.
Start Point: Riverdale Park West, near the corner of Winchester St. and Sumach St.
Our staff and volunteers will be at the tour's starting location 30 minutes prior to each tour. Please arrive at least 5-10 minutes prior to the start of the tour to allow time for check in. Feel free to call us at (647) 542-3450 if you are having trouble finding the start location.
End Point: Riverdale Park West, near the corner of Winchester St. and Sumach St.
Length of Tour: Approximately 90 minutes
Distance and Terrain: Approximately 2 kilometres, mostly on city sidewalks and some non-paved urban parks. Please note there is a steep slope going down inside Riverdale Farm, as well as a set of stairs going up along the route.
Ticket Price and Registration: This tour is provided for $8.00/person. The total cost is $9.85 (includes a $1.85 transaction fee). Please note that space is limited on our tours. You may not be able to join a tour group if you have not registered ahead of time.
This tour uses individual audio headsets. All registered participants will be provided with an individual headset that will allow you to hear the tour guide throughout the tour.
Frequently asked questions
The closest TTC stop is at Parliament St. and Winchester St. taking the 65 bus or Carlton St. and Parliament St. taking the 506 streetcar. There is free street parking in Cabbagetown after 10:00am, and the nearest Green P at 51 Aberdeen Ave., M4X 1A1.
If you're running late for a tour and the tour has already left the starting location, look for the Heritage Toronto flag and group around the start location. You can also call us at (647) 542-3450.
Tours run rain or shine, so feel free to bring your umbrella or other rain gear. We will contact you if a tour is cancelled.
After the tour, you will receive a post-tour survey through an Eventbrite email. Please feel free to fill out the survey and give us feedback about your tour experience!
We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes and considering bringing sunscreen and water to make your tour as enjoyable as possible.
As a walking tour, there are limited opportunities to sit throughout the tour and participants will be standing/walking for the majority of the tour, although there may be benches and ledges along the way! Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions about accessibility.
We cannot provide refunds unless we have to cancel the tour. If before the tour you realize you cannot attend, you can transfer your ticket to another Heritage Toronto tour of the same price.