The Winchester Hotel is a three-and-a-half storey red brick structure, adjoined to the equally renowned Winchester Hall, located at the south-east corner of Parliament and Winchester. Sometimes referred to as the Lake View Hotel, architects Kennedy and Holland completed the building’s construction in 1888, contributing a much needed low-rise lodge to the neighbourhood. In 1941, architect Benjamin Swartz altered the hotel’s interior, changing the design to fit the tropes of the Art Moderne style. Today, the Winchester Hotel is still opened for business and stands as a fundamental Second Empire example in Cabbagetown, despite alterations to the interior. Key Characteristics …

This weekend, Cabbagetown will kick off the new month with some great events. As discussed in last week’s post (click here if you didn’t get the chance to review it!), Riverside’s Street Fest “Eats and Beats” will be held June 1st, from 1-6pm, promising an energetic afternoon of food sampling, live entertainment, and family activities. At the same time, the Riverdale Art Walk will carry through the weekend, allowing participants to observe fine art from emerging and established artists in a variety of environments across the neighbourhood.  Lastly, the Cabbagetown Preservation Association’s Garden Tour, titled “Hidden Gardens and Private Spaces“, will take …

The St. James the Less Chapel has served as both a parish church and cemetery for the historic St. James Cathedral for over a century, making it one of Toronto’s central cultural facilities. The rich origins of the St. James the Less Chapel compel tourists and historians from all around the world to visit the Cabbagetown community and walk the Chapel’s religious grounds every year. As St. James the Less Chapel is a also a bold example of Gothic Revival architecture, the structure is considered to be a great pride of the Cabbagetown Conservation District. A Brief History of the St. …

Another month has nearly passed us by — but not without a grand goodbye. For the end of May and beginning of June, numerous businesses community groups have some excellent Cabbagetown sales, events, and promotions planned. Let’s take a look at some of the things to get excited about: Riverdale’s Street Fest and Art Walk Eats and Beats in Riverdale From 1pm to 6pm on Saturday, June 1st, get ready for the annual Riverside street festival. There is sure to be fun for the whole family, including food sampling from local eateries and sundry performances. Participants will receive a “Riverside …

The John Douglas House stands placidly in the heart of the Cabbagetown Metacalfe Heritage Conservation District as a 2 storey residential rowhouse of unique Classical Revival features. Unlike many other prominent styles in Cabbagetown, the Classical Revival trend can only be found at this location and one other — the Canadian Bank of Commerce on Carlton Street. Interestingly enough, the John Douglas House was first modelled after the Italianate style in 1875. It wasn’t until 1891, when architect John Wilson Gray took the initiative to remodel, that the home transformed into an example of Classical Revival, which by that point had become outdated. By …

Although so much has already happened this Month, the last two weeks of May promise to be just as exciting. As discussed in earlier posts, we have the Safety Walk coming-up on Thursday and the Community Yard Sale on the 25th. Before we get to this week’s Cabbagetown sales and events, acknowledgements are due: the Forsythia Festival was a huge hit again this year and could not have reached the same success without the support of the community. As well, the community’s enthusiasm toward Mother’s Day this year was truly great — we hope everyone had a splendid weekend around …

The Cabbagetown Preservation Association’s annual “Hidden Gardens and Private Spaces” event will be held Sunday, June 2nd, between 10am and 3pm. During the course of the day, participants will have the chance to visit 10 private gardens from around the Cabbagetown Heritage Conservation District. Using the map on the back of the ticket, visitors will guide themselves around the neighbourhood, interacting with each other and with the gardeners from each home. Gardeners are open for questions and will provide residents with valuable information on utilizing space, dealing with wildlife, and picking materials/plants/soils. For additional questions, Michael Hepburn of Hepburn Landscape …

Built in 1872, the Toronto Necropolis Chapel remains a stellar example of Gothic Revival architecture in Cabbagetown,  attracting many visitors from around the world each year. Known literally as the “City of the Dead”, the Necropolis Church’s 7 hectare grounds became Toronto’s second non-sectarian cemetery, after replacing Potter’s Field of Old York. During the transition, 984 bodies were transported from Potter’s Field to the Necropolis Chapel, where they were buried in a special section known as “The Resting Place of Pioneers”. Of the bodies currently buried at 200 Winchester Street, William Lyon Mackenzie, Toronto’s first mayor, and George Brown, a confederate …

Last week, we talked a lot about two big events coming-up in Cabbagetown: (1) The Forsythia Festival this Sunday and (2) The Community Yard Sale on May 25th. While the whole community waits in anticipation for these two weekends to come, local shops and businesses have created their own spring incentives to get you in the stores. Here’s a list of Cabbagetown’s local sales and events for the beginning of the new month: Should Number 9 Recording Studios Be Your First Choice? Musicians of Cabbagetown rejoice! Number 9 Studios is proud to offer local artists a professional production service. Complete …

Second Empire architecture is among the most popular styles that can be found throughout Cabbagetown and in many other districts of Toronto. Originally introduced at the end of the 19th century, many luxury homes were built in accordance to this style. Of course, this was not always the case, and there are many modest homes in the city that resemble the characteristics of Second Empire architecture. 130 Amelia Street One example of a Second Empire heritage home in Cabbagetown is 130 Amelia Street, another property a part of the Metacalfe Heritage Conservation District. As can be seen with the predominant black …