Urban Tour Reflection Paper

1 Urban Tour Reflection Paper Our urban tour of the Cabbagetown area in Toronto would have started a little earlier but still the same; we enjoyed it! The tour's objective was to help us learn the history of the neighborhood and learn more about the historical public housing projects in the city, like the Spruce Court Co-op. We started well, and while on the bus, some of my colleagues began assuming responsibilities of a tour guide, assuming to know every feature we passed by while on our way. Some were good at it, but others appeared very shy. Nonetheless, they managed to do great in their effort to make the tourist relaxed and comfortable throughout the tour.

We drove our way, and soon we reached the Cabbagetown area. Cabbagetown is a neighborhood located in central Toronto. We were amazed to understand that the area was first known as the village of Don Vale and that it primarily featured farmland dotted with cottages and vegetable plots before the 1850s. Towards the end of the 19th century, the area became home to working-class Irish inhabitants. These inhabitants had some employment in the industries located along the lakeshore.

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2 What amazed most of us concerned how the area came to be called Cabbagetown. After fleeing the potato famines in their homeland, the thousands of Irish immigrants who came into the area in the 18th century were responsible for the town's name change. To help put food on the table, most Irish inhabitants would supplement their income b growing cabbages on their front lawns. As a result, the front lawns were full of cabbages to the extent that the area came to be known as Cabbagetown (Coopersmith, 1998). Wow! That was interesting to hear.

As we toured the town, we realized that it primarily features semi-detached Victorian houses. It has been described as the largest continuous area featuring preserved Victorian housing in all North America. Credit to the early Irish inhabitants, homes in this area is Victorian style, beautifully developed, brick row houses, and massive historical status homes. The soaring ceilings, front porches, the colorful original stained-glass windows, and the fine wood-carved banisters can charm an individual looking at one of these stately heritage homes. You could tell from everyone’s face that they were not only amazed but also admired this place.

Given the rich history associated with the Cabbagetown area and the restrictions put on buildings by the Cabbagetown Preservation Association, most of the beautiful homes in this neighborhood developed between 1860 and 1895 have been preserved remain original (Butler, 2013). The streets in Cabbagetown appear as if they are out of a historical film set. The restoration of some of the streets has been done with utmost care. We also understood that Cabbagetown is home to many writers, journalists, musicians, and artists. It is also the residence of many social workers, doctors, and professors primarily associated with the University of Toronto located nearby. The area has also become popular with such other professionals as lawyers, management consultants, and individuals in the financial services primarily because of its proximity to the downtown core and financial district.

3 As we continued moving throughout the area, I realized that Cabbagetown is also somewhat of a tourist destination. In this area, one will find many alternatives for walking tours that exhibit the amazing Victorian and historic homes in Cabbagetown and provide information on some of the popular names in the media that have lived in this area. Based on what I managed to see, living in that neighborhood can be likened to living in a small village without being too far out of touch from downtown Toronto. The Cabbagetown area features many mom-and-pop shops whose owners take a lot of pride. It will be a good feeling to give back to your community by doing your shopping from the shops within.

That notwithstanding, I also realized that Cabbagetown is a family-focused and dogfriendly neighborhood. As I continued to move about the area, I could see strollers sliding down the sidewalk with parents who could hardly hide their joy while taking their fresh cup of coffee.

We got information that a good cup of espresso can easily be found in this area and that brunching is a Sunday sport in Cabbagetown. Seeing dogs running at the park is a common thing at this place, just like weekend boot camp classes and yoga. What a wonderful place to live in! I can surely enjoy living in this area because of its beauty and my love for pets like dogs.

We also learned of Cabbagetown's recreational center, which is Riverdale Park, the home to Riverdale Farm. Modeled after the 19th-century Victorian farm, Riverdale Farm has such animals as ducks, geese, chickens, goats, sheep, pigs, cows, and horses. People can visit the farm on any day of the week. Apart from serving as an access point to the Lower Don Recreation Trail, Riverdale Park also has various sports fields. In addition, there is the Cabbagetown Community Arts Center situated on Parliament Street for children. Children can enjoy the music, drama, and dance programs offered at this place. On the other hand, youths can take advantage of the sports and arts and crafts programs offered at the Cabbagetown Youth Center on Lancaster

4 Avenue. Lastly, readers and those doing some academic research studies can get help from Cabbagetown's Public Library is located along the corner of Gerrard Street and Parliament.

Another thing I learned of this neighborhood during our tour concerns transportation. The Parliament streetcar and the Sherbourne bus connect passengers from all over the area to stations on the Bloor-Danforth subway line. On the other hand, the Carlton and Wellesley Street buses connect passengers to the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line. Regarding the motorists, the Don Valley Parkway is only a few minutes away, and driving for a few minutes will lead you to Toronto's downtown business and entertainment districts (Dunkelman, 2020).

It was also mentioned that there are many public housing projects in Cabbagetown.

However, the Spruce Court Co-op is the most historical of them all. It was started in 1913 with the primary objective of providing low-cost housing for the working class earners. The nurses working at the newly constructed Toronto General Hospital were the primary targets when the 77 units of Spruce Court Co-op were being developed (Garner, 2002). The buildings were developed based on the English garden city ideal under the leadership of Eden Smith. The plan was meant to combine the best city and country living, access to fresh air, gardens, trees, lawns, and other urban conveniences. Today, Spruce Court can easily be noticed by its human scale and simple layout, yet enormous series of spaces and vistas between the units. The Spruce Court Coop buildings feature comfortable, well-designed interiors with vernacular but elegant details following the art and craft design. The Spruce Court Co-op is evidently one of the major players in the Canadian housing market that Walks (2014) has described to be sound, prudent, appropriately regulated, and effective.

Based on my experience and what I managed to see during our urban tour, the Cabbagetown area is not all about cabbages. It represents one of the most popular neighborhoods

5 in Toronto and is filled with residents from diverse backgrounds. The neighborhood contains the largest collection of Victorian homes in North America, primarily developed in the 18th and early 19th centuries. The Cabbagetown Preservation Association has managed to do a commendable job restoring most of the houses in this area. Furthermore, the body has ensured that all the renovations and new developments in the area do not kill the historical nature of this neighborhood. I significantly enjoyed our urban tour because of the fun I had with my classmates along the way. It was also fascinating to learn of the historical nature of Cabbagetown and how attractive the town has become attractive to many people in Toronto. Given an opportunity, I will come back to this area for a tour once again or even stay over there.

6 References Butler, J. (2013). Cabbagetown diary: a documentary. Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press.

Coopersmith, P. (1998). Cabbagetown: The Story of a Victorian Neighbourhood. James Lorimer & Company.

Dunkelman, D. (2020). Neighborhood guide: Cabbagetown. https://www.neighbourhoodguide.com/toronto/downtown/cabbagetown/?wplpage=3 Garner, H. (2002). Cabbagetown: The Classic Novel of the Depression in Canada. McGraw-Hill Ryerson.

Walks, A. (2014). Canada's Housing Bubble Story: Mortgage Securitization, the State, and the Global Financial Crisis. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 38(1), 256-284.