Summary: Riverdale Walk – September 3, 2019 at 10:00 am (Fall Walk)

On the morning of Tuesday Sept. 3rd, the last of the Tuesday Academy Walks of the Season, I was delighted to greet 17 Academy members and friends at Pape TTC station to lead them on my very personal tour of Riverdale and its environs.

Pointing out highlights directly across the TTC station, including the Seniors Rental Apartment tower with associated 'Retirement' residences and the twice-daily Fallsview Casino bus pick-up across the station, we progressed across the Danforth past the Century-old  Riverdale Presbyterian Church, recently partially re-purposed to luxury condos, and the neighbouring social housing complex, participants were invited for a walk-through of our 80's renovated Riverdale semi-detached home and urban garden.

From here heading West along Withrow Park with highlights of recent real-estate multi-million-dollar offerings, passing memorial benches dedicated to beloved  family members, both human and feline,  we stopped at the entrance to the historic 'Bain Ave. Co-op' where we lucked into a resting-on-a-bench, large-hatted co-op residents more than happy to provide century-old history and current issues. The rest- stop at Bridgepoint Hospital's 10th floor patio-garden was highlighted by a visit of hospital resident, Karen Snelson, who seemed delighted to see our group.

Leaving the hospital past the sculpture garden of the amazing 20 large works by artist William Lishma, winding through the Riverdale Farm and Cabbagetown, we ended our tour at the much-loved 'Pear Tree Cafe' where 15 of of us had a delightful luncheon in the open back terrace.  Looking forward to as many of the Monday morning September walks as TIFF-fever will will allow.

by Rene Laukat