In the final video for our series with famous Toronto Historian Bruce Bell around Old Town Toronto we visited the St. James Cathedral.  The church was initially established in 1797 but rebuilt in 1839 after being burnt down by a fire. As a popular heritage site, often visited by the Queen and Royal Family when in Toronto, the Cathedral Church of St. James is both a parish church ministering to the historic St. Lawrence neighbourhood and a cathedral.

In the fourth part of our series with famous Toronto Historian Bruce Bell around Old Town Toronto we ventured inside the popular St. Lawrence Market. Known as one of the best markets in the world, the St. Lawrence Market is filled with 100+ vendors selling fresh food, local goods and antiques. This 200-year old market was once home to Toronto's City Hall, as well as Toronto's first jail.

  In the third instalment of our video series with Bruce Bell, Toronto’s famous historian, we have profiled St. Lawrence Hall. Built in 1850 by William Thomas, the Hall was to become the city’s home of public gatherings, concerts, and exhibitions. It had a thousand seat amphitheatre, and for decades it was the core of the city’s social scene. It ranks among the finest 19th century Canadian public buildings, and has been a home to the Canadian National Ballet for many years. Today it is used as a popular event venue for weddings, conferences, and art shows.

  Continuing our video series on Old Town Toronto with Bruce Bell, famous Toronto historian, we've profiled the Gooderham Building. This historical landmark, often referred to as the ”Flatiron” is actually older than its cousin building, the world-famous Flatiron in New York City. The Gooderham Building housed the Bank of Toronto, which later merged with the Dominion Bank to become the now popular Toronto Dominion (TD) Bank. Back in 1892 it cost George Gooderham $18,000 to construct and was recently sold for $10.1 million.

  Introducing the first video in our five part series on the history of Old Town Toronto with Bruce Bell. Bell is a popular historian and tour guide, as well as the official historian for St. Lawrence Hall and St. Lawrence Market, who has a passion for the history of Toronto. In the upcoming weeks we will be profiling Bell at historic places in Old Town Toronto including the Gooderham Building, St. James Cathedral, St. Lawrence Hall and of course the St. Lawrence Market.

  Ken Greenberg is an architect and urban designer residing in Toronto. Instead of redevelopment, Greenberg believes in revitalization, and the protection of Waterfront’s historic identity. In the video, Greenberg addresses the importance of redefining the Waterfront neighbourhood in terms of ecology, economy, and society. Greenberg realizes that this community is in need of an integrated set of solutions, that involves creating local shopping spots, schools, playgrounds, and other locations that can shape Waterfront into a real community.

The 'fourth wall' is a term used to describe the imaginary barrier separating an audience from a stage. When an actor speaks directly to the audience, or an audience member interacts with the cast, the fourth wall has been 'broken'. In this video Dave Meslin argues that City Hall also has a fourth wall and forces us to ask how does one break the fourth wall at City Hall to create a culture of local citizen engagement?

Adam Vaughan is serving his second term at Toronto City Hall where he is completing his mandate to bring change. In this video Vaughan discusses how to build a city and the changes that are currently happening in Toronto, including those in the entertainment district. Along with being one of his favourite places in the city, Vaughan acknowledges the changes occurring in the area and believes that the current construction should also include the needs of those living in the area in order sustain growth.

The Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre, slated to open this coming Fall, will be an important pillar for revitalizing the Regent Park Neighbourhood. The centre will be a hub to showcase local talent, provide a social platform for the community and for collaboration between creative people and organizations. The current roster of organization that are already calling this new centre home include (but are not limited to):  COBA Collective of Black Artists, ArtHeart, Regent Park Film Festival, and Centre for Social Innovation Regent Park.

“David Miller Transit Mayor” is an unprecedented web series that explores the life and leadership of Toronto’s 63rd mayor, as explained by Miller himself. Each chapter in this seven-part series, launched on Spacing Toronto every Wednesday, explores the issues that defined Miller’s time in office including the economy, creativity, accessibility, and of course, transit. In the final chapter of the series, filmed at the Humber River Pedestrian Cycling Bridge, Miller explains the symbolism of the bridge and why it’s his favorite spot in the city. Looking outwards, he concludes the series ...