Every year, Jane’s Walks celebrate the legacy of urban philosopher Jane Jacobs, a force for livable cities and vibrant neighbourhoods. Jane’s Walks are guided tours led by knowledgeable locals around interesting corners of the city.

Whether you’re walking down the block to learn more about your ‘hood, or venturing to an as-yet-unexplored corner of Toronto to experience a part of the city you’ve never seen before, Jane’s Walks are a great way to fall back in love with the place you call home. There are a great variety of awesome walks happening, so peruse their site for full details, or take a look at our top picks, below! 

Saturday, May 5th

7:30 am: DOG-FRIENDLY WALK: Toronto’s Changing Waterfront
Start: Northeast corner of Queen St. E and River St. outside the Humane Society
End: Toronto Music Garden, Spadina and Queen’s Quay

Explore the changing face of Toronto’s waterfront by bringing your pup along for a look at the best of new and old.

11 am: A Second Look at Regent Park
Start: Regent Park Presentation Centre, 500 Dundas St. E.
End: Daniels Centre of Learning, 540 Dundas St. E.

Hear personal stories from the people who live in the Regent Park community as it undergoes massive change through an ambitious revitalization. Two perspectives will be given at each stop to represent the diversity of the neighbourhood. 

1 pm:  These are the People in your Neighbourhood
Start: St. Anthony’s Church, 1041 Bloor St. W. 
End: Near Ossington Subway Station

In an interactive performance starring students from fourth and fifth grade classes at Dovercourt Public School, the kids will introduce you to local business owners.

1 pm: Jungle City Walk
Start: 10 Old Meadow Lane
End: 10 Old Meadow Lane

They say it best: “Cabbies getting lost. Continuous circles that wrap around the highway. More trees than people. Often talked about, but rarely understood.”

2:30 pm: You can’t do that at City Hall!
Start: Northwest corner of Portland and Richmond St. W.
End: Bathurst and Dundas

Councillor Adam Vaughan will take you on a tour of exciting developments in Ward 20. And they said it couldn’t be done!

3 pm: Graffiti in Toronto
Start: The Hug Tree on the Northwest corner of Queen St. W. and Soho St. 
End: Queen St W. and Portland St.

This tour will be a primer on graffiti, an artform that has been with humankind since cave paintings and evolved to incredible heights of misunderstood artistry. 

Sunday, May 6th 

1 pm: Garrison Creek Spring Rising
Start: Southeast corner of Dundas W. and Crawford St. 
End: Harbourfront Community Centre

Wear blue to retrace Garrison Creek, and rebirth the creek as a human river! There will be a pre-walk craft and costume party at noon. 

2 pm: BIKE TOUR: Hidden Laneways of Ward 19
Start: Main gates of Trinity Bellwoods Park, Queen and Strachan

This bike tour will take you to see the homes and art hidden around the city, and explore the idea of a secret hidden laneway bike network. 

3 pm: ALL AGES: Why Cheap Parks are More Fun
Start: MacGregor Park
End: Campbell Park

Learn what can happen when public space is put under a parks conservancy, with fun activities for kids! Ends with a destination campfire. 

6 pm: Dark Age Ahead-The Wizard of Ossington Jane’s Walk
Start: In front of Ossington Station
End: South-east corner of Christie Pits Park

Based on Jane Jacobs’s final book, which outlined five pillars of culture that are in decline, this walk will use the Ossington, Garrison Creek, AfriVillage and Christie Pits neighbourhoods to discuss the topics Jacobs explored in her last work. See the crookedest houses in Toronto, the Lost Rivers, the Labyrinth Project, and maybe meet the Wizard of Ossington!

~ Haley Cullingham