Rediscovering Thorncliffe Racetrack
Edward Brown & Barry Pieterson
On the same weekend as the running of the 152nd edition of the Kentucky Derby, explore a former horse-racing track from another era, closer to home. Thorncliffe Raceway hosted horse-racing events between 1917 and 1952. Scenes from the 1925 silent film Lady Windermere's Fan provide a rare glimpse of the racetrack in its heyday. Author Edward Brown (Flemingdon Park, No Mean Neighbourhood, Friesen Press, 2026) and former Thorncliffe Park resident Barry Pietersen lead a walk retracing the mile-long track from the starting gate to the finish line, revealing the track's fascinating history and the unique neighbourhood of Thorncliffe Park that followed in its wake, along with a few other historical points along the way.
Walk Start Location:
The walk starts at 8 Thorncliffe Park Drive, beside the Petro-Canada station at the southeast corner of Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Blvd.
Walk End Location:
The walk ends at 8 Thorncliffe Park Drive, beside the Petro-Canada station at the southeast corner of Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Blvd.
Date:
Language:
Sunday, May 3
English
Start Time:
2:00:00 PM
Duration:
1:15:00
Theme:
Architecture and Urban Planning, Arts and Culture, History and Places, Lived experiences and personal perspectives, People and Communities
Accessibility:
Busy sidewalks, Indoor stops, Dog-friendly walk
Attendees Identify You:
Look for the guys with clipboards standing with the crowd gathered below the Petro-Canada Station sign at the southeast corner of 8 Thorncliffe Park Drive and Overlea Boulevard.