Walking in The Ward in 2026

John Lorinc, freelance journalist, and Tatum Taylor Chaubal, heritage planner, will co-lead a walk through The Ward, Toronto's first non-anglo immigrant neighbourhood, which functioned as an arrival city for a century -- for Black refugees, Irish potato famine survivors, Jews fleeing pogroms, Italians looking for economic opportunities and Chinese/Chinese Canadians establishing communities in eastern Canada. Much of the area was cleared post-war to make room for a new city hall and other large development projects, but some old Ward buildings remain, as do many stories.

Walk Start Location:

Church of the Holy Trinity, steps on the west end (access via Bay Street north of Albert or Eaton Centre, exit onto Trinity Square.

Walk End Location:

same