As the city’s oldest neighbourhood, the buildings and landscapes of St. Lawrence are a connection to Toronto’s past, chronicling in built form the evolution of our city. But like so many other historic city centres in North America, much of the neighbourhood was in peril in the 1950s and 60s as industrialization (and then deindustrialization), decay and obsolescence took their toll on this once thriving commercial district.

Join us on this tour as we see how the work, activism and ideas of 20th and 21st century architects, planners and designers helped not only preserve our past, but bring new life to this once decaying neighbourhood. We’ll see examples of modern spaces that carefully frame historic landmarks, art pieces that resurface long forgotten stories, and new additions that reinterpret history and bring new life into the district. Along the way we’ll talk about the birth of the city’s heritage conservation movement, ongoing efforts to preserve historical spaces and artefacts, and the role new developments play in safeguarding our city’s history. Our tour will end with a visit to the much celebrated St. Lawrence redevelopment, a modern mixed-use neighbourhood developed in the 70s, 80s and 90s combining contemporary architecture with clever reinterpretations of the city’s historic urban fabric.