Ghost Tours Toronto

Disappearance of Ambrose Small! Interactive Game and Tour (127TH ANNIVERSARY)

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Explorer Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **It was the first week of December 1919! Let's head back in time to that exact time period in Toronto. A city that was very different from the one we know and love!** So why don't we sharpen our brain power with this interactive tour. Let's use our knowledge of Toronto to solve the one mystery that has been left unsolved for over 126 years! You will play detective in this interactive walking tour. Part game, part walking tour. So get your powers of deduction dusted off, lace up your runners and let's begin. Only the brightest are allowed on board this tour! This tour is included as part of the Toronto History Walks Explorer Pass Package, PRESTO not included! For more information on the Pass please email or get in touch here! This interactive walking tour discusses the life and times of Ambrose Small who disappeared in 1919. Let's try and figure out who did what and why! And where is the hapless Mr. Small. One of Toronto's enduring cold cases, we explore the world of Mr. Small, the owner of the Grand Opera House. With 25 stops this tour traces the movements of Mr. Small prior to his disappearance, and the theories, new and old, behind that disappearance, all from the point of view of Mr. Small himself. We explore Toronto in 1919, and look back at the life he led and the people he came in contact with. It's a whodunit! So shall we begin? Think about the game Clue on foot! Sound interesting? **This tour requires a PRESTO card for TTC as this tour uses transit to get around the city for stops outside the downtown core. One could call it a hop on hop off walking tour!** Our walk begins at the **Dog Fountain** at Berczy Park! Just west of the Front, Wellington and Church intersection. We end the tour in Rosedale at Bloor Street East and Sherborne! This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person! \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the tour price when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

Summer on the Historic Toronto Islands!

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket price when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** For summertime fun, it's hard to imagine a better place than the Toronto Islands. It's so much more than a small amusement park, Chelsea Beach, and walking and bike trails. It's about growing up in Toronto. About the ten minute ride over on the ferry boat, and the memories that have made Toronto a summertime city. It's a stretch of land that is historic and fascinating, both geologically and socially as well. And a history that brings together the stories of Toronto from its founding. The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse was constructed in 1809, and is one of the oldest structures in Toronto. It is best known for the ghost story of its murdered first keeper, John Paul Rademüller. But that's another story for another day. The peninsula was partially severed by a storm in 1852, which created a sandbar that was dangerously thin, and the peninsula became an island permanently by a violent storm that cut out the eastern channel, two hotels on the island were also destroyed. The modern history of the Islands' begins here! The Islands' have three main parts, and all three have their historic elements, the most being the western most island named for the Hanlan family. A spectacular hotel, "The Ned Hanlan" was built and a regatta course dredged out of the western lagoon. An amusement park followed, and an airport after that! It was also a residential enclave with most of the homes appearing on Ward's and Centre Islands. By the 1950s these residential areas started to disappear, as the idea of increasing city parkland took shape. **Take a quick peek at my introduction video which follows at** https://youtu.be/hkVHx5Ol9qI The tour begins and ends at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal at the foot of Bay Street. We will meet **inside** the gates! And we will head over as a group, so tickets must be bought before! Please meet 10 minutes before the meetup time! This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person! \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket price when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

The Lakeshore Psychiatric Hospital and Camp M (Special Extended Tour)

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** Elizabeth Simcoe named the area now known as Mimico for the thousands of pigeons that blackened the sky at the western end of the settlement. Mimico was originally located at the confluence of Mimico Creek and Dundas Street. William Gamble, opened a sawmill and built a settlement for the workers nearby. Etobicoke's first church, Christ Church was opened on Church Street which became Royal York Road. Mimico is a walkable neighbourhood and a great place to stroll and discover our amazing history. The Lakeshore Hospital was built in 1888 as the Mimico Asylum, its doors opened on January 21, 1889. The original idea for the hospital was a series of cottages designed by Doctor Joseph Workman who wanted a resort type feel to the hospital. The architect was Kivas Tully, who worked with gardener Samuel Matheson. Most of the buildings were built by the patients themselves, and helped with laundry duties, and tended to the vast gardens. But a different story emerged that most Canadians had no idea about. And that was the story of Camp M - Mimico. In 1887, the Victoria Industrial School for Boys opened on old Horner Avenue in Mimico, just blocks from the site of the new Mimico Hospital for the Insane (Humber College.) The school, which was a juvenile reformatory, hoped to break the bad boys through moral and academic education and old fashioned hard work. I hope there was a positive outcome. In 1927, the school changed its name to the Mimico Reform School. But it was the war years 1939-1945 that really surprised me as a Torontonian. It was known as Camp M or Internment Camp 22, the largest camp for POWs in the centre of a large Canadian city. Most camps were constructed in rural areas, and the camp provided space for more than 520 German nationals. The history of this camp is fascinating and had links to the Toronto Central Prison on Strachan Avenue and the Mimico Hospital directly to the south on lakeshore where we begin this tour. This walking tour is for all levels and walkers. The tour begins at the New Toronto Public Library Branch at 110 Eleventh Street just south of Lakeshore. We end this tour at Kipling and Horner Avenue, just a few blocks to the north of the old hospital! This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person! \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

Mount Pleasant Cemetery (WEEKDAY)

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** The only authorized cemeteries within York were Anglican or Roman Catholic. Citizens who did not belong to either church had no choice but to find burial arrangements outside York. The General Burying Ground received Royal Assent in 1826 and land that came to be known as Potters Field was acquired and started operation soon afterwards. Over time, additional cemetery lands were added and in 1873, a new cemetery available to all citizens was established. The new cemetery was situated on the farm land of the Cawthra family near Yonge Street. This walk is for all fitness levels. Please dress for the weather. This walk will begin and end outside the Yorkminster Park Baptist Church at 1585 Yonge Street just north of Heath Street. This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person! This tour has space for **11** explorers, so if you do plan on attending please secure your tickets early. \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

Parkdale (Anniversary Walk - 2026)

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **[torontohistorywalks@gmail.com](http://torontohistorywalks@gmail.com/)** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **[torontohistorywalks@gmail.com](http://torontohistorywalks@gmail.com/)** **This is the 7th anniversary of Toronto History Walks. It was exactly seven years ago on July 27, 2019 that the first tour of Parkdale ran. I was a very different guide then. I can't say that it was the best. I have learned so much about this amazing city, and its amazing past. I learned how to guide, that was the true education and that took a while. I hope all of you have enjoyed the tours and how the tours are run. Hope to see you for the seventh birthday party, well maybe not a party but let's celebrate Toronto anyway. I am just getting started in this history thing let me add. Many more tours to come!** Parkdale has many faces. And over the years those faces have become sharper and clearer to residents and visitors alike. The tone has changed in Parkdale. And that is always a good thing. One of the main reasons why Toronto History Walks came into being was simply because the images of Parkdale at the time, 2019, seemed to convey a negative picture of the neighbourhood. Toronto residents wanted to avoid Parkdale at all costs based on assumptions. It was dangerous and better to avoid than explore. But those ideas have changed over the last several years. Parkdale is a great place to explore, have a cup of coffee or dinner and check out the arts and entertainment or take a stroll down a side street in one of the best preserved Victorian neighbourhoods in Toronto. Welcome to Toronto's first suburb, the floral suburb. And it truly is a remarkable place to get to know. What Parkdale needed most was understanding. And this walk provides the interested walker with that understanding of how Parkdale came to be, and why it had a rather sketchy history right from its inception in 1879. And it had to do more with the attitudes of the residents than reality. Attitudes that followed the growth of Parkdale to this very day. Parkdale just can't get free of its own legacy! From its beginnings in 1850 to the controversy surrounding the Gardiner Expressway, and the death of Sunnyside Amusement Park, the story of Parkdale unfolds, and it has a remarkable ability to climb out of depressed economic periods. This is a detailed exploration of the district. This tour begins at the southwest corner of King, Queen, and Roncesvalles, at the Polish memorial Katyn, just east of the Sunnyside pedestrian bridge across the street from the McDonald's. This 2 hour walking tour is for all walking levels. Please dress for the season, and hope to see you there. This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person! \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

History of Fire Fighting in Toronto (NEW AND REVISED FOR 2026)

\*\***The Toronto History Walks Explorer Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!\*\*** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket price when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **New for 2026, this tour was formerly known as *Toronto's Great Fires of 1849, 1871, 1904 and 1977!* Completely reimagined and expanded, it now explores the full history of firefighting in Toronto. From the city's most devastating blazes to the creation and growth of its fire service, this tour uncovers dramatic stories of disaster, heroism, and resilience while shining a light on some of Toronto's most significant, and often forgotten historical events.** The destruction of Toronto's downtown started on a windy, cold night in early spring. The above sentence sounds like a mystery novel set in Victorian England. But things were about to heat up in old hog town on that April evening. As the workday ended at the E&S Currie Neckwear company on Wellington Street at Bay Street, on April 19, 1904, a tiny flicker of light spelled disaster for the entire city. A police officer on the downtown beat spotted smoke and flames at precisely 8 pm. He headed to the emergency call box on King Street at Bay to alert the fire department, but by then, the fire had spread to the adjacent buildings. The fire department responded to a fiery nightmare as most of Wellington Street was already in flames. Moreover, the night was turning colder, and a stiff wind blew in from the north. Toronto's second great fire was about to explode out of control. Toronto was well aware of the dangers of fire. In April of 1849, a small fire started in stables near the corner of Jarvis and King Streets and destroyed the old downtown including St. James Church, and the market. By the time the fire was out most of the core of the old city was in ashes. Toronto, after the great fire of 1849, was a different place. The old town was centred around St. James Church, and the commercial district was then on King Street East. With the great fire and its aftermath, there was a shift west, both physically and emotionally; the central core moved to Yonge and King Streets as the city spread. Now the heart of the business district was at risk once again. And the stakes were much higher. The fire that had started at the E&S Currie Neckwear Company spread quickly along both sides of Wellington Street, as far as Yonge Street to the east and York Street to the west. But with a stiff wind blowing, embers touched off other fires to the south and southeast, threatening the historic Bank of Montreal building at Yonge and Front Streets. Ships docked at the Yonge Street and Church Street piers were moved to safety, and documents from the old customs house were packed up and moved to other venues around the city. Some business owners who had managed to get into their businesses removed precious documents before the flames engulfed their premises. Firefighters held their ground at several points, putting up fire lines, including Yonge Street just feet west of the old Bank and around the majestic Queen's Hotel. Help came in the form of Queen's Hotel guests, and staff as they moved from room to room and tore down draperies, and dampened the wooden window sills. Their efforts saved the Queen's Hotel and possibly the rest of the downtown, including the old Union Station south of Front Street. Had the Queen's Hotel been destroyed, the rest of the city may have been destroyed as well. Eight hours after the fire was first spotted, it was brought under control. Residents and business owners fled to the downtown core to watch their lives go up in smoke. Thousands of curious people crowded the streets around the burned area. Toronto would have to be rebuilt, and fire would be tamed through laws and building restrictions. But out of the great fire of 1904, a new modern city emerged; let's go explore. This walk is for all fitness levels. Please dress for the weather. This walk begins outside St. James Cathedral at 106 King Street East at Church Street and ends at the Distillery District! This tour has a ticketed price of $15.00 per person! \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket price when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

Landmarks 2: Tecumseh Wigwam to the 1977 Reference Library (NEW)

**The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** In this new volume, Landmarks revisits the site of some of Toronto's urban legends, and historic buildings that gave rise to the city. This walk's focus is Bloor Street West, and Avenue Road, starting with the rough and tumble saloon known as the Tecumseh Wigwam a boisterous drinking spot at the corner of Avenue Road and Bloor now the elegant Park Plaza Hotel. From there we wander around the area taking in landmarks not otherwise explored on other Toronto History Walks tours. So get your brains and feet ready for a workout my friends. Toronto is a city that hides its history in plain sight. Beneath the glass towers are layers of stories — grand hotels that vanished overnight, political scandals whispered through stone corridors, theatres that once glittered under gaslight, and laneways where the city first learned how to become a metropolis. This new Toronto History Walks series of 60 different walking tours invites the walker to slow down, and see the city differently. Over the course of 30 carefully chosen stops, this walking tour traces the landmarks that helped shape the history of Toronto. Beginning at the site of the legendary Holland House — once one of the city’s finest mansions, and a gathering place for politicians, and businessmen, the route winds through the old heart of downtown, uncovering stories both famous and forgotten. Some locations are grand and imposing. Others are easy to walk past without a second glance. Every stop reveals a piece of Toronto’s personality. At Osgoode Hall, visitors will stand before one of the city’s most elegant historic buildings. Nearby, the old banks and newspaper buildings of the financial district recall an era when Toronto proudly called itself “Toronto the Good,” even as corruption and backroom dealings simmered beneath the surface. The tour also explores the vanished city — the Toronto that survives only in photographs, and memory. Walkers will discover where magnificent Victorian structures once stood before demolition crews erased entire blocks in the name of progress. Former theatres, hotels, markets, and department stores emerge again through storytelling, helping modern explorers imagine the bustle, smoke, and noise of earlier generations. Stories of fire, disaster, celebration, and reinvention. Participants will hear how the Great Fire of 1904 transformed downtown streets, how immigrant communities reshaped neighbourhoods block by block, and how Toronto repeatedly reinvented itself through booms, depressions, wars, and waves of newcomers. But this tour is not simply about dates and buildings. It is about people. The politicians who argued over Confederation. The hotel clerks who witnessed scandals. The newspaper editors who shaped public opinion. The shopkeepers, labourers, entertainers, and ordinary Torontonians whose lives unfolded along these same streets. Toronto has always had hidden corners and strange tales: tunnels beneath streets, forgotten cemeteries beneath office towers, unsolved crimes, and buildings said to carry echoes of the past. Even longtime residents may find themselves surprised by what has been quietly standing before them all along. Come along and experience a very different city. A deep dive into our history. This walking tour begins at the northeast **corner** of Avenue Road, and Bloor Street West adjacent to the church steps. We end at the Reference Library at Yonge and Asquith just north of Bloor Street East. This walking tour is for all walking levels. Please dress for the season, and hope to see you there. This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person. \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

Guided Walking Tour of Yorkville

On **Wednesday, July 22nd**, **join a Guided Walking Tour of Yorkville provided by the Royal Ontario Museum.** Evolving from an 1800’s tollgate village at the edge of Toronto to an upscale commercial destination, see how this iconic neighbourhood has maintained its character despite being engulfed by the city. These Tours are guided by docents, and run rain or shine. However, if the forecast calls for rain, I will make a call 3 hours prior if I will show up, as others may want to continue in the rain, which the forecast has been off a lot recently. **Prepare for the walk:** * Walking shoes * Hat * Sunglasses * Water ‐‐----‐----‐‐-------------‐----------- **COST:** Meetup Organizer Fee: $5 ‐‐----‐----‐‐-------------‐----------- **SIGNING-UP** * **RSVP Yes to confirm if you will join for food/ drinks after** * A reminder will be sent the day before with my cell and reminder details where to meet and when. RSVPs close 1 day prior and cancellations may result in a No Show and impact future attendance **MEETUP DETAILS:** **Meet at: 5:45pm at 1 Yorkville Ave (SW corner at Yonge)** **Tour location: We will then join the rest of the tour group at Yorkville Library at 22 Yorkville Ave.** **Tour starts: at 6pm** **Tour ends:** ROM, corner of Bloor St. and Queen’s Park (100 Queen’s Park, Toronto **Walk length: less than 2 hours** After: Head over to a local restaurant Enjoy and please post your Comments in the event after

Tobermory Kayaking & Hiking Day Trip

Landmarks 3: The Well to the Wheatsheaf Tavern (NEW)

**The Toronto History Walks Yearly Pass is available. Get it now for $125.00 for 1 year of unlimited tours, email** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** **for more information or for signing up!** \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com** In this new volume, Landmarks 3 revisits the site of some of Toronto's urban legends, and historic buildings that gave rise to the city. This walk's focus is on the King Street West, and Spadina Avenue area, starting with the new "Well" a shopping area at the corner of Spadina and Front, but lots of history here as well, A play on words. From there we wander around the area taking in landmarks not otherwise explored on other Toronto History Walks tours. So get your brains and feet ready for a workout my friends. Toronto is a city that hides its history in plain sight. Beneath the glass towers are layers of stories — grand hotels that vanished overnight, political scandals whispered through stone corridors, theatres that once glittered under gaslight, and laneways where the city first learned how to become a metropolis. This new Toronto History Walks series of 60 different walking tours invites the walker to slow down, and see the city differently. Over the course of 30 carefully chosen stops, this walking tour traces the landmarks that helped shape the history of Toronto. Beginning at the site of the legendary Holland House — once one of the city’s finest mansions, and a gathering place for politicians, and businessmen, the routes wind through the city uncovering stories both famous and forgotten. Some locations are grand and imposing. Others are easy to walk past without a second glance. Every stop reveals a piece of Toronto’s personality. At Osgoode Hall, visitors will stand before one of the city’s most elegant historic buildings. Nearby, the old banks and newspaper buildings of the financial district recall an era when Toronto proudly called itself “Toronto the Good,” even as corruption and backroom dealings simmered beneath the surface. The tour also explores the vanished city — the Toronto that survives only in photographs, and memory. Walkers will discover where magnificent Victorian structures once stood before demolition crews erased entire blocks in the name of progress. Former theatres, hotels, markets, and department stores emerge again through storytelling, helping modern explorers imagine the bustle, smoke, and noise of earlier generations. Stories of fire, disaster, celebration, and reinvention. Participants will hear how the Great Fire of 1904 transformed downtown streets, how immigrant communities reshaped neighbourhoods block by block, and how Toronto repeatedly reinvented itself through booms, depressions, wars, and waves of newcomers. But this tour is not simply about dates and buildings. It is about people. The politicians who argued over Confederation. The hotel clerks who witnessed scandals. The newspaper editors who shaped public opinion. The shopkeepers, labourers, entertainers, and ordinary Torontonians whose lives unfolded along these same streets. Toronto has always had hidden corners and strange tales: tunnels beneath streets, forgotten cemeteries beneath office towers, unsolved crimes, and buildings said to carry echoes of the past. Even longtime residents may find themselves surprised by what has been quietly standing before them all along. Come along and experience a very different city. A deep dive into our history. This walking tour begins at the southwest **corner** of Spadina Avenue, and Front Street West. We end at the historic Wheatsheaf Tavern at King and Bathurst Streets. A drinking spot since 1849! This walking tour is for all walking levels. Please dress for the season, and hope to see you there. This tour has a ticket price of $15.00 per person. \*\* **Please note: Please e-transfer the ticket amount when booking your space for this tour! You can e-transfer to the following email at:** **torontohistorywalks@gmail.com**

A Guided Glow in the Dark Paddle!

Join our guided, Glow-In-The-Dark Paddle event! Use the following link to book your spot on our Voyageur Canoe: [https://torontoadventures.ca/all-adventures/glow-in-the-dark-guided-tour/](https://torontoadventures.ca/all-adventures/glow-in-the-dark-guided-tour/) Glide through the shimmering waters of the Humber River in our illuminated Voyageur Canoe. The 11-seater canoe is setup with SUBMRG’s Under Glow Lighting System, which casts a halo of light all around the boat as the group paddles. Our experienced guides will take you on a 1.5-hour tour of some of the coolest spots on the Humber! *Events are subject to weather and other factors out of our control. If we must cancel or delay an event we will those booked on the torontoadventures.ca website know as soon as possible.* **Pricing (per seat), Payable online through:**[https://torontoadventures.ca/all-adventures/glow-in-the-dark-guided-tour/](https://torontoadventures.ca/all-adventures/glow-in-the-dark-guided-tour/) * Voyageur Canoe: $49.95+tax (per seat) **What's Included:** * Seat on the Voyageur Canoe * Paddle * PFD(s) “Lifejackets” * SUBMRG Under Glow Lighting * 1.5-Hour Guided Night Paddle of Toronto’s Humber River! * Our experienced staff to help you every step of the way! **What to Bring:** * Dress for the weather! * We recommend securely fastened footwear (footwear is not required for SUPs). * It gets cooler at night so bring an extra layer. * Government Issued Photo ID. **More Information:** * We Start & Finish this event at our Humber Location, so no need for a shuttle. * Please plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early for Check-In to ensure the entire group can begin and embark on the tour on time. * Waivers to be signed on location. * Paddlers must be comfortable treading water while wearing a PFD and reaching a shoreline (minimum 20 metres to shore) **[Google Link Directions](https://www.google.ca/maps/dir//Toronto+Adventures:+Humber+River+Paddling+Centre,+9+Old+Mill+Rd,+Etobicoke,+ON+M8X+0A5/@43.6493249,-79.4923631,15z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x882b36600580f343:0x299b832aaa564814!2m2!1d-79.4923631!2d43.6493249!3e0)** **[Cancellation Policy](https://torontoadventures.ca/faq/#cancellation)** We hope to see you out on the water!

Algonquin Park Hiking Tour