Sounds Like the Riverside, in the RAW

Our fourth annual Sounds Like the Riverside (SLTR) is back! What started out as a local music festival four years ago, has now transformed into a celebration of our neighbourhood's creativity. Riverside's marketing initiatives are attracting  media attention for our hood. We are slowly but successfully driving traffic from all over the GTA to this event. 


SLTR today,  is essentially a celebration of the essence of Queen Street East and all that Riverside District stands for – Art, Culture, Food, History and above all, Fun! Held in conjunction with the Riverdale Art Walk (RAW), this year's SLTR is on Saturday, June 2^nd .   This Summer festival marks the beginning of our neighborhood festivities, held throughout the year.

Sounds Like the Riverside 2011

You must be wondering what goes into hosting such a wonderful event?  The answer is really simple – planning, planning and more planning (and a ton of faithful volunteers).

As simple as the answer seems, there are a lot of "behind-the-scene" details the BIA marketing committee takes care of. It all begins (in January) with setting the date, finalizing the theme, confirming locations, brainstorming programs, applying for permits, securing sponsors, marketing & PR – and at the end of it all you hope to have a successful event! We are all praying for no rain!!

This year Sounds Like the Riverside is all about exploring OUR raw creativity in music, food, art and more. Don't miss out on a day filled with art, musicality, food tastings, special promotions, buskers, bands and dance performances.  


Consider yourself personally invited to a FREE, fun-filled day! 
Come Discover our Creative Side….Riverside, this is how we live!
Saturday, June 2nd,  11 am to 11 pm

First Annual Riverside Bonspiel Event!

Riverside District BIA members met for their first social event ever, on March 19^th! Our event was held at the Royal Canadian Curling Club at 131 Broadview Ave. The day wizzed by in a blur of fun, ice, exercise, laughter and more fun! We all benefitted by learning a great new sport, while making some new friends. The coaches were fantastic and their enthusiasm in teaching the game made it all the more enjoyable!

Ready to Play

Team Quince Flowers 

A painting of Curling on the Don River

Curling started in Toronto in the late 1800s, along the Don River. The accessibility of the ice made curling a natural choice. In 1926 the sport moved indoors, when the local business community along Queen St. E., provided the financial support. Their donations helped to build the ice house, that currently stretches behind a row of homes along Broadview Ave.

The Ice Sheet

They are in it to win!

The inception of our "Riverside Bonspiel Event" began when one of the RCCC members found an old picture of AE Waldon, a drugstore owner in the late 1800's in Riverside. He was also a driving member of what was once, the Royal Canadian Bicycle Club. The Bicycle Club evolved into a Curling Club in 1926. The current RCCC historical committee, realized the impact that Riverside's business community had on inspiring a passion for curling in this neighbourhood.

Some drinks after all that hard work!

That was a good game!

The most enthusiastic teams of the day 

In hopes of rekindling a love for this time honored sport, the First Annual Riverside Bonspiel was organized. In keeping with the RCC Club's motto - "Where friendship meets tradition" we hope this is the beginning of our new tradition!

"Time: And A Clock"

Coming to Riverside on the 501 streetcar I wondered everyday about the history of this beautiful bridge and the Don River. I wondered what the bridge looked like when it was first made… how people commuted when it was not there. Today I decided to do a little bit of research and found some amazing things I felt everyone who has ever wondered like me should know.

The bridge under construction in 1911

The “Queen Street Viaduct” as it is officially known was built over the Don River in 1911 (101 years ago! If you are trying to calculate) The 200m long structure that we cross everyday is one of the major routes connecting downtown Toronto with the east side of the City. According to my extensive Wikipedia search, the bridge that we cross today is at least the third bridge over the Don River at this location. The first was built in 1800s, originally operated by the Scadding family.  The bridge was completely renovated in 2002 . 

The Queen Street Viaduct after its completion in 1911

The bridge as we see it today

The artistic clock, that confirms that I am on time for work everyday,  was installed in 1996 and was designed by the creative Eldon Garnet (A Toronto based artist). The clock had stopped working sometime after it was installed. It was revived on the 30^th anniversary of the Riverside BIA, in summer of 2010.  

"Time: And A Clock", over the bridge

Pondering the abstract text flowing over the glowing clock - "This River I step in is Not the River I Stand in" I had to find out what it meant. 

I stumbled upon  an article where Eldon Garnet explains that he borrowed the phrase from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus.  The emphasis of his words, is that  change is the only thing that is constant  in life.  A bit on the dramatic side for me, so lets just say that change seems to be the only thing constant in Riverside these days.

Hmm… now I wonder what the bridge will look like a 100 years from today.