"We connect people with Toronto's heritage", says Allison Bain, Executive Director of Heritage Toronto. "We have done so for 70 years. With this digital tour, we reach beyond those who participate in our onsite programs, and deepen our public engagement by providing an immersive and free experience".
Featuring a colourful design with playful animations, all set within a map of the area, this 11-stop tour showcases buildings that housed industry giants like Rolph-Clark-Stone, the 1950s graphic design firm; Wm. Wrigley Jr. Co., the chewing gum company known for its marketing and advertising campaigns; and Reliable Toy Co., innovators of the first plastic toys in Canada. The tour also provides insight into factory life, detailing the everyday experiences of the workers through archival images, never-before-seen video, and first-hand accounts.
Dundas + Carlaw: Made in Toronto is the culmination of a two-year project that began with the development of ten new plaques that now comprise Toronto's first Heritage Plaque District. This work was part of a larger community initiative championed by Councillor Paula Fletcher with the support of Toronto City Council.
"The Heritage Plaque District and digital tour are fantastic interpretations of a past that many area residents and Torontonians are unaware of." says Councillor Fletcher. "Funding from Section 37 helped make this project possible. Similar projects in future are in jeopardy, threatened by changes proposed under the Province's Bill 108".
In celebrating this little-known history, Heritage Toronto has partnered with OVE and Pear Interactive. View the digital tour on a desktop or mobile device at ExploreDundasCarlaw.heritagetoronto.org.
