In preparation for the #ExperienceTO: Cabbagetown Historical Tour that will take place on Saturday, April 18, I was recently researching the life of Lieutenant Francis Gwillim Simcoe, the first private owner of land in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood. Francis Simcoe’s story is a fascinating look at the very early days of York (now Toronto). Born in 1791 at Wolford Lodge in … [Read more...] about Lesson 67: Legacy is the ground we pave for the future
Toronto
At a coffee shop
Three men in their sixties are catching up at a coffee shop. One of them is a business owner. He shares the trials of running a business, recalling how he discovered an employee was stealing money from the cash register and how she left in shame once confronted. They talk about the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Raptors' strong performance in yesterday's basketball game, and … [Read more...] about At a coffee shop
Lesson 66: What we choose to preserve vs. replace defines the character of our community.
If you stand at the corner of Toronto's Gerrard St. E. & Broadview Ave. today, you see a modern glass facility overlooking the Don Valley. But this specific plot of land has been through many iterations since the mid-19th century, each one reflecting a different, and sometimes conflicting, priority for our city. The history of this site offers a sobering life … [Read more...] about Lesson 66: What we choose to preserve vs. replace defines the character of our community.
Lesson 63: Build Ladders for Others
Hi friend, We often measure success by what we accumulate: our titles, our networks, or our financial milestones. But the true measure of a life well-lived is often found in the "ladders" we leave behind for others to climb long after we are gone. This week, I’ve been reflecting on the legacy of Andrew Carnegie. His journey from a "bobbin boy" in a cotton factory … [Read more...] about Lesson 63: Build Ladders for Others
Lesson 62: Serve the pubic good, even when it costs you.
Hi friend, Have you ever done the right thing and suffered losses because of it? William Peyton Hubbard did. And he kept going anyway. Hubbard was born in 1842 in a small cabin near what is now Bloor and Bathurst, the outskirts of Toronto at the time. His parents, Mosely and Lavenia, had escaped enslavement in Virginia and made their way to Canada via the Underground … [Read more...] about Lesson 62: Serve the pubic good, even when it costs you.