Bay Street Corridor

Windsor Arms Hotel
18 St Thomas Street
This heritage-designated hotel dates back to 1927, when it was originally designed by architect William Arthur Price as a four-storey building that blended in with the many Victorian-era University of Toronto buildings nearby. In 1976, the hotel was the site of the very first Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), which was originally called the Festival of Festivals. The founders of the festival - Bill Marshall, Dusty Cohle, and Henk van der Kolk - intended to bring the best films from other festivals around the world to Toronto, and to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that would attract major Hollywood productions. TIFF has since become one of the largest film festivals in the world, and the Windsor Arms Hotel continues to be a key location associated with the festival. The hotel underwent a major renovation in the 1990s, which saw the original structure torn down and then recreated with a 19-storey residential condominium added on top.

Gardiner Museum
111 Queen's Park
The Gardiner Museum was first established by philanthropists George and Helen Gardiner in 1984. Together they accumulated a large collection of ceramics and decided to build the museum in order to share it with the public. Following the passing of her husband in 1997, Helen (who passed in 2008) took on the role of chair of the museum's capital campaign and pushed for the expansion and renovation of the building. The campaign raised $17 million, and the museum was closed in 2004 until 2006 once they were completed. The renovations saw a third floor expansion on top of the original structure as well as an expansion to the basement, which made room for educational studios and research activities. The sculpture at the front of the building is by acclaimed Toronto-based ceramist Shary Boyle and is called 'Cracked Wheat'. Today, the Gardiner is the only museum dedicated to ceramics in Canada and features approximately four thousand pieces.

Marshall McLuhan Way & Elmsley Place
Along St Joseph Street between Queen's Park Crescent East and Bay Street
Many noteworthy sites can be found along or nearby this street, which is part of the University of Toronto campus (specifically University of St. Michael's College). The street is named after Marshall McLuhan, who was a professor at St. Michael's College and went on to become Toronto's most famous intellectual thanks to his ground-breaking theories on the effects of mass media on human consciousness. McLuhan's first home in Toronto was also located along here, at 91 St Joseph Street, in a building that has since been torn down. A plaque commemorating McLuhan and his intellectual significance can be found near the intersection of St Joseph Street and Elmsley Place, a small private street that features a cluster of picturesque formerly residential homes (some dating back to 1892) and was one of Toronto's first subdivisions.

Yonge Street Heritage Conservation District
Along Yonge Street between College Street and Bloor Street
This stretch of Yonge Street was heritage designated in 2016 in an effort to preserve the many historic two-to-three storey buildings along the strip. Some of the more notable buildings located in this district include the former site of the St. Charles Tavern at 484-488 Yonge Street. Easily identifiable thanks to its clock tower, the tavern opened in 1951, and became one of the most prominent gay bars in Toronto by the early 1960s. It was legendary for its Halloween drag promenades, which attracted thousands of onlookers. The site is currently being redeveloped, but its famous clock tower will be maintained. Other notable buildings included in the district are a series of rowhouses between 45 and 63 St Nicholas Street (these are private property and should be observed from the street). These rowhouses were constructed in the 1880s and all feature their own unique name, and constitute one of the few remaining examples of 10 contiguous rowhouses with well-preserved original details that can be found in downtown Toronto.

Women's College Hospital & Dr. Emily Stowe
76 Grenville Street
Prior to her arrival to Toronto in 1867, Dr. Emily Stowe studied medicine in New York City. At the time, the University of Toronto was not accepting women to any of their faculties, including medicine. In response, Dr. Emily Stowe and several other like-minded people, founded Woman's Medical College at 289 Sumach Street in 1883. In 1898 a clinic called The Dispensary was opened at the College. The clinic enabled female patients to receive unique services from women doctors. The college operated until 1905 when the University of Toronto finally began admitting female students to the medical school. From there, a group of Toronto women began to establish what was to become the Women's College Hospital, which opened in 1913 at 18 Seaton Street. The hospital soon reached capacity, proving the need of a hospital for women, run by women. In 1935 the hospital moved to its current location.

Queen's Park & Ontario Legislative Building
110 Wellesley Street West
This property was originally part of 168 acres of land purchased by Ontario's first university, King's College, in 1828/9. King's College later became the University of Toronto and, in 1859, decided to lease 49 acres of its land to the City of Toronto for 999 years to create a public park. In 1860, Queen's Park officially opened and became the first municipal park in British North America and was named in honour of Queen Victoria. The park was long considered for new parliament buildings and construction of the Ontario Legislative Building was completed in 1893, with expansions completed in 1912. The building (also known as the Pink Palace due to the pink sandstone used in its construction) was featured on the RUSH album cover for 'Moving Pictures'. Today the property still features a park behind the building that plays host to several events and features several monuments and statues dedicated to notable people and events in the province's history.

MaRS Discovery District
101 College Street
The MaRS Discovery District is the largest urban innovation hub in North America, supporting over 1,400 companies that are attempting to solve great societal problems. It is partially housed in a former Toronto General Hospital (TGH) building, a heritage-designated structure dating back to the 1910s that was designed by legendary Toronto architects Darling & Pearson. A plaque out front of the building on College Street notes its historic importance as Toronto's first general infirmary. Some world-first medical procedures developed at TGH include the first clinical use of insulin as a diabetes treatment in 1922, and the first successful single and double lung transplants in 1983 and 1986 respectively. The building was renovated for its new tenant in 2010, with many historical features being preserved, and an additional three towers were constructed to add over 1.5 million square feet of office, lab, meeting, and event space.

Native Child and Family Centre
30 College Street
Native Child and Family Services (NCFST) was founded in 1986 by Elders, Knowledge Keepers, grassroots leaders, and community members. It provides multiple services including holistic, culture-based programs and services for Aboriginal children and family. The building provides a space that allows urban aboriginals to reconnect with nature in the heart of downtown Toronto. The bold sign at the entrance is in the shape of an Ojibwe hand drum and, once inside, the building exudes Indigenous culture through the natural materials used in the design, the art displayed and the serene green space on the roof. The four-storey building includes office space and a community hall that allows NCFST to provide clients with a variety of services including the Early Years Centre, Community Kitchen and Youth Program. The green roof is a unique space that is designed as a contemporary version of a longhouse with a healing lodge and fire circle, surrounded by a beautiful roof garden.

College Park
444 Yonge Street
The building now known as College Park was originally built as a seven-storey location for Eaton's department store. Construction began in 1928 and was completed in 1930. The exterior was designed in an Art Deco style with classical embellishments including Greek and Roman designs, as well as floral motifs. The top floor of the building is a 1300-seat concert hall named after the architect Jacques Carlu, which has since been designated a National Historic Site. The auditorium played host to major performers including Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra. With the opening of Toronto Eaton Centre in 1977, Eaton's College Street closed to make way for their new flagship location. Behind the building is College Park, which is a vital and sustainable public open space. It reopened in 2019 after a major revitalization. College Park has gardens, green space, a children's play area, reflecting pool and the Barbara Ann Scott Ice Trail, named after the famous Canadian figure skater.

Church of the Holy Trinity & Toronto Public Labyrinth
19 Trinity Square
This heritage-designated church dates back to 1874, when it opened thanks to a large donation by Mary Lambert Swale, who stipulated that all pews were to be free and unreserved in perpetuity, a rarity at this time. The church became a home and incubator for members of the LGBTQ2S+ community in the 1970s, with the Community Homophile Association of Toronto holding their first meetings and dances here, and the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto holding some of their first services here. The church is also home to the Toronto Homeless Memorial, which was founded by housing activist Bonnie Briggs in the 1990s to remember those who have died as a result of homelessness in the city. There is also a labyrinth in Trinity Square Park beside the church that was opened in 2005, which remains a popular and calming activity in the square.

City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square, The Ward, Old City Hall & the Original Toronto Coat of Arms
Bay Street and Queen Street West
Nathan Phillips Square is a vibrant and active space that includes Toronto City Hall, features several public art pieces that can be found in Sculpture Court, the Toronto Sign, and the Peace Garden that commemorates the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This property is also located in what used to be known as The Ward. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the area was a dense slum, home to the poor and impoverished and was officially known as St. John's Ward, and was home to Toronto's first Chinatown. Filming done at Toronto City Hall includes scenes from 'The Handmaids Tale', 'The Expanse' and 'Resident Evil'. Across the way (at corner of Bay Street) is Old City Hall which officially opened in 1899 after 10 years of construction. Installed in the building is a stained glass representation of the original Toronto Coat of Arms. The City of Toronto has had at least two coats of arms. The first was created following the incorporation of the city in 1834, when the city was also renamed back to 'Toronto' from 'York'. The current Toronto coat of arms originated in 1998 when, following the amalgamation of the Greater Toronto Area, the coat of arms was updated with new iconography. The original coat of arms consisted of a shield framed by two figures on either side, with a beaver and crown placed on top and a banner below. One of the figures, a cloaked and helmeted woman holding a trident and shield, represents Britannia, the personification of Britain. The other, a generic depiction of an eighteenth century First Nations man with a bow and axe, is presumably meant to represent the First Nations of the area of Toronto. The iconography of the shield includes a red maple leaf, gold lions, a white rose, a gear, and a steamship, representing Canada, Britain, York, and industry, respectively. On the banner are written the words, 'Industry, Intelligence, Integrity'. The references to industry and the beaver speak to Toronto's character at the time as a 'resource town' with origins in the early fur trade. In January 1999, the current coat of arms became official. 'Diversity Our Strength' became the new city motto. A yellow shield in the centre of the design is marked by two blue lines that represent the two towers of City Hall. The bear represents strength and protection while the beaver is included as a symbol of industry. The inclusion of the eagle acknowledges that Toronto is built on the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, whose logo also incorporates an eagle.

Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Osgoode Hall and Memorial Row
University Avenue and Queen Street West
The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts is home to both the Canadian Opera Company and the National Ballet of Canada. It is the first building in Canada built specifically for opera and ballet performances. Inaugurated in 2006, the building features enough wardrobe storage to accommodate three complete productions. The glass staircase in the Isadore and Rosalie Sharp City Room is one of a kind and the longest free-spanning glass staircase in the world. Across Queen Street to the north is Osgoode Hall. This late-Palladian style building surrounded by the iron fence was completed in 1832. Named after the first Chief Justice of Upper Canada, William Osgoode, it now houses the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Law Society of Ontario and more. South on University Avenue is the Adam Beck Memorial, and north of Queen Street, the South African War Memorial. These sculptures are part of a series of monuments displayed along the middle of University Avenue, colloquially known as Memorial Row.

TD Centre, The PATH System, & Joe Fafard 'The Pasture'
66 Wellington Street West
These black office towers are among the most recognizable in downtown Toronto. Designed by world-famous German architect Mies van der Rohe, they completely transformed Toronto's skyline when they first opened in the late 1960s with their simple, modern, and elegant design sharply contrasting with the much smaller, mostly classical structures surrounding them. Today the TD Centre is the largest business complex in Canada with over 4.3 million square feet of office space. The shopping complex in the basement of the TD Centre served as a catalyst for the expansion and development of the PATH system, which now connects over 75 buildings with over 1,200 shops, restaurants, and services, making it one of the largest underground commercial shopping complexes in the world. There is also a wonderful piece of public art found in the grass beside the towers known as 'The Pasture', a piece by Canadian artist Joe Fafard that features several bronze cows lounging on the lawn.

The Fairmont Royal York Hotel
100 Front Street West
This heritage-designated hotel was the tallest building in the British Empire when it opened in 1929. Many celebrity guests have stayed at the Royal York over the years - perhaps most notably members of the British Royal Family. The late Queen Elizabeth II had her own special suite on the sixteenth floor, with furniture that was only brought out for her use. The hotel's Imperial Room event space has hosted performances by legendary musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Tina Turner, and Sonny and Cher, among many others. The hotel is also frequently used as a filming location, with recent productions like 'The Handmaid's Tale', 'Orphan Black', and 'Nikita' filming scenes in the lobby. The Royal York also uniquely has an apiary on its roof, which produces hundreds of pounds of honey used in much of the food and drink served at the hotel.

Hockey Hall of Fame & Brookfield Place
30 Yonge Street & 181 Bay Street
The Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF) is one of the premier sporting shrines in the world, featuring the finest collection of hockey artifacts from around the globe. Located in a heritage-designated building dating to 1885 that previously housed a Bank of Montreal branch, almost 300 players have been inducted into the HHOF, including prominent Toronto Maple Leafs players such as Darryl Sittler, who continues to hold the NHL record for most points in one game, and George Armstrong, an Indigenous player who was the longest serving captain in team history. The HHOF is attached to the Brookfield Place office complex, which features 'Galleria', one of the most stunning pieces of architecture in downtown Toronto. Designed by world-famous Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, it is a soaring atrium with a parabolic arched roof that has won numerous accolades, including a City of Toronto Urban Design Award.