Trinity-Bellwoods

Grace Bagnato Plaque
87 Grace Street
The daughter of Italian immigrants, Grace Bagnato grew up in Toronto among families speaking dozens of different languages. With a keen ear and talent for language, she became a voice for her community. Navigating the world of English-speaking government offices, laws and courtrooms, Bagnato was the first Canadian-Italian woman appointed as a court interpreter in Ontario in 1921. Her dedication to her community helped new immigrants settle into a new city for decades. This street is also named in her memory.

KJ Bit Collective Murals
Laneway behind Euclid Avenue and Palmerston Avenue, between College Street and Dundas Street West (accessible from Euclid and from Palmerston)
*Note: Private property. Please observe these buildings from the laneway only. KJ Bit Collective partnered with StreetARToronto to transform this community laneway into a giant canvas of graffiti and mural art. KJ Bit organized 75 artists to paint garages in two live-paint jams. The initiatives were well supported by local residents who now enjoy their revitalized laneway. KJ Bit are Jieun June Kim and Erika James.

Johnny Lombardi Plaque & Sculpture
147 Grace Street
Born in Toronto, Johnny Lombardi was the son of Italian immigrants and a self-taught trumpet player, musician, and entertainer. Following his service in the Second World War, including the landings on Juno Beach, he started a grocery store in what would become the area known as Little Italy. Launched in 1966 from the room above his store, Lombardi's CHIN Radio station broadcast multi-language programs, the first of its kind in Ontario and one of the first in Canada. Lombardi expanded his multicultural entertainment empire with a television station and the CHIN International Picnic. He received the Order of Canada in 1981.

Fred Hamilton Playground
155 Roxton Avenue
Named for Alderman and Controller for the City of Toronto Fred Hamilton, this park features bocce courts, a playground, fitness equipment, a wading pool, and outdoor table tennis courts.

Crawford Bridge & Garrison Creek
241 Crawford Street
Once upon a time, a bridge at Crawford Street was needed to cross the Garrison Creek valley. The triple span arch bridge was added between 1914 and 1915 to replace a wooden structure originally built to span the creek. In the 1960s, earth from the newly excavated Bloor Subway line was used to fill in the valley. Rather than removing the bridge entirely, it was instead completely buried after the railings and lampposts were removed. Today, Garrison Creek is marked on the sidewalk on Crawford Street next to the plaque describing the bridge.

Osler Playground
123 Argyle Street
Osler Playground is named for EB Osler, businessman, philanthropist and president of the Playground Association, which formed in 1909. The goal of this association was to build safe, modern, supervised spaces for children living in the poorest neighbourhoods of Toronto. By providing these recreation spaces, streetwise children could participate in activities designed to help them become model members of the community. The current Osler Playground features a wading pool and playscape, and is currently undergoing a redesign program slated to be completed in 2024.

Givins Homestead Plaque
49 Givins Street
Colonel James Givins, a loyalist who fought for the British in the American Revolution, came to Canada when that war was over. For his service - and imprisonment during the American Revolution - Givins was given 1,200 acres. In 1802, Givins built his home, which he called Pine Grove, on 100 of those acres, near the north end of what is now Givins Street. Givins had previously learned a number of First Nations languages, including Anishinaabemowin, and became a valuable aide and interpreter for Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe. He became an active part of the Indian Department in the 1790s, one of his responsibilities being the distribution of presents to First Nations allies. One of his other responsibilities, however, was to use divide and conquer strategies to prevent the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy from forming an alliance with Mississaugas and thereby subvert any possibility of a pan-Indigenous alliance against the British, like the previous Indigenous resistance organized under Pontiac. During the 1813 Battle of York Givins led a small band of Anishinaabe warriors and British soldiers to intercept a larger American force that landed West of Fort York near Sunnyside Beach. Being outnumbered, Givins' group suffered heavy casualties and retreated to Pine Grove, where his wife Angelica treated the wounded. After the War of 1812, he was appointed Superintendent of Indian Affairs, a position he held until 1837. He was instrumental in the creation of one of the earliest reserves, the Credit River Reserve, which existed from 1826-1847.

Trinity Bellwoods Park & 'Lovebot' Mural
790 Queen Street West
This 14.6-hectare park was once the home of University of Trinity College (Trinity College). The university opened to students on January 15, 1852. Of the original campus, only the St. Hilda's women's residence (now the John Gibson House for seniors) and the entrance gates (constructed in 1904) remain standing. The park sits atop the now-buried Garrison Creek and features an off-leash dogs area (lovingly called 'the dog bowl' by locals), three ball diamonds, eight tennis courts, two volleyball courts, an artificial ice rink, a picnic area, a wading pool and a children's playground. Located in the southwest section of the park is the Trinity Community Recreation Centre. While in the park, keep an eye out for the famous white squirrels, and the art dedicated to these unusual small creatures. If you walk up Gore Vale Avenue from Queen Street West, you may also spot the Lovebot White Squirrel Mural across from the park.

Saint Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church
4 Bellwoods Avenue
Originally built as the Dale Presbyterian Church in 1909, this stately church was designed by Herbert George Paull. Paull frequently entered design completions, including a fourth place finish for the design of Toronto City Hall. He designed several buildings in Toronto throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The church on Queen Street West was transformed into the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1951. Keen eyed movie watchers will recognize the interiors of this church from the 2002 film 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'.

Japantown Mural
730 Queen Street West
Completed in 2013, the Japantown Mural is a two-storey-high art installation on the side of one of the oldest Japanese-Canadian-owned businesses in Toronto. The project was intended to preserve Japanese-Canadian culture, foster inter-generational dialogue, and empower young Japanese-Canadians to make positive change in their communities. The creation of this mural coincided with the 25th anniversary of then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's formal apology to Japanese-Canadians for their treatment during the Second World War. Each of the six artists articulated a unique sense of Japanese and Canadian identity, while collaboratively giving Japanese-Canadians a physical presence in downtown Toronto.