| Sometimes you get hooked on an activity, and | | | | connected onto the bicycle lanes on Queens Quay to |
| exploring Toronto by bike has become one of these | | | | our next destination: the Toronto Ferry Terminal at the |
| pastimes for me. Not only is it great exercise, but it's | | | | foot of Bay Street. The Toronto Islands are a chain of |
| also an awesome way to explore the nooks and | | | | small islands situated off downtown and they provide |
| crannies of any destination. To share my enthusiasm I | | | | a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of the |
| conscripted my friend Mario on a Thursday evening | | | | city. At a price of C$6 per roundtrip ticket, a ferry ride |
| after work and persuaded him to come on a cycling | | | | to the Toronto Islands provides an affordable getaway |
| trip with me. | | | | into a much more peaceful and quiet environment. |
| So we met up in the Taylor Creek Park system, | | | | Interestingly, the Toronto islands were originally a |
| away from Toronto's busy streets and started our | | | | narrow peninsula composed of sand that had drifted |
| ride, heading westwards towards the Don Valley. We | | | | down from the Scarborough Bluffs. In 1858 however, |
| turned southwards and got on the main north-south | | | | water broke through in a violent storm and started the |
| bicycle trail that is wedged between the Don Valley | | | | formation of the "Eastern Gap"", today the entrance |
| Parkway and the slowly flowing Don River, one of | | | | into Toronto's harbour. Hurricane Hazel also affected |
| two main rivers in Toronto. | | | | the topographical appearance of the islands and |
| In my opinion, Toronto is an amazingly cycleable city, it | | | | created several smaller islands. The creation of the |
| has about 40 km of bicycle lanes on city streets and | | | | Leslie Street spit with fill from the excavation work for |
| about 125 km of paved bicycle paths. What makes | | | | the Toronto subway system stopped the deposition of |
| Toronto really unique is a network of ravines that | | | | additional sediment; however, concrete-reinforced |
| cross the city from north to south, most of which | | | | shorelines limit natural erosion. |
| feature bicycle trails. We cycled underneath the | | | | After about a 30 minute wait we hopped onto a small |
| Leaside Bridge, crossed Pottery Road and stopped | | | | ferry boat called the Ongiara, a car ferry originally built |
| briefly underneath the Bloor Viaduct, originally named | | | | in 1963. This small ferry can house a few vehicles and |
| the Prince Edward Viaduct System which connects | | | | is mostly frequented by bicyclists who want to explore |
| Bloor Street on the west with Danforth Avenue | | | | the island. The view from the rear of the ferry boat as |
| across the valley of the Don River. | | | | it recedes from the terminal is simply phenomenal. |
| The Bloor Viaduct is 494 metres long and stands as | | | | Toronto's impressive skyline featuring the CN Tower, |
| high as 40 metres above the Don Valley. The top level | | | | the Rogers Centre and dozens of commercial and |
| of the bridge features six lanes of traffic, and the | | | | residential high-rise buildings came into view. Even |
| second deck holds tracks for Toronto's subway | | | | though I have been living in this city for a long time, a |
| system. In recent years the Bloor Viaduct has been | | | | ride on the ferry and the look back at Toronto's skyline |
| equipped with an expensive suicide barrier to prevent | | | | are always a special experience. |
| people from jumping off the bridge. The Bloor Street | | | | My friend and I got off the boat at Wards Island, |
| Viaduct ranked as the second most fatal free standing | | | | actually an extension of Centre Island. This area |
| structure in the world, after San Francisco's Golden | | | | features a cluster of houses and small cottages that |
| Gate Bridge. Since the completion of the C$ 5.5 million | | | | have several hundred permanent residents throughout |
| suicide barrier in 2003, also referred to as the | | | | the year. The land is owned by the city while the |
| 'Luminuous Veil, there have not been any suicides at all, | | | | houses are covered by 99-year leases with the City |
| and the distinction of Canada's leading suicide site has | | | | of Toronto. Many of the cottages are very small, and |
| moved to the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal. | | | | not all of them are well-maintained while others are in |
| A few hundred metres further south along the trail we | | | | great condition and feature impressive gardens. |
| stopped on a narrow bridge and admired the | | | | We cycled to the south side of Ward's Island which |
| northward and southward view of the Don River. It | | | | features a wooden boardwalk and a great view of |
| sometimes amazes me that there is so much nature | | | | the Leslie Street Spit. From there we turned right and |
| right in the middle of a big metropolis such as Toronto. | | | | made our way to Alqonquin Island, another island that |
| Three Canada geese were sitting right next to the | | | | features a community of houses. Altogether the |
| pathway and were being fed by passersby, an | | | | population of the Toronto Islands comprises about 700 |
| example of nature right smack dab in the middle of a | | | | people. We stopped at a bench on the northern shore |
| city. | | | | of Algonquin Island and sat down to enjoy the |
| Since the bicycle path is blocked off south of Queen | | | | magnificent view of the downtown Toronto skyline. |
| Street for renovations, we had to carry our bikes a | | | | The bridge over the inner channel provides a perfect |
| few flights of stairs up to the deck of the Queen | | | | view of the tranquil waterway that is enjoyed by |
| Street Bridge from where we continued riding into the | | | | paddlers and sailing boat enthusiasts alike. |
| downtown east side of Toronto. We turned south on | | | | I wish we could have extended our stay on the |
| Cherry Street and stopped to admire one of the local | | | | Toronto Islands, but dark clouds were looming |
| landmarks: the Canary Restaurant, located in an | | | | overhead and it sure looked like we were going to |
| unrenovated Victorian brick building at the intersection | | | | have a serious thunderstorm. We made our way back |
| of Front and Cherry Streets. The signed said "closed", | | | | to the Wards Island ferry dock and caught our trusted |
| but I wasn't sure whether this venerable institution was | | | | ferry, but had to make a detour first to Hanlan's Point |
| closed down permanently or just shut for the day. | | | | to pick up additional passengers. Altogether our ferry |
| Our next destination was the Distillery District on Mill | | | | ride stretched to about 50 minutes or so, and by the |
| Street, a complex of 44 restored Victorian-era | | | | time we arrived at the Bay Street Ferry Terminal, big |
| industrial heritage buildings that has been turned into | | | | raindrops were starting to hit the ground and lightning |
| one of Toronto's most popular entertainment districts. | | | | bolts were flashing in the sky. |
| This area was originally the Gooderham and Worts | | | | It was definitely time to get home and quick. My friend |
| distillery, founded in 1832, which became the largest | | | | and I started cycling like crazy, but the heavens |
| distillery in the world by the 1860s. Industrial activity | | | | opened up within a few minutes, and it started pouring |
| declined in the area in the 20th century and by the | | | | fiercely. We were both soaked and I spent about 50 |
| early 1990s it was run down and derelict. | | | | minutes cycling in the heavy rain along the Lakeshore |
| A group of real estate developers purchased the site | | | | and Beaches bicycle trails to get home. |
| in 1990 and successfully transformed it into the | | | | But despite the rain, there was something pleasant |
| best-preserved collection of Victorian-era industrial | | | | about the experience, the rainwater was fairly warm |
| buildings in North America. Today the Distillery District | | | | and all the sounds of the city were nicely muffled by |
| holds a wide assortment of restaurants, cafes, | | | | the rain. I was pondering how a long ride in the rain |
| galleries, unique retail stores and even a theatre. It has | | | | could be so enjoyable. My only worry was not to get |
| been used as a location for more than 800 film and | | | | hit by lightning and about an hour later I had safely |
| television productions including Chicago, Cinderella Man, | | | | made it home, ready for a hot shower to get all the |
| Tommy Boy, the Fixer and X Men. | | | | street grit off my legs. |
| After heading south on Parliament Street we | | | | |