On July 21st, 2024, our Bronze Visioneers participated in our annual Multicultural Walk. The purpose of this event was to encourage youth to learn more about the history and culture of Toronto.
The Visioneers worked in their teams to complete a scavenger hunt. They explored the various neighborhoods to solve riddles based on notable landmarks.
They started the day at Nathan Phillips Square, the home of Toronto City Hall. The Visioneers learned about the many sculptures and architectural features of the square that represent Toronto’s international population and Canada’s role on the global stage. One task took them to the Peace Garden. This garden commemorates the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. It contains water from Nagasaki and an eternal flame ignited from the Peace Flame in Hiroshima. This garden symbolizes hope and a commitment to world peace.
Group photo before a long day!
Team Raptors with Three Way Piece No.2: Archer by Henry Moore.
After completing all the tasks in Nathan Phillips Square, they made their way to Grange Park. This is a prominent park that neighbors important Toronto buildings such as OCAD University, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and The Grange (one of Toronto’s oldest surviving brick houses). One feature of this park is the many granite paving stones with quotes from notable Canadian figures. Do you know which Canadian author said this?
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”
Team West Virginia’s submission for a team photo that represents teamwork.
Next stop, Chinatown! Here, the students solved riddles about Chinese menu items, historical buildings, and cultural landmarks. Did you know that before this neighborhood became known as Chinatown, it was a Jewish community? The Visioneers traced this history through The Standard Theatre. When it was completed in 1921, it became the first theatre in North America built to perform Yiddish language plays. This theatre eventually became a Chinese movie theatre in 1975 before closing in 1994.
Do you know what Chinese character the outline of these two sculptures make?
Afterwards, the Visioneers visited the vibrant Kensington Market neighborhood. This is a diverse neighborhood that is influenced by cultures such as Chinese, Portuguese, Caribbean, and Jewish. Kensington Market is home to many vintage and thrift stores, international cuisines, and street art.
Team West Virginia with the Cat on a Globe sculpture.
Little Italy
Finally, the two teams arrived at the last neighborhood, Little Italy, known for its authentic restaurants and cafes. The Visioneers learned about famous Italian-Canadians by walking along the Italian Walk of Fame and visited an iconic neighborhood institution, Cafe Diplomatico.
Cafe Diplomatico or “The Dip”.
After a long day of walking, the Visioneers reflected that they got to know each other better, practiced teamwork, and discovered new parts of the city.
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