The Distillery District is a commercial and residential district in Toronto, Canada, east of downtown, which contains numerous cafés, restaurants, and shops housed within heritage buildings of the former Gooderham and Worts Distillery. The 13 acres (5.3 ha) district comprises more than forty heritage buildings and ten streets and is the most extensive collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. Bed Bug Exterminator Toronto
History
The Gooderham and Worts Distillery was founded in 1832. Once providing over 2 million US gallons (7,600,000 L) of whisky, mostly for export on the world market, the company was bought out in later years by rival Hiram Walker Co., another large Canadian distiller. Its location on the side of the Canadian National Railway mainlined its proximity to the mouth of the original route of the Don River outlet into Lake Ontario, creating a hard edge that separated the district from neighboring communities. However, these allowed for a facilitated transport connection to the rest of Canada and the world and acted as Toronto’s domination as an industrial center or transshipping hub. With the deindustrialization of the surrounding area in the late 20th century and the winding down of the distillery operations, the district was left increasingly derelict. Surrounding industrial and commercial buildings and structures were often demolished, leaving the former distillery surrounded primarily by empty lots. Nonetheless, closing the remaining distillery operations in 1990 created redevelopment and investment opportunities for a district with the most extensive and best-preserved collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. The Distillery District was designated a National Historic Site and protected under the Ontario Heritage Act since 1976. It was listed by National Geographic magazine as a “top pick” in Canada for travelers.
Toronto Christmas Market
The Toronto Christmas Market has been an annual outdoor tradition run within the Distillery District since 2010. The market includes “Santa’s house,” an Indigo pop-up shop, pet photos with Santa, a Ferris wheel, and themed entertainment daily. There are food vendors and dining locations that are popular tourist attractions. The 2020 edition of the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, CA. The event returned for its 2021 edition from November 19 to December 31, 2021, under the new moniker “The Distillery Winter Village.” Demographics The 2006 Census revealed that the population of the Distillery is largely composed of young adult to middle-aged persons aged twenty to fifty-nine. Most households contain one to two persons. The area’s immigrant population comprises persons of European descent, with the overwhelming majority, not visible minorities. The occupation data for the neighborhood shows that almost a fifth of the residents works in social science/education/government service/religion. Those with jobs in sales and service, business, and arts/ culture/ recreation and sports make up 48% of the occupation categories, with an even split of 16% to each job category.
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