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The Distillery Historic District |
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Saturday, 26 April 2008 |
The Distillery Historic District is a great place to spend a few hours if you're in downtown Toronto and want to get away from the usual downtown stuff. This pedestrian-only village is set amidst fabulous heritage architecture and is devoted to promoting arts and culture. The area also features a wellness centre, plenty of cafés, restaurants and pubs.
The Distillery Historic District is a great place to spend a few hours if you're in downtown Toronto and want to get away from the usual downtown stuff. This pedestrian-only village is set amidst fabulous heritage architecture and is devoted to promoting arts and culture. You won't find a franchise or chain operation here, so all the stores and galleries are one of a kind
 In 1831, James Worts invested in a piece of property along Toronto’s shoreline with the intention of establishing his own milling business. Together with his brother-in-law, William Gooderham, what began as an elementary milling operation flourished into Canada’s landmark distillery - the Gooderham & Worts Distillery. By 1871, the Gooderham & Worts distillery produced almost half of Ontario’s total spirit production and exported its whisky and spirits to Canadian markets - even New York.
In 1926, the Gooderham & Worts Distillery was merged under the parent company of Hiram Walker-Gooderham & Worts Ltd. Small amounts of Gooderham & Worts-brand whisky and rum as well as antifreeze continued to be produced at the Toronto distillery until all production ceased in 1990. 
In November, 2001 Cityscape Development Corp. and Wallace Studios purchased the property for $15 million, breathing new life into the region. The 13-acre site, complete with forty-five 19th century buildings, is now the subject of careful restoration efforts and its new name - The Historic Distillery District - embraces the site’s rich historical and architectural legacy. Today the picturesque, pedestrian-only village houses over a hundred tenants including: galleries, museums, rehearsal halls, boutiques, retail shops, artist studios, restaurants, bistros and cafés. The Distillery bustles with activity day and night. You can catch live music, outdoor exhibitions, fairs and special events at the Distillery year 'round.
The Historic Distillery District continues to be the destination of choice for international filmmakers. The cobblestone paths, grid-street design and the best-preserved collection of Victorian Industrial architecture in North America have established District as the most attractive movie and television filming site in Canada. Recent productions shot at the site include Chicago, X-Men, The Recruit and The Hurricane. The Distillery District Highlights:
* Site tours are available at the Distillery Visitor Centre.
* The Gooderham & Worts Distillery, one of amongst 40 buildings that constitute the largest and best-preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture.
* Franchises and chain operations are forbidden, so tenants give district unique charm.
* Hundreds of films have been shot here, including Chicago and X-Men, so you never know when you’ll catch a glimpse of Hollywood in the North.
* Distillery Blues Festival every June
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