Last weekend I took part in a Heritage Toronto walk. Heritage Toronto organizes various free walks around the city every summer, from April to September, showcasing Toronto’s history. The walks are led by local historians, community groups and professionals, who volunteer their time and provide a well researched tour. The walk I decided to do was walking through the Summerhill neighbourhood and part of University of Toronto’s campus looking at buildings designed and built by Gordon & Helliwell. Gordon & Helliwell was a major turn-of-the-twentieth-century architectural firm that has been largely forgotten in Toronto’s historical literature. As their impact was substantial, we were visiting some of the major buildings they designed.
The starting point was at Summerhill Station. I was 15 minutes early and wasn’t expecting anyone to be waiting in front of the station yet. To my surprise, the volunteers were already there along with at least 15 people. By the time the walk began, there were approximately 80 to 85 people.
We walked over to Yonge Street from the station and moved northwest into a residential neighbourhood to look at a home that was designed by Gordon & Helliwell. Our tour guide explained the aesthetics of the home, why it was set back from the street, and it’s importance in Toronto’s building codes. 
From this home, we walked over to Avenue Road where De La Salle College was located. De La Salle College was formerly called Oaklands and was founded by an institute of christian schools which still continue to administer the school. The lands originally housed a mansion for Senator John Mcdonald, a dry goods merchant. It also contained stables and observatory.
De La Salle (Oaklands) College
We visited another home that Gordon & Helliwell designed. Again, like the other house we saw on the walk, it took the firm’s aesthetics into account. The tour guide pointed out the wide space in between this home and one next door with a number of windows along the side wall which allowed more natural light into the home. As this was more modern that the previous house, we were pointed to the hexagonal turret on the front of the home and how different it was compared to the older homes in Toronto where the turrets were rounder. A reverend was currently occupying the home and was around listening on the tour. Our next stop was an Anglican church where the reverend worked.
We visited two churches, an Anglican church and Presbyterian church. We got to walk through the Anglican church where the reverend spoke to some of the modern elements of the church as it’s original design was destroyed in a fire during the 1970s. Someone had asked about the stain glass window. The tour guide had given us a brief explanation that it was designed by Steven Taylor. The reverend then went to explain that all the windows in the church used to be stained glass and when the fire happened the remnants were put together into the larger window occupying one end of the church. The design took into account the earth and God meeting.
Anglican Church
Presbyterian Church
Gorden & Helliwell also designed the Presbyterian church across the street from the Anglican church. Since they were in close proximity to each other, it was designed to look almost the same. The Presbyterian church is not currently used as Hare Krishna temple.
From these churches, we walked to the Church of the Redeemer at Avenue Road and Bloor Street. Although Gordon & Helliwell did not design this church, they were significantly involved. The original parish that attended the Anglican church used to congregate at the Church of the Redeemer. As there was a need for a larger church to accomodate the growing neighbourhood, it was requested to have the church built.
Avenue Road and Bloor Street (Church of the Redeemer)
With a quick stroll through Queen’s Park, the second last stop was in front of Victoria College in the University of Toronto. Gordon & Helliwell were one of several firms that were invited to submit designs for new college buildings on the northern edge of Queen’s Park. Unfortunately, the commission was awarded to a different firm.
Soldiers’ Tower
Soldiers’ Tower
Our final stop was the Soldiers Tower on the University of Toronto campus. The tower commemorates members of the university who served in the World Wars. The reason for ending our tour here was that one of the principals of Gordon & Helliwell and his descendants had extensive military careers. There was a commemoration nearby honouring these careers which was currently undergoing restoration.
