What do you do with the largest collection of Victorian-era industrial buildings in North America, once the area has been declared a National Historic Site?
Ten years ago a group of developers in Toronto were faced with this very dilemma when asked to decide the fate of the Gooderham & Worts Distillery. Once the source of half the spirits produced in Ontario, making it the largest distillery in the world in 1877, the machinery now lies silent and the walls of the buildings resound not with the cries of workers but with the sounds of live music and of boisterous children, tourists and shoppers.
Developers want more than just another “heritage district” or “historic village”. They want something new and different combining exposure to novel foods, beverages, designs and lifestyle choices. The designers say: “Our vision was to combine the romance and relaxing atmosphere of European walking and patio districts with the hip, cool dynamic of an area like New York City’s SoHo or Chelsea, where creative minds get together and you feel as if anything could happen.”
A host of skilled workers familiar with the working in 19th century timber, stone and bricks meticulously refurbished the complex, and in 2003 the project opened. Dotted among the factory buildings, warehouses, boiler room and other 150 year-old structures are futuristic large-scale sculptures lending a sci-fi air to the distillery.
Cruising the grounds on a sunny July afternoon, we joined our friends Joe and Diane to explore this pedestrian-only district. We checked out several galleries featuring handmade solid wood furniture at reasonable prices.
There are also plenty of art galleries to suit almost every taste. One can enjoy myriad cafes, restaurants and specialty shops where you can eat and drink to your heart’s content. Homemade sake ice cream (or the actual beverage if you prefer) highlight the Ontario Spring Water Sake Factory. The Miller Brew Pub makes beer from just about anything yummy that you can think of (including chocolate) and serves flights of four tiny draft glasses for those who can’t make up their mind what to try. Soma Chocolate and Gelato serves the best hot chocolate we’ve ever tried, either thick regular dark chocolate or spiced the way the Mayans used to like it!
The Distillery is a great destination for families with something to interest all ages. To get a real feel for the Steampunk genre, try watching a copy of The Wild, Wild West before you go!
*Steampunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction or science fiction that emphasizes anachronistic technology, usually from the Victorian age. It is also used to refer to a trend in fashion and music.
For further information, visit The Distillery District
Photos Courtesy of The Distillery District
I have a very special interest in G&W Distillery – my father worked there for 44 years and my grandfather before him – I am very familiar with rye whisky and just read a wonderful book – Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert by Davin de Kergommeaux
One benefit of working for G&W was that my father never got a speeding ticket – he’d just reach into his trunk and hand the cop a bottle – he got stopped often – especially around Christmas!
I wish my dad was still alive so I could talk to him about the job he did so well for so long. I never did thank him enough for being such a wonderful father – I was too young to realize all the hard work he did to keep our home together.
Thanks dad – a tip of the glass to you!