VILLAGE OF ISLINGTON
ISLINGTON TIMES
Toronto’s Village of Murals
See page 14-15 for complete 2015 Business Listings
Vo l u m e 0 3 • Issue 0 3 • Fall 2 0 1 5 Editio n
IN THIS ISSUE Islington Ratepayers 04 Toronto Carrying Place 05 Girlfriends Unite 06 Etobicoke Centennial Choir 07 Community Corner 08 Etobicoke History 09 Musical Pillars 10 Harvest Time 11 Mural Tour 12 Robbery Prevention 13
Montgomery’s Inn -- Gateway to the Village of Islington
By Linda Plater
www.villageofislington.com
Did you know that Montgomery’s Inn has been home to arts, culture and heritage activities for over forty years but this Etobicoke museum is much older, est. 1830 by Thomas and Margret Montgomery? Quite possibly, their family owned the first business in what today is called the Village of Islington Business Improvement Area (BIA). As a meeting place for the local community, the Inn also provided food and shelter to travellers. For sure, many a traveller and merchant discussed matters of economic importance right at the tavern, just inside the doors of the Inn. Today, the Inn is one of ten museums that the City of Toronto operates and is an important cultural hub. It was not so long ago in 2011 that people from central Etobicoke and beyond rallied in support of saving the Inn from a threat posed by the City of Toronto to shut its doors in efforts to cut municipal spending. Curator, Mike Lipowski tells us that the Inn’s four full time and nine part time staff plus a roster of 90 plus volunteers undertake a wide range of activities geared to engage the public. Most of all, what goes on at the Inn is designed to be relevant today. Visit www.montgomerysinn.com to learn that the Inn “shares the stories of all local communities, from geographic to ethnic, from historic to contemporary. As a centre for community conversation, the Inn welcomes diversity and celebrates civic life. In a world where change is a constant, the Inn has always been central to the community of its time.” It is the people that make the Inn’s purpose stand out; staff and volunteers make history interesting and fun. In 2011 a group called the INNovators incorporated as a not for profit organisation to augment Montgomery Inn’s capacity to act as a cultural and social bridge. As such, their activities respect and support the work plans and objectives for the Inn established by the City of Toronto. A growing number of youth volunteers also play a valuable role at the Inn, many involved both heritage and contemporary art and food projects. continued on page 04
Name That Mural The first person to email Info@villageofislington.com with the correct name and address of the mural above will win a $25 Gift Certificate from Village Paint.