Draft:Riverside Business Improvement Area

The Riverside Business Improvement Area (BIA) is the BIA within Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood, situated along Queen Street East from Davies Avenue to just past the world-famous De Grassi Street, and south including Baseball Place Lane and East Don Roadway.

It is located within the Riverside neighbourhood, in the south Riverdale area of Toronto’s east end in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

As a non-profit organization run by local business and property owners, the BIA’s mandate is to improve, beautify, and promote Riverside as a business and shopping district through marketing, public programming, and streetscape improvements. It is one of 83 BIAs in Toronto.

History
Founded in 1980, the Riverside Business Improvement Area (BIA) is one of Toronto and Canada’s first BIAs. Initially, it was called the ‘Queen Broadview Village BIA’, but then re-branded to ‘Riverside District BIA’ in 2004 to re-establish its roots.

The name Riverside dates back to the 1880s. ‘Riverside’ was established in 1887, when it was an industrial area with residents who were brick workers, factory workers, and gardeners. The Riverside neighbourhood extends north to Gerrard, east to the railway, south to Eastern and west to the Don Valley.

Geography
The Riverside BIA spans 10 blocks of Queen Street East, from the Queen Street viaduct (Riverside Bridge) at the Don Valley, to just east of De Grassi Street, and south to Baseball Place and East Don Roadway.

The Riverside BIA is located between Leslieville to the east and Corktown to the west and is just steps east of Toronto’s downtown core. The neighbourhood is accessible by foot, bicycle, TTC streetcar (504, 501) or car.

Streetscape
Since the 1990s, the Riverside BIA has worked with the City of Toronto and local artists to implement public art throughout the area.


 * “Time and a Clock”: This multi-piece metal art series centered around the theme of time acts as bookends of Riverside. The first and most prominent in the series sits proudly atop the Riverside Bridge. In steel letters, it states “This river I step in is not the river I stand in” and illuminates every night. The second and third pieces are located at the intersection of Broadview and Queen Street, and along Jimmie Simpson Park, respectively.


 * Riverside Common/Baseball Place Lane: Proof of Riverside’s rich history of sport, this is the site of the former Toronto Baseball Ground, home field to the city’s first professional baseball team the ‘Torontos’.


 * Along The Riverbanks Mural : The 2,000-square foot mural by Nick Sweetman depicts the Riverside community’s connection to the Don River and its biodiversity, including the flora and fauna.


 * Tkaranto Mural : The 'Tkaranto Past, Tkaranto Future' mural by Indigenous artists Odinamaad, Chief Lady Bird, Dave Monday Oguorie, and Philip Cote, tells the story about Tkaranto being a meeting place for all people: first, for Indigenous nations for travel, trade, hunting and fishing, and in present day, for people who come here from around the globe to gather on the traditional territories of those who first occupied the land.


 * Joel Weeks Park : The story of Joel Weeks Park is the story of a young child whose memory is honoured through this beautiful park which was created through many community voices, experiences, and partners. It comprises a flowing river design, playful sculptures, community gardens, a vibrant basketball court and more hidden histories built with many local partners.


 * Women Paint Riverside 'Currents of Change' Laneway Murals: Over 2021, the Riverside BIA collaborated with Toronto-based arts organizations East End Arts, Women Paint, and Native Women in the Arts and local artists to envision public art murals in the laneway corridor. The program was created to provide an artistic expression for women, Two Spirit and non-binary muralists, and to human life, and to show the incredible power and beauty of the water that has supported human life and the urgency required to protect it.


 * Queen Garden Centre/Pollinator Mural : Another piece by Nick Sweetman, the 'A Time for Pollinators' mural pays homage to bees as pollinators as well as to a founder of the Riverside BIA Albert Edelstein, who acted as a local community builder and 'pollinator' of many things.


 * JVN Mural : Done in partnership with Jonathan Van Ness, his brand JVN Hair, and Street Art Toronto, the 'Come as you are, Uniquely you' mural celebrates diversity and inclusivity. The mural's lead artist is Curtia Wright and curator is Monica Wickeler.


 * Other Streetscape Initiatives: Colourful branded pole wraps and banners, pedestrian-scale lighting, tag/graffiti removal, and other services not only beautify the area; they also help maintain safety and cleanliness.

Public Events
As part of the BIA’s initiatives to promote tourism and bolster the economy in the community, it hosts free public events throughout the calendar year, in partnership with members as well as the City of Toronto.


 * Eats & Beats Streetfest: Portions of Riverside have street closures for this much-anticipated festival to accommodate patio dining, sidewalk sales, live music, and other forms of entertainment.


 * Riverside C’Mon!: This series of free public events happening at Riverside Common Park features local talents, creatives, artisans, and family-friendly activities such as workshops and games.


 * Riverside Tours: These are self guided tours that visitors can do in Riverside, highlighting the neighborhood’s rich history and culture, specifically in film & TV, public art, and architecture.


 * Riverside Antler Breakfast: Held annually in December, this is a fundraiser that benefits the Rivertowne Breakfast Program, which aims to provide free meals to children, seniors, people with different abilities, and BIPOC in the community year-round.


 * Riverside Window Wonderland: Every holiday season, retail and commercial tenants of Riverside collaborate with local artists to spruce up their storefronts and bring festive energy to the neighborhood.


 * Queen East Eats: Running usually from June to October, this campaign highlights patio season with food tours, al fresco dining, promotional displays, giveaways, and activities that attract visitors to come to Riverside and enjoy the pleasant summer-fall weather.

Cultural Landmarks
The Riverside BIA, albeit smaller than other neighbourhoods in Toronto, is steeped in history and culture.


 * De Grassi Street: Alfio DeGrassi was the Lodge’s first librarian, hence nearby DeGrassi Street. However, De Grassi Street was made famous after it inspired the TV franchise Degrassi.


 * Broadview Hotel: Originally built in 1891 as a Romanesque-style hall for Archibald Dingman (known as Dingman’s Hall) for public gatherings, it became the hotel that it is today after Streetcar Developments bought the property in 2014.


 * Queen Street Viaduct/ Time and a Clock: Fondly called the Riverside Bridge, the Queen Street Viaduct goes over the Don River, connecting Riverside and Corktown. It also has the first piece of the metal art series called “Time and a Clock”.


 * Ontario Line - Lakeshore East Rail Corridor: Part of the plans for the Ontario Line is the Riverside-Leslieville Station. Currently under construction, the Ontario Line is scheduled to be completed in 2027.


 * Riverdale Train Station: Formerly called “Queen East Station”, Riverdale Station was located on De Grassi Street just north of Queen Street East. It is now the Lakeshore East Line.


 * Toronto’s first baseball grounds: Sunlight Park, officially titled the “Toronto Baseball Grounds,” stood just south of the intersection of Broadview Avenue and Queen Street East. As of October 2021, it became the Riverside Common Park.


 * Royal Canadian Curling Club: The Royals, as it is affectionately known, is a curling club housed in a century-old building. The Royals have been at Queen and Broadview since 1906, when it was home to the historic Royal Canadian Bicycle Club.


 * East Toronto’s first public library: In 1985, the Toronto Garrison Artillery Band marched over the Don to lead the procession opening the Poulton Block at Queen and Boulton. This grand structure contained the first public library and reading room in East Toronto. Since 2015, this space has been home to Boxcar Social, a cafe and bottleshop.


 * Postal Station G/Toronto Public Library Queen & Saulter Branch/Ralph Thornton Community Centre: Originally built by the federal government to house Postal Station G, it was eventually leased to the city and turned into a community centre. Today, it is home to the Queen/Saulter branch of the Toronto Public Library, a day care, and offices for some 30 community organizations.


 * The Opera House: It opened in 1909 as a vaudeville stage. It was a movie theater and then a music venue in the 1960s. Current owners bought the property in 1989. Since then, many music icons such as Metallica, Cindy Lauper, and Eminem have performed here.


 * Scadding Cabin: Toronto’s oldest surviving house is a 1794 log cabin built by John Scadding. It originally stood on the east side of the Don River just south of the present Queen Street East, but was moved to the CNE in 1879 for public viewing.

Membership
The Riverside BIA is home to over 120 unique businesses from different industries, from brokerages and law offices to restaurants and cafes to clinics and services. The full list of members can be found on the Riverside BIA’s online directory.

Governance and Structure
Like every BIA, the Riverside BIA is overseen by a volunteer Board of Management (BIA Board) composed of commercial and industrial property owners, as well as non-residential tenants. Together, they organize programming and initiatives that bolster economic growth in the community.