After a month of travelling the Canadian West aboard VIA Rail, it was time to return to Kingston. What better way to re-enter the home front than by consuming some Hanley Spur content? Specifically, the free curated walking tour Ontario Street: Brewers, Bakers and Boilermakers on a sunny Saturday, June 29. Part of a months-long exhibit and special events at the Pumphouse Museum, my wife and I enjoyed getting some fresh air and participating with notable Kingstonians like Mary Farrar and Floyd Patterson in one of two tour groups.
Paul and Tom were the tour guides. We joined Tom's group willingly, having had him recommended by one of three ARK members on today's tour. Bob, Grant and Kurt.
We strolled south along Ontario Street, stopping at the Pumphouse, former location of the Kingston Shipyards and finally, CLC. As our tour guide pointed out, not much of the industrial architecture we were talking about is still in existence - in fact, discovering it would involve some industrial archaeology! Names like Lines and Counter, groups such as Loyalists and natives were discussed, revealing much of the rich history of this industrial, western section of Ontario Street which once lay at the western end of Kingston.
Walking across the Shipyards' marine railway, standing at the reclaimed land that once hosted CLC and learning more about the people and personalities that shaped Kingston's industrial waterfront was most rewarding.
Interestingly, when speaking of some of the downtown fires of Kingston, our tour guide mentioned the Thai restaurant Apsara Angkor and its lemongrass beef. Housed in a sturdy limestone structure built after the fires, we strolled down after the walk and enjoyed some Thai cuisine. We even found Tom and his family there shortly thereafter! They should have added Brunchers to the title of the walk!
