Category: London

[4-minute read]

Did you know that London is a launchpad for exploring the cosmos?

Tucked away on the campus of Western University is the Institute for Earth and Space Exploration, better known as Western Space.

On A Mission for Humanity

Western Space is the leading organization in Canada for Earth and Space Exploration, research, and training. Think of it as a mission control for brilliant minds, where astrophysicists, geologists, engineers, and even philosophers and artists come together to answer some of humanity’s biggest questions:

Founded on the principle that exploration is a fundamental human drive, the institute trains the next generation of explorers to tackle challenges from climate change monitoring to planning future missions to the Moon and Mars. They are, quite literally, building the future of space exploration right here in our city.

Background

The Institute for Earth and Space Exploration (Western Space) was established in June 2019, building on the foundations of the former Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration.

Western Space hosts the only planetary science graduate collaborative specialization in Canada. Established in 2008, this program ranks among the top five worldwide in the number of students, many of whom are major scholarship recipients. 

Western Space includes a Mission Control Facility, partners with international research collaborators, and regularly reaches out to the public to share its passion.

For instance, on public nights, you can view the stars through the 10-inch refractor telescope at the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory and pose your questions to the astronomers hosting the evening session.

(Photo credits: Lawrence Durham)

Your Next Adventure Awaits

London is a city of layers.

It’s a place where you can pedal along a serene river path in the morning and, by the afternoon, be contemplating the technology used to monitor our own changing Earth or the mysteries of a Martian landscape.

The story of Western Space is a powerful reminder that you don’t have to travel far to feel the thrill of exploration. Come see the hidden gems throughout London that showcase our unique blend of historical charm and bold, forward-thinking vision.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of London’s diversity.

I help curious folks like you discover the best parts of London, from its peaceful riverbanks to its sky-high ambitions. If you want to experience the energy of this great city, come along for a bicycle tour with me.

Click here to learn more!

[4-minute read]

At one time, if you asked a Londoner for directions in the city’s north end, you’d likely hear a name, “Calamity Corners,” that sounds more like a wild west outpost than a modern intersection.

In the late 1800s, there were lots of stagecoach wrecks at the corner of Fanshawe Park Road and Richmond Street.

Way more trees. A narrow dirt road coming down a fairly steep hill. The stagecoach picks up speed. If the brakes overheat and fail, you’ve got a runaway stagecoach. If the stagecoach (or sleigh) overtakes the ability of the team of horses to hold it back, well, there you have it… a calamity.

By 1935, the London Free Press was calling it the most dangerous intersection in western Ontario.

In 1936, shortly after the new Masonville School was built near Calamity Corners, the principal reported that, “he had no other choice than to let students go briefly to the windows to assess the damage whenever they heard the unmistakable sounds of colliding vehicles.”

The Boom Years: When the Name Stuck

As London expanded aggressively northward in the post-war era, so did Richmond Street. The road was widened, and what was once a rural route became a major arterial corridor.

The intersection became a notorious hotspot for fender-benders and traffic snarls.

Even back then, the pace of development was outstripping the infrastructure needed to support it.

The Pressure Cooker: A Busy Intersection in a Growing City

The intersection is currently surrounded by big-box retailers, restaurants, and services that draw traffic from all corners of the city. It’s a place of constant motion, a symbol of a city that is actively outgrowing its old skin.

By 2021, London was ranked the fastest-growing city in Ontario and the fourth fastest-growing city in all of Canada.

Of course, with growth comes traffic.

By 2025, traffic data giant TomTom ranked London as the 12th most congested city in North America and 142nd in the world.

The Future: Densification and a Transit Village

Just when you might think the story peaks, a new chapter is being written.

This whole area, including nearby Masonville Mall, is slated for a monumental transformation into a “Transit Village.” This isn’t just a simple expansion; it’s a vision for a denser, more walkable, and transit-oriented urban hub, with high-density residential towers, commercial space, and improved public transit, all integrated into a single site.

This exciting development promises to densify the entire area, bringing more people, more life, and undoubtedly, more pressure to the already-busy intersection, which now stands at a new crossroads – not of streets, but of eras, between London’s car-centric 20th century and its denser, more sustainable 21st-century future.

The challenge for our city will be to manage this growth, to re-engineer this legendary corner not as a point of calamity, but as a model of efficient, modern urban flow.

So, is Calamity Corners STILL the worst intersection in southwestern Ontario?

I’d say “No.”

Even though it’s still busy, the traffic engineers have gotten rid of most of the design flaws that made it so dangerous in the past.

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Hi, I’m Lawrence—storyteller, unofficial London cheerleader, and a guy who believes the best stories are found when you’re not behind a windshield.

I started this blog as a way to share the wonderful, quirky, and hidden-in-plain-sight gems that make our city special. Uncovering the true tales behind places like Calamity Corners is exactly what I love to do.

If reading about all this busyness makes you want to experience the charm of London’s quiet pathways instead, I’d be thrilled to have you along on one of my relaxing bicycle tours.

Click here to learn more!

[5-minute read]

PCBs (or Polychlorinated Biphenyls) were once viewed as a “miracle” substance. That’s because PCBs are non-flammable, chemically stable, and excellent insulators.

From the 1950s through the 1970s, the Westinghouse plant on Clarke Road in London manufactured essential electrical components like transformers and capacitors.

And the key to their success was PCBs.

The Hidden Danger: Understanding the PCB Threat

In the early 70s, studies revealed the risks of using PCBs:

• They are highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical compounds.
• They bioaccumulate, traveling up the food chain, becoming more concentrated in animals (and humans) at the top.
• They persist and can remain in the environment for decades.

By the late 1970s, production of PCBs was banned across North America.

Even though environmental agencies across North America enforced the 1970s ban, PCBs continue to pose health problems today due to their lingering presence in soil and sediment, and from products that were made before the ban.

Now back to Westinghouse

Like many sites across the continent, Westinghouse initially disposed of its PCB-laden materials (either knowingly or unknowingly) on the ground around its property.

Then PCBs from the contaminated soil leaked into the nearby Walker Drain and Pottersburg Creek, especially after heavy rains. From there, the PCBs found their way into the south branch of the Thames River.

How The Government Fixed the Problem (Temporarily)

In 1984, the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) ordered Westinghouse to create a closed, controlled, secure containment facility to contain PCB-contaminated material from their property.

The facility consisted of four containment cells lined with a non-permeable synthetic liner and about 24 inches of clay. The lined cells were surrounded by a sand/gravel leak detection zone contained within a secondary seal of clay.

The ministry monitored the site monthly, and thankfully, no leaks occurred.

(Photo credit: Geo2010)

In 1985, the MOE purchased the containment site to store MORE PCB-contaminated soil originating from OTHER industrial properties, as well as sediments cleaned up from Pottersburg Creek and Walker Drain.

And that’s how London came to have the LARGEST STOCKPILE OF TOXIC PCBs IN CANADA.

The Permanent Solution 24 Years Later (Excavation, Destruction, and Restoration)

In the 1980s, no technology or approved sites existed for the safe destruction of PCBs.

Secure storage was the only option available. 

However, by the late 2000s, that all changed as cost-effective and safe methods for permanently destroying PCBs were developed.

Decommissioning of the Clarke Road site began in February 2009, and the first truckload of waste left the site in June.  Numerous safety measures were in place to protect community health and safety throughout the project. Those precautions were backed up by constant monitoring of local air, dust, surface water, and groundwater.

More than 104,000 tonnes of PCB-contaminated waste stored in vaults were safely removed from the site by Dec 14, 2009.  In all, over 2,800 truckloads went to a licensed facility in Quebec for destruction.

With the treated material gone, the site was backfilled with clean soil and re-vegetated for potential future use.

Total cost: $100 million.

A New Chapter: What This Cleanup Means for London

This story is more than an industrial report—it’s a narrative of renewal. It reveals a city that confronts its history with honesty and science, investing in a healthier future for its land and people.

The cleanup is an example of turning a challenge into a point of pride, demonstrating that environmental responsibility and community well-being are central to our identity.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence, bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of the environment.

This PCB story is just one example of the many unique things I’ve discovered while riding my bicycle around London.

It’s my personal mission to help curious folks like you discover all parts of London… from the pleasant to the not-so pleasant, all from the seat of my bicycle, of course. If you want to experience a city that’s actively shaping a brighter future for everyone, I invite you to come on a bicycle tour with me.

Click here to learn more!

[5-minute read]

In the late 1800s, a tobogganing craze swept through Canada and the northern United States.

In London, it led to the building of massive, engineered slides that became a central part of the city’s social life.

1885 (Small Beginnings)

In 1885, an enthusiastic 80-member tobogganing club built the first engineered toboggan slide in London at the Military Grounds at the northeast corner of Wellington Street and Central Avenue.

It was wide enough to allow a couple of four-seater toboggans to descend the 45-degree slope at the same time, with a run of 200 to 250 feet on level ground.

A military band even serenaded the merrymakers who got refreshments at the nearby Gun Shed.

1886

The next year, the starting platform was bigger and better, rising to a height of 38 feet. Its double chute was divided by foot-high boards and was 160 feet long. The course, which was lit by two rows of lanterns, went from the top of the ramp down to the end of the 279-foot-long run where a cushioning bank of snow was piled up against the street-side fence.

1887

The next season saw the construction of a 480-foot-long wooden slide starting on a vacant lot on Ridout Street near the west end of Albert Street.

Pairs of riders climbed sturdy wooden steps to the platform 15 feet above the river embankment, then launched themselves down the steep dual chutes, sliding a long distance before ending up down below on the river flats.

Three overhead electric lights, a novelty at the time, attracted crowds of people on a nightly basis.

1888

The next season saw two slides competing for patrons. The 800-member London Toboggan Club opened the new London North Slide further up the eastern bank of the Thames River.

The dual chute was higher and longer than the previous one, being 82 feet high and 780 feet long with a total run of 1,620 feet. It took 21 seconds for the descent, and then the riders faced a long walk back up the path, dragging their toboggans behind them. The contractors used nearly 60,000 feet of lumber in its construction.

Over 2,000 people watched the preliminary heats of the club’s first (and only)
annual races on the evening of Tuesday, January 17th.

Not to be outdone, London South opened its own facility that January on Craig Street. From the brink of the hill overlooking what is now Thames Park, riders accelerated down the icy chutes, then flew through two dips on an open course across the flats, where they were challenged by a few trees for added excitement.

Sometimes toboggans ended their run by careening over the riverbank onto the ice. Since the Thames is quite shallow there, apparently drowning wasn’t a concern at the time.

1889

The next season saw the introduction of the London South Slide that started at the Hunt Dam and went straight down the frozen river, all while being lit by electric lights.

Another slide opened on what eventually became the campus of Western University.

In the rural areas outside London, people started setting up toboggan runs that took advantage of steep hillsides on their farms to get in on the action.

And of course, all of these sites charged admission to cover their costs at the very least, and to make a profit at best.

1890 & 1891 (Two Years of Bad Weather)

The winter of 1890 was unusually warm in London. No snow fell until the second week of February, making for a very short season.

In 1891, the season started early with lots of snow, but also ended early, closing by the middle of January, when the snow melted.

1892 (The End of an Era)

By 1892, the exciting but brief era of engineered toboggan slides in London was over. Did fickle weather play a role in their demise, or did people simply decide that natural hills provided them with enough excitement?

After all, toboggan runs on natural hills might be shorter and less steep than the engineered slides, but hey, THEY WERE FREE!

Tobogganing In London in Modern Times

With so many hills throughout the city, Londoners of all ages have continued the winter tradition of tobogganing.

As a tip of the hat to the toboggan craze of the late 1800s, a local craft brewery on Richmond Street opened its doors in 2014.

Called the Toboggan Brewing Co., it is decorated with toboggans hanging from its ceilings and has period photos on its walls.

So whether you’re the active type who slides down hills on a toboggan or the type who prefers instead to sip a cold brew with friends in The Toboggan, there is a place for you here in London.

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Hi, I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and enthusiastic cheerleader of all things London.

I love sharing stories about what makes our city so special (in all four seasons). Perhaps, when the weather turns warmer, I can show you around London… on a bicycle, of course.

Click here to learn more!

[5-minute read]

When you think of world-changing tech hubs, you probably picture some glass-and-steel metropolis where everyone wears black turtlenecks and drinks $12 cold brew.

Well, it’s time to update your mental map because London, Ontario, just ranked fourth on North America’s 2025 list of next-generation tech markets.

That’s right, little ol’ London has quietly outpaced a bunch of flashier cities to become one of the continent’s most explosive tech stories. And the best part? It’s a scene built not on hype, but on things that actually matter, like stability, diversity, and a refusal to take itself too seriously.

By the Numbers: Why London’s Tech Boom is No Accident

Based on a number of factors like total employment, employment growth, wages, and education, this ranking from the global commercial real estate firm CBRE is based on cold, hard data.

Let’s break down the stats that should make every other city a little jealous.

Metric	The Verdict	Why It Matters
Sector Growth (3 yrs)	54.5% growth	The highest growth rate on the list, more than 10% above its peers. This isn’t a slow burn; it’s a rocket launch.
North American Ranking	#4 (North America’s “Next 25 Markets”)	A notable jump from its previous position (#10 in 2021), officially putting London on the map as a top-tier contender.
Tech Employment	20,700 jobs and climbing	That’s over 4,000 new jobs compared to the previous year, proving the growth is creating real opportunities.
Average Tech Wage	$77,347 USD (2024)	A whopping 33.8% wage growth since 2021. Talent isn’t just coming; it’s being valued and paid well to stay.

More Than Just Code: A Tech Scene with an Identity Crisis (But In the Best Way)

So, what’s the secret sauce? London’s tech scene refuses to be pigeonholed. While other hubs specialize in one thing, London’s innovation comes in so many forms that it’s hard to keep track. This isn’t a one-trick pony; it’s a whole ecosystem.

London is home to Digital Extremes, the studio behind the massively popular game Warframe. The company has been operating in London for 30 years now and draws thousands of fans to the city for its conventions. This isn’t a fledgling industry; it’s a deeply rooted part of the culture.

Then there is the health care industry. With a robust network of hospitals and research institutions, London is a natural leader in medical technology.

But it doesn’t stop there. Agricultural technology, food innovation, and artificial intelligence are all thriving here as well. The city’s strength is its diversity, making it resilient and endlessly interesting.

Stability & Soul: The Un-Glamorous Keys to Success

What truly makes London attractive, especially for culture seekers, is its vibe. The city offers a combination of stability and beauty that’s a welcome antidote to the breakneck pace of traditional tech hubs.

Companies like Info-Tech Research Group, a global firm with over 1,500 employees worldwide, still call London home, viewing it as a “launch pad, not a boundary.”

What makes London particularly special is how these technological developments integrate with the city’s historic fabric. You’ll find startups operating in restored heritage buildings, tech workers enjoying lunch in Victorian-era parks, and innovation districts that maintain human scale rather than overwhelming glass towers (although we do that too).

London isn’t a transient boomtown. It’s a community where businesses put down roots for the long haul, supported by a network of incubators, academic institutions like Western University, and organizations like TechAlliance that actively fuel growth. As the city’s mayor, Josh Morgan, notes, this achievement is a milestone for the “innovators who build and invest here.”

London’s Next Chapter

The Forest City’s tech story continues to evolve. Recent developments include:

• Major investments in artificial intelligence and machine learning research
• Expansion of the city’s cybersecurity sector
• Growth in clean tech and sustainable innovation
• Continued strength in digital creative industries

This isn’t a transient boom but the latest chapter in a long story of adaptation and growth. From a strategic settlement at the Forks of the Thames 200 years ago to a 21st-century innovation hub, London has maintained its character while embracing change.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and proud Londoner.

I love shining a light on the hidden gems and incredible stories that make our city special. If you want to experience the charm of London and get a more intimate look at why the city is attracting all these tech firms, why not join me on a bicycle tour?

Click here to learn more!

[4-minute read]

In early December 2010, a weather event of historic proportions settled over southwestern Ontario, a storm so significant it earned the dramatic name “Snowmageddon.”

For 102 hours between December 4th and 8th, an astonishing 177 centimetres of snow blanketed the region, falling steadily for 98 of those hours.

Snowmageddon was caused by the “lake-effect,” which is a term that describes the streamers that blow in from the open waters of Lake Huron.

This effect is common in winter when winds from the west blow over the still-warm waters of Lake Huron and collide with the cold air over land, dumping all their moisture as snow.

What made “Snowmageddon” unique was its persistence; the winds were “caught in a rut” with no other weather system to push them along, resulting in an unrelenting, multi-day snowfall.

The Day the City Stood Still

Schools closed across the city and throughout surrounding counties on December 6th and 7th.

London’s public transit system halted operations that did not resume until December 9th.

On the treacherous highways to the east of London, high winds created dangerous whiteout conditions and massive drifts. A multi-vehicle accident involving several tractor-trailers closed Highway 401 near Ingersoll.

In Lambton County to the west, a separate but equally intense pulse of the storm on December 12th led to the county declaring a State of Emergency.

Over 1,500 motorists were stranded in deep snow along Highway 402 and other roadways. The situation grew so dire that the county requested the deployment of Canadian military helicopters to undertake rescue flights for those trapped in their vehicles.

Where History Meets Heart: Stories of Community Resilience

In the midst of the chaos on Highway 402, incredible scenes of generosity unfolded. Individuals opened their homes to complete strangers.

John Prins, a local manufacturer, saw a stranded tanker truck near his driveway and invited the driver in to warm up. He then learned of another stranded driver, and then another. “The next thing you know,” Prins recalled, “we basically pulled that whole group, maybe there was like… 35, 40 people”. His home became an impromptu shelter, with neighbours contributing food and another using farm equipment to dig out vehicles.

Archivist Nicole Aszalos, who was home during the storm, remembers the surreal quiet that followed: “You heard nothing but the howling of the wind and the sound of the snowmobiles very faintly in the distance”. Those snowmobiles became the lifelines of the community, ferrying supplies and helping with rescues where cars could not go.

These stories of neighbours helping neighbours, of communities rallying without a second thought, form the warm, human heart at the centre of this cold historical event.

Discovering London’s True Character

The legacy of Snowmageddon isn’t about preparing for the next great storm. It’s about the character of the people in the area, a character built on resilience, kindness, and a quiet determination to look out for one another.

This is the same welcoming spirit you’ll find all year round in London’s vibrant neighbourhoods, its charming cafés, and along the scenic Thames River pathways.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and all-weather cyclist.

I love sharing stories about what makes our city so special, regardless of the season we find ourselves in. As an optimist, I like to say, “There isn’t bad weather, only poor clothing choices.”

But seriously, though, when the weather does turn warmer in the spring, perhaps you’d like to join me as I show you around London… on a bicycle, of course.

Click here to learn more!

[3-minute read]

Every city has its monuments. But in London, Canada, one of our most magnificent monuments isn’t made of brick or mortar—it’s a living, breathing giant.

Tucked away in the charming Blackfriars district, a majestic white oak stands as a silent onlooker to two centuries of history.

A Witness to London’s Earliest Days

This tree has seen the transformation of the landscape from dense forest to a thriving modern city. It’s a direct, living link to a precolonial London, a remnant of the vast Carolinian forests that once covered southwestern Ontario.

The Dilemma

By 2025, the roots of the massive oak were growing into the foundation of the nearby house, with its five-foot-wide trunk being only inches away from the edge of the roof.

A decision had to be made. Does the city save the building or the tree? One had to go.

The problem was that the heritage house was protected. But so was the tree because the Heritage Act specifically includes landscape features as important elements.

According to one consultant, “We have two heritage attributes [where] one has essentially been destroying the other. The root system of the tree has been growing into the (house) structure for several years.”

The Decision

A few factors tipped the scales in favour of the tree:

• The interior of the heritage house was destroyed by fire in 2022
• An arborist’s report described the tree as “one of the nicest oak trees in the city,” and that, for “its age and structure, it is in impeccable condition.”

So it’s not surprising that city staff recommended permitting the house to be demolished while protecting the tree.

City Council agreed, so long as the developer followed a set of strict conditions:

• No mechanized equipment would be permitted near the tree during demolition or construction.
• Part of the foundation must remain buried in the ground.
• The new house had to be built near the centre of the property – a substantial distance from the oak tree.

The Best Part

So, the next time you’re wandering around London, remember that some of our most fascinating history isn’t confined to plaques and museums—it’s growing right beside us.

And the best part? You can go and see this incredible tree for yourself.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and proud Londoner.

I love shining a light on the hidden gems and incredible stories that make our city special, like this heritage oak. If reading this makes you want to experience the charm of Blackfriars and other hidden corners of London up close and personal, why not join me for a guided bicycle tour?

Click here to learn more!

[4-minute read}

When we think of London, Ontario, we picture the Thames River, beautiful parks, and a vibrant city.

But what if I told you that the ground beneath our feet holds a secret history of London that stretches back over 13,000 years?

Long before London was founded, this very landscape was a stage for epic natural dramas, Ice Age giants, and the first human footsteps.

The Great Thaw: London’s Icy Beginning

Our story starts at the end of the last Ice Age.

For millennia, a colossal mass of ice, the Laurentide Ice Sheet, smothered most of Canada. As the climate slowly warmed, this mighty glacier began its grand retreat, melting northward from what is now Southwestern Ontario.

The meltwater unleashed torrential rivers and carved out the basins of our Great Lakes. The land, once crushed by billions of tons of ice, began to rebound.

It was into this new, wet, and fertile world that the first life returned—a world of spruce forests, marshes, and giant creatures that now seem the stuff of legend.

The Giants of the Thames Watershed

Imagine cycling along the Thames River Parkway today, but instead of squirrels and geese, you spot a shaggy, elephant-like creature ambling through the trees. Meet the American Mastodon, the undisputed megastar of prehistoric London.

These magnificent beasts were not woolly mammoths (their more famous, cold-adapted cousins). Mastodons were forest dwellers, with long, curved tusks and teeth perfectly designed for browsing on twigs and leaves.

They stood over three metres tall at the shoulder, a true testament to the richness of the post-glacial landscape. For thousands of years, herds of these gentle giants roamed the swamps and woodlands that would one day become London.

The First People: A Story Written in Stone

As the mastodons thrived, another chapter was beginning. The first Indigenous peoples to arrive in this region were the ancestors of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Lünaapéewak peoples. They were highly skilled and adaptable hunters, living in a world of immense natural abundance.

For a long time, the stories of these early peoples and the mastodons were thought to be separate. But recent evidence from an archeological dig near Hamilton, Ontario, proves that their lives overlapped profoundly.

Blood found on sharpened stone tools unearthed at the dig site was tested for DNA and showed conclusively that the Paleo Indigenous people at that time hunted and butchered mastodons living in the area – a discovery which the head archeologist, Ron Williamson, called “unprecedented.” 

Evidence for mastodons in Canada is abundant and includes widespread fossilized bones, teeth, tusks, and preserved dung. 

Over 98 mastodon sites have been recorded in Southern Ontario alone, particularly along the north shore of Lake Erie, reflecting the forested habitat they preferred. 

For example, in 1890, the nearly complete skeleton of a mastodon was found in a farmer’s field in Highgate, an hour’s drive to the west of London.

These stories remind us that London’s history doesn’t just live in museums. It’s woven into the very gravel of the Thames River and sleeps just beneath the soil of our parks and pathways. Every time we walk, cycle, or paddle through this city, we are moving through a landscape that had previously been home to giants.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and a huge fan of our city’s incredible layers of history.

I love London and am constantly discovering hidden gems around every corner. If you’re the curious sort, I invite you to join me so we can explore this great city together.

Click here to learn more!

[6-minute read]

London, Ontario, didn’t just randomly get its famous nickname, “The Forest City,” for nothing.

It is home to more than 4 million trees, 490 parks, and over 330 km of walking and biking trails.

However, before London became the lush city it is today, it first had to learn a painful lesson.

Conquering Nature (That Was A Mistake)

The Carolinian Forest was originally a dense canopy of oak, walnut, and chestnut trees that had stood for centuries. Early travellers to Southwestern Ontario regarded the vegetation as extraordinary. In particular, they remarked on the enormous size of the trees.

However, to pioneering settlers, the ancient forest was seen as an obstacle to progress.

With axe and saw, they energetically cleared the land, making way for farms, factories, and the grid of early streets. In fact, the first task for many settlers was removing tree stumps from roadways and their properties.

The founding of London in 1826 was an act of ambition, a declaration that a modern, industrial city would rise from the wilderness. In that earnest rush to conquer nature and build a robust economy, the very identity of the land changed.

This rapid transformation came at a cost. The relentless clearing of trees, essential for the city’s growth, slowly stripped away the natural canopy.

Modern Day Reconciliation With Our Forests

Today, we are on a collective journey to rewrite that story. The mission is no longer about conquering the landscape, but about reconciling with it. We are actively working to overcome that historical deforestation by getting back to our roots, literally and figuratively.

The spirit of the original forest is being coaxed back to life not with axes, but with shovels, through the dedicated work of community plantings and a renewed reverence for our natural environment.

We are weaving the canopy back into our urban fabric, learning from the mistakes of the past.

It’s a living, breathing mission being carried forward by an incredible organization: ReForest London.

ReForest London is on a Mission

Founded 20 years ago, ReForest London emerged with a simple, but powerful goal: to ensure our city lives up to its nickname, the Forest City, for generations to come.

It operates on a beautiful, proactive principle: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is today.”

This isn’t a small-scale effort. It’s a city-wide movement powered by thousands of volunteers, dedicated corporate partners, and the supportive framework of the City of London itself. As a registered charity, its work is multifaceted and deeply impactful, focusing on:

• Planting for the Future: Through community plantings in parks, schoolyards, and naturalizations, they don’t just put trees in the ground; they cultivate a more vibrant urban forest.
• The Million Tree Challenge: An ambitious, community-driven goal that has seen Londoners come together to add hundreds of thousands of new trees to the landscape.
• Empowering Homeowners: With popular programs like their Native Plant Sale and Tree Giveaway, they put the power of reforestation directly into the hands of residents, encouraging the use of native species proven to thrive here.

All ages, races, and religions, working together for the common good.

(Photo credits: ReForest London)

Why a Canopy Matters: The Lungs of the City

This work is about so much more than beauty. A robust tree canopy is the lungs of a city. It cleans our air, filters our water, and provides crucial habitat for wildlife.

On a hot summer day, walking down a shaded street can definitely feel a lot cooler, a direct result of the “ambient temperature” lowering effect of trees.

The reforesting of London aligns perfectly with the City of London’s Climate Emergency Plan, which boldly aims for London to become the “greenest city in Canada” by 2050.

Where to See the Story Grow

For a visitor, the work of ReForest London is something you can actually experience.

A wonderful example is their Mini-Forest, located in the Westminster Environmentally Significant Area (ESA)—the largest ESA in the city. This dense, fast-growing forest is a living laboratory and a beautiful, serene spot to witness urban reforestation in action.

You can also visit their Community Tree Nursery, where the next generation of London’s canopy is being carefully nurtured.

This commitment to a green future creates the very landscapes that make London such a delightful place to explore. The shaded pathways, the lush riverbanks of the Thames, the vibrant parklands—they are all part of the story.

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Hi, I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and a proud champion of our beautiful Forest City.

I love sharing stories about what makes London so special. The cool, shaded trails and beautiful parks are the perfect settings for some amazing bicycle rides. If reading this makes you want to experience London’s green spaces, I’d be delighted to show you around.

Click here to learn more!

[6-minute read]

Picture yourself in London in the 1870s.

The streets were bustling, industry was growing, and the city had established itself as a proud hub in Southwestern Ontario.

But this promising city had a big problem, one that kept its citizens and council members awake at night.

The Constant Threat of Fire (1852 – 1875)

In an age where a single spark from a lantern or a stove could spell disaster, London had no reliable water supply to fight fires. And they had no fire hydrants!

Between 1852 and 1875, London experienced 484 fires, leading to a financial loss of over $1,000,000. Although many of the fires were minor, there was typically one major fire every single year in and around the downtown area.

When a blaze started, bucket brigades were often the only defence. It was a heartbreakingly futile effort against a roaring inferno.

Time and again, valuable buildings, businesses, and homes were burnt to the ground.

Even the new pumper wagons manned by professional firefighters were largely useless without the ability to generate enough water pressure and without a plentiful water source to draw from.

This was more than an inconvenience; it was an existential crisis. As other Ontario cities like Toronto and Hamilton modernized their infrastructure with pressurized waterworks, London’s City Council grew increasingly concerned.

How could they attract new businesses and industries to London if they couldn’t guarantee the most basic municipal service – safety from fire?

A Modern Solution for a Growing City (1875)

The solution was clear: build a waterworks. The plan they came up with was a marvel of 19th-century engineering. They chose a site to the west of London where six natural springs flowed from the side of a big hill.

Their vision was to pump the clean, spring water up to the top of the 83-metre-high hill where a massive reservoir would be built. From there, gravity would do the rest, sending water through a six-kilometer pipeline to London to feed the fire hydrants soon to be positioned at nearly every street corner in the city.

The Great Debate: A Dream Delayed, But Not Denied (1875-1877)

It seemed like the perfect plan. But there was one major hurdle: the estimated $400,000 price tag.

For two years, from 1875 to 1877, the waterworks became a hotly debated topic.

City Council, understanding the critical need, put the issue to a public vote. Not once, not twice, but three times.

You can imagine the debates, the fear of rising taxes clashing with the vision for a secure, modern city.

Meanwhile, London continued to burn. For example, in the four months following the first vote, there were 34 fires.

Finally, perseverance paid off. On the third try, Londoners voted “yes” on December 14, 1877.

Shortly thereafter, a loan for the project was secured, with the promise that shovels would hit the ground in 1878.

The Legacy of a Watershed Moment (1879)

The completion of the Springbank Waterworks in January 1879 was a transformative moment for London.

It wasn’t just about the installation of those first, life-saving fire hydrants. It was about confidence. It was a signal to the world that London was open for business, ready to grow, and committed to the safety and prosperity of its citizens. The city could finally breathe a sigh of relief, no longer living in the shadow of the next great fire.

In 1879, there were 180 fire hydrants in the city of London.

And today?

The latest figures from July 2019 show that, after 140 years of city expansion, the number of fire hydrants in London had grown to 7,614.

Discovering the Layers of Our City (Today)

This story is just one of the multifaceted aspects that make London such a fascinating place to explore.

The legacy of the 1877 waterworks decision is all around us: from the historic buildings in the downtown core that are still standing today because of the improved fire protection, to the continued beauty of Springbank Park, where it all began.

History isn’t just in our museums; it’s written into the very fabric of our city, waiting for curious minds to discover.

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Hi, I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, teller of tales, and a huge fan of our city’s unique history. I love sharing hidden stories like this one that help you discover the best parts of London.

If you’d like to see where these events occurred, why not join me on a guided bicycle tour?

Click here to learn more!

[5-minute read]

The Thames River, London’s liquid spine, may be a scenic backdrop for cyclists and kayakers today, but it does have a darker past.

For decades, we treated the Thames like a bottomless pit. Imagine a time when every toilet flush, every factory’s chemical byproduct, and every oily trickle from the street headed straight for the river. There was no “treatment.” There was only conveyance.

The river, once teeming with fish, became an open sewer. It was so polluted that by the mid-20th century, calling it “water” was generous; it was more of a biological hazard with a current.

The wake-up call was as pungent as you’d expect. The stench in summer was unbearable. The river was dying, and it was our fault. This environmental embarrassment sparked a revolution in thinking. We realized a fundamental truth: you cannot continue to use your river as a garbage dump and still somehow expect it to remain a resource.

The Great Separation: Where Things Started to Flow Correctly

The single most important fix was the separation of the sewage system from the stormwater system. We stopped piping our raw wastewater directly into the river. Instead, wastewater got sent to a treatment plant, while rainwater was managed separately.

But that was just the first step.

Stormwater Management Ponds

We quickly learned that even rainwater running off streets and parking lots carries a nasty cocktail of oil, heavy metals, and debris. Sending that straight to the Thames was only marginally better than sending sewage into the river. So, London got smart. It started building stormwater management ponds.

These aren’t just decorative puddles. They’re the river’s kidney dialysis units. When rain falls, instead of gushing untreated into the Thames, it’s channeled into these ponds. The ponds slow the flow, allowing sediment and pollutants to settle out before the cleaner water is gradually released into the river. It’s a simple, brilliant mimicry of nature’s own filtering process.

But it’s only when you add rain gardens and permeable pavement that let water soak into the ground like a sponge instead of racing across concrete that you finally have a city learning to work with the water cycle, not against it.

The Downstream Domino Effect: It’s Not Just Our Problem

Here’s the kicker: a river doesn’t care about city limits. The problems we create in London don’t stay in London.

When fertilizers from lawns in London, along with manure from farms along the river, packed with phosphorus and nitrogen, flow downstream, they feed massive algae blooms in Lake Erie. These blooms can create dead zones, suffocating aquatic life.

The health of our river is not a local vanity project; it’s a regional responsibility. Every stormwater management pond is a small act of apology and repair—a commitment to sending cleaner water to our downstream neighbours, including the Indigenous communities on the lower Thames River, who have lived alongside and depended on the river for millennia.

The Thames River today

The Thames River today is a testament to what happens when a city decides to clean up its act. The fish are returning. The smell is gone. While you still shouldn’t drink from it, the river is on a remarkable journey back to health. Those unassuming stormwater management ponds dotting the city are the unsung heroes in this story, quietly filtering our mistakes and giving the Thames a fighting chance.

It’s a powerful lesson: even the most damaged relationships can be healed with a little effort… and a lot of filtration.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of puns.

Reading about the Thames River comeback is one thing, but pedaling along its revitalized banks and seeing those stormwater management ponds in action is quite another. If you want to experience London’s environmental story, come explore with me. I help curious folks like you discover the best parts of London, from a bicycle seat, of course.

Click here to learn more!

[3-minute read]

If you’re looking for the Swiss Alps, keep scrolling. But if you’re looking for something arguably more interesting – a community-built adventure on a dirt-pile – then welcome to Boler Mountain.

That’s right, London, Canada has a mountain. Or, as some might say, a “very ambitious hill.” We prefer “mountain,” thank you very much. Because what Boler lacks in height, it more than makes up for in personality.

The 34-Year Saga

Boler’s main slope, West Hill, is now the tallest point in London. How did it get that way? From 1978 to 2012, it was meticulously constructed from clean fill excavated from construction sites across the city. That’s right. The tallest point in London is essentially made from basement dig-outs and foundation pours. It’s the little hill that could, one truckload at a time.

This beloved 79-year-old non-profit ski hill stands as a monument to what a community can build when it has more attitude than altitude.

Winter is the Main Character, But Summer is the Plot Twist

Yes, winter is Boler’s blockbuster season. The skiing, snowboarding, and tubing are legendary, drawing crowds who know that you don’t need a six-hour drive north to Collingwood for a fun day on the slopes.

But the real genius move was making Boler a four-season attraction. When the snow melts each year, the place transforms into Southwestern Ontario’s most dynamic adventure park.

Here’s what it offers:

The New Chalet

At the base of the hill is a 16,000-square-foot chalet, a full-scale event hub that hosts everything from a quiet dinner to weddings, corporate shindigs, and special occasions.

Boler Mountain is a beautiful paradox.

• It’s a non-profit that operates like a world-class resort.
• It’s a “mountain” built by committee and construction waste.
• It’s a place that is deeply local, yet it pulls people from all over to see what all the fuss is about.

It’s a testament to the fact that you don’t need epic geography to have an epic adventure; you just need vision, a little donated dirt, and a whole lot of heart.

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Hi, I’m Lawrence, bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and champion for hidden gems in London.

If reading about Boler’s trails has you itching to explore more of London’s great outdoors, why not see it on two wheels?  I help curious folks like you discover the best parts of our city, from the saddle of my bicycle, of course.

Click here to learn more about my tours!

[7-minute read]

For the true culture seeker, the most compelling destinations are found where a city’s gritty past and its vibrant present collide.

If this speaks to your travel soul, then London’s rapidly evolving Smokestack District in Old East Village is your next must-see destination.

Factories That Built An Industrial Powerhouse

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this area of the city was the roaring engine of London. The skyline was defined by towering brick smokestacks billowing with the promise of progress.

The undisputed king of the hill was the Kellogg Factory.

Established in 1907, it was the largest and most modern cereal manufacturing plant in the country and became a London landmark for over a century.

The nickname “Million Dollar Mile” on Dundas Street was a nod to the immense value the factory brought to the area through jobs and economic activity.

The Kellogg Factory was a “city within a city,” featuring its own power plant, fire department, and machine shop.

The factory complex was huge! Through a series of expansions, it soon covered 23 acres and had almost 1 million square feet of building space.

By 2011, the plant was producing 750,000 boxes of cereal a day!

The Decline of Manufacturing

However, like other North American manufacturing centres in the latter part of the 20th century, many factories in the Smokestack District faced challenges they couldn’t overcome and were forced to shut down.

By the end of 2014, after 107 years, the Kellogg factory also ceased operations, leaving a monumental void and an uncertain future for the iconic complex.

The Great Pivot: Weaving an Audacious New Dream

However, when new owners came onto the scene in 2018, they brought with them an audacious plan for redeveloping the area. Their bold vision became the driving force behind reimagining the entire Smokestack District.

Their goal wasn’t to erase its past, but to weave its industrial character into a new, community-focused tourist destination and entertainment hub, recreating a “city within a city.”

Today, the first phase of the project has been completed. The newly redeveloped 100 Kellogg Lane is a stunning example of adaptive reuse.

It is the home of a massive five-story ropes course, a 20,000 square foot trampoline park, four 145-foot zip-lines, an arcade, a local craft brewery, restaurants, a distillery, a 28,000 square foot sports bar, retail shops, a mini-golf and indoor sports centre, office space, a convention centre that can accommodate up to 1,000 guests, the largest virtual reality facility in Canada, warehouses, the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, the London Children’s Museum, the first Hard Rock Hotel in Canada, and much, much more.

The entire complex has essentially become an urban resort where people can stay for days at a time without ever needing to set foot outside the building if they don’t want to.

Its interior courtyard is a large central flex space that can be used for large performances, events, and community gatherings.

The careful redevelopment work, guided by the Heritage Impact Assessment’s mandate to preserve the site’s “mass, scale, and industrial materials,” ensures that the soul of the old factory remains ever-present. The result is a clever blend of modern chic with the exposed bones of the industrial building showing through.

The Modern Smokestack District: Where Heritage Meets High Design

In addition to the recently completed Kellogg’s Block (marked as #1 in the above photo), the Kellogg District Master Plan calls for 8 adjacent properties to be organized into 3 additional Blocks that will feature offices, residences, and commercial space.

To bring cohesion to this sprawling community, several of the taller buildings will be connected by elevated pedestrian bridges, and a landscaped walking trail will wind along the old Spur Rail Line, linking three new urban parks.

To preserve the industrial character of the Smokestack District, much attention has been paid to adaptive reuse, conservation methodologies, and heritage guidelines.

Factors such as protecting important views and sightlines, maintaining signage from the industrial era, and preserving the vertical elements of older buildings are all important, but so is mitigating the effects of shadowing from the new towers and allowing for a smooth transition from the new taller buildings in the centre of the District to the lower height of existing homes in the surrounding neighbourhood.

This redevelopment project will take years to finish, but when all is said and done, the transformation from a gritty working-class neighbourhood to a high-end entertainment district will be complete.

Experience the Transformation on Two Wheels

The best way to absorb the scale and spirit of the Smokestack District is from the seat of a bicycle. The wide, flat streets of the surrounding neighbourhoods, once filled with workers heading to the factory, are perfect for cycling.

On a bicycle, you can appreciate the architectural details that were preserved and feel the palpable energy of a neighbourhood being written anew.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of heritage buildings.

This Industrial Renaissance is just one of the many things I’ve discovered while exploring London on my bicycle. But there’s sooo much more. Come and see for yourself.

Small groups, big laughs, and a chance to see visions becoming a reality, up close and personal. I help inquisitive folks like you discover the best parts of London, from the seat of my bicycle, of course.

Click here to learn more about my tours!

[5-minute read]

If you’ve traveled through downtown London for any length of time, you’ve probably already had the experience of being stuck in traffic while slow-moving freight trains took forever to clear the tracks.

And wouldn’t you know it. It’s always when you’re running late.

So, there you are, fuming and cursing the flashing lights and the long freight trains cutting the city in half. But what if I told you that the trains are what helped make London a prosperous city in the first place?

The 1853 Game Changer: From Mud Paths to Iron Tracks

Long before London was a city with rail crossings that annoyed you, it was a town with muddy streets and boardwalks; really just a hopeful grid on a map. Then, in 1853, the Great Western Railway steamed in, and London went from being a provincial outpost to a booming city.

The trains didn’t just bring in goods; they brought people, money, and a reason for everyone else to show up. London became a strategic hub, with tracks stretching out in all directions.

The Anatomy of a Railway City: By the Numbers

55 Level Crossings: That’s 55 official opportunities to sit in your car, sigh deeply, and contemplate your life choices. Consider it a city-wide, mandatory mindfulness exercise.

21 Bridges Over Railroads & 12 Under Them: Let’s talk about two recent improvements, since they are both near large urban train yards, each with many slow-moving freight trains.

• The Adelaide Street underpass project eliminated 25 to 43 instances of train delays per day. It may have cost the city a cool $88 million, $29 million higher than expected, but who doesn’t love a good budget surprise, right?
• The Hale/Trafalgar elevated roundabout reduced significant delays for the 15,000 vehicles that previously lined up to cross the tracks daily.

CN, CPKC, and the Art of the Inconvenient Pause

Today, railways in Canada are run by two giants: CN (Canadian National Railway Company) and CPKC (Canadian Pacific Kansas City). Even though their freight trains are the lifeline of our national economy, the level crossings constantly disrupt our daily routines.

The traffic delays? Think of them not as annoyances, but as a chance to put on your favourite podcast, check your messages, and appreciate the raw, industrial power rumbling past your windshield. It’s a free, unscheduled spectacle of commerce!

Your Ticket to Adventure

But here’s the secret for the culture seeker: this railway network is your best friend. The VIA train is your stress-free ticket to an amazing weekend.

Hop on a train in Toronto or Windsor, and a couple of relaxing hours later, without any white-knuckle traffic on Highway 401 (the busiest highway in North America), you’ll be deposited right in the heart of London, ready to discover our breweries, trails, and vibrant neighbourhoods.

Opportunities Galore for Cyclists

Interestingly, because the railways intersect numerous roads and pathways in London, they offer train-loving cyclists many opportunities to pass over and under the train tracks. Here is but a sampling:

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of puns.

If you’re all done reading about our rail history and want to experience London, why don’t you come on a bicycle tour with me? Small groups, big laughs, and zero train-related delays (I promise). I help curious folks like you discover the best parts of our city (from the saddle of my bicycle, of course).

Click here to learn more about my tours!

[5-minute read]

In the middle of a suburban neighbourhood is a place that has spent 10,000 years resisting human attempts to civilize it. Welcome to Sifton Bog, a floating, acidic, peat-based reality check that refuses to be conquered.

Sifton Bog isn’t just a patch of green. This is one of the most southerly acidic bogs in all of Canada, a 41.6-hectare time capsule where plants eat meat, the ground literally floats, and a ten-minute walk can transport you through botanical zones that are usually found far apart. And it’s right in our backyard.

A Hole with a Soul: How a Glacier’s Misstep Created a Masterpiece

So, how did such an oddity come to be?

The story begins back when much of Ontario was covered by a massive ice sheet. As it retreated, it left behind a giant chunk of ice buried in the Ingersoll Glacial Moraine. When this ice chunk finally melted, it left a massive, water-filled depression with no natural drainage—a kettle lake.

Over the next ten millennia, nature got to work. Plants grew and died in the water, but because the conditions were too cool and oxygen-poor for them to fully decompose, they did the next best thing: they turned into peat. Layer upon layer of this partially decayed matter built up, eventually forming a semi-floating mat that now surrounds the open water of Redmond’s Pond. This peat layer isn’t just a few inches thick; it’s a staggering 18 metres (60 feet) deep in places. The bog is essentially a giant, waterlogged sponge.

Where North Meets South

What makes Sifton Bog truly bizarre, and a magnet for botanists, is its unique location. It’s where two great forest empires come together.

The Boreal Forest: The centre of the bog is a little piece of the far north. It’s dominated by sphagnum moss, leatherleaf, and stunted trees like black spruce and tamarack that are typically found in the vast boreal forest that covers 75% of Canada.

The Carolinian Forest: Surrounding the bog is a deciduous swamp and upland forest characteristic of the Carolinian zone. This forest region, found only in southern Ontario, is home to a much greater diversity of species than can be found anywhere else in the country.

Visiting Sifton Bog means that in one short stroll, you can experience a change in vegetation so drastic it would normally require a road trip of several hundred kilometres. It’s like climate change, but in reverse, and far more pleasant.

The Meat-Eating Residents (No, Not What You Think)

The bog is also home to some of the plant kingdom’s most cunning predators. That’s right, Sifton Bog is home to four types of carnivorous plants that have evolved to thrive in the nutrient-poor, acidic soil by supplementing their diet with a little bug protein.

You can find the delicate, dewy-leaved sundews (Drosera intermedia and Drosera rotundifolia) and the iconic purple pitcher plant (Sarracenia purpurea). These plants are passive-aggressive assassins. The sundews trap insects on their sticky, glandular leaves, while the pitcher plants drown them in a cocktail of digestive enzymes. It’s a brutal, but highly efficient system. They’re a testament to the fact that in the bog, you adapt or you become lunch.

Humanity’s Failed Attempts to Tame the Bog

Of course, humans being humans, we looked at this unique, fragile ecosystem and thought, “I bet we can make a buck off it.”

And we tried. Oh, how we tried.

• Sphagnum Moss for War: During the First World War, the bog’s sphagnum moss was harvested as an alternative to cotton gauze for bandages, supporting the war effort and local hospitals.
• Gunpowder from Buckthorn: In the Second World War, the Alder Buckthorn plant native to the bog was harvested to produce gunpowder.

But the bog, in its quiet, soggy way, resisted full-scale exploitation. The commercial ventures failed to conquer it, and the city eventually grew around it. Today, instead of being drained for a subdivision, it’s a proudly preserved Environmentally Significant Area (ESA). It stands as a beautiful, mossy island of wilderness, completely surrounded by suburban homes, a daily reminder that the most interesting things are often the ones we couldn’t change.

Your Adventure Awaits

Today, experiencing this natural anomaly is incredibly easy. A well-maintained trail, including a meandering boardwalk, lets you safely traverse the floating mat and leads you out to a platform extending over Redmond’s Pond. It’s a 3.7-kilometre round trip that feels worlds away from the city, even though you’re just steps from it.

As you walk, keep your eyes peeled for painted turtles sunning themselves, dragonflies skimming the water, and, if you’re lucky, even deer wandering through the surrounding woods. The boardwalk is the bog’s greatest gift to visitors. It protects delicate plants from being trampled while letting you become fully immersed in this otherworldly landscape without sinking into 60 feet of peat.

A win-win, really.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of puns.

This ancient peat bog is just one of the many things I’ve discovered while exploring London on my bicycle. But there’s sooo much more. Come and see for yourself. Small groups, big laughs, and zero chance of being eaten by a purple pitcher plant (I promise). I help inquisitive folks like you discover the best parts of London – from the seat of my bicycle, of course.

Click here to learn more about my tours!

[4-minute read]

Let’s talk about a scandal.

Not a juicy gossip-column scandal, but the kind that shakes the very foundations of what’s right and wrong. Our story today involves a secret oath, a grossly unfair trial, and a deportation that would make headlines today.

It’s the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs and their connection to London, Canada.

First, the 19th-century drama.

In the English village of Tolpuddle, six agricultural laborers faced a simple, brutal truth: their wages were being cut to starvation levels. So, they did what sensible people do: they formed a friendly society to support each other.

• Their tool? A secret oath.
• Their crime? According to the authorities, “administering unlawful oaths.”
• The punishment? A one-way ticket to a penal colony in Australia.

The trip to penal colonies was horrific, and the treatment when they got there was equally brutal.

(Photo credit: The Tolpuddle Martyrs Memorial Trust)

Let that sink in.

These men weren’t violent. They weren’t plotting a revolution. They were asking for a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. And for that, they were gathered up and shipped off to a foreign land without due process. It was a legal travesty so shocking that it sparked mass protests in England in 1834 that ultimately led to their pardon in 1836 and the birth of the modern trade union movement.

So, what does this have to do with London?

In 1844, George Loveless, along with four of his fellow martyrs and their families, emigrated to Canada and settled on farms in the London District. George’s final resting place is in the serene Siloam Cemetery in north-east London, marked by a provincial plaque that tells the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

But our city’s tribute doesn’t end in a quiet cemetery.

Downtown, at the corner of York and Thames streets, you’ll find a sculpture simply entitled “Good Hands.”

It’s a quiet but unmistakable nod to the dignity of labor and the courage of those six men from Tolpuddle. It’s a monument not to a general or a politician, but to the idea that fairness is worth fighting for.

From Tolpuddle to Today: An Unfinished Story

It’s tempting to put this story neatly in the “history” box. But the mechanism of rounding people up under dubious legal pretenses and deporting them isn’t just a relic of the 1830s.

Consider modern-day I.C.E. agents in the United States, who have similarly detained and deported individuals, often separating families and bypassing due process. The details are different, but the theme of using state power to punish the vulnerable is a chilling echo across the centuries.

London’s connection to the Tolpuddle Martyrs isn’t just a quaint historical footnote. It’s a poignant reminder that the fight for justice is an ongoing journey. It’s a testament to the fact that our city, in its own small way, became a sanctuary for a concept: the right to organize, the right to dissent, and the right to be treated with dignity.

We Can’t Forget Their Stand

So, the next time you walk past the downtown sculpture or drive past the historical plaque on Fanshawe Park Road, remember the martyrs who landed in our backyard. It’s a story that proves history isn’t always about famous battles; sometimes, it’s about six brave farmhands whose legacy of resilience is woven right into the fabric of our city.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of puns.

Reading about a historical plaque is one thing, but standing before it and feeling the connection to a global story of injustice, that’s a different kind of journey.

If you want to experience some of these hidden gems, come on a bicycle tour with me. I help inquisitive folks like you discover the best parts of London – from a bicycle seat, of course.

Click here to learn more!

[5-minute read]

If you’ve ever driven through a typical suburban neighborhood, you’ve seen streetscapes dominated by rows upon rows of garage doors.

Homes designed for cars, not for people. It’s a world of concrete driveways and heat-baked asphalt, where the garage is the palace and the front porch is an afterthought.

Well, a quiet revolution is brewing in London, Ontario, and it’s turning that conventional wisdom on its head. Welcome to EVE Park, a net-zero community so innovative it was lauded by CNN as one of the “10 architectural projects set to shape the world in 2024.”

The Vertical Parking Tower

Imagine this: instead of a sprawling parking lot, you drive up to what looks like a sleek, modern garage. You park your car in a ground-level stall, get out, and push a button.

In less than 80 seconds, your car is whisked away to a vertical storage system. No more scraping ice off your windshield in February. No more hunting for a spot. Your vehicle is tucked away, safe and sound.

By ditching the traditional sea of asphalt, the designers at EVE (Electric Vehicle Enclave) have created space for the environment to flourish.

The land that would have been wasted on driveways and parking spots is now home to meadows of native plants, walking trails, and communal courtyards. The development’s ethos is literally to be “living in a park, not a parking lot.”

Table: Traditional Parking vs EVE Park’s Smart Tower

Feature	Traditional Suburban Parking	EVE Park’s Smart Tower
Land Use	Expansive asphalt lots that contribute to urban heat islands	Compact towers freeing up space for gardens and walking trails
User Experience	You have to deal with rain or snow, and cleaning snow off your car in the winter	Your vehicle is delivered in ~80 seconds and is protected from the elements
Environmental Impact	High, because of impermeable surfaces and stormwater runoff	Low, due to permeable surfaces that reduce your carbon footprint
Community Effect	Separates the space between houses with pavement	Creates central pedestrian courtyards that connect neighbours

Beyond the Parking Spot: The Art of Net-Zero Living

But the genius of EVE Park isn’t just where it puts your car. It’s how it powers your life. This is an all-electric community powered by the sun.

A massive array of solar panels feeds a community micro-grid, making the entire project net-zero energy, meaning it generates as much power as it uses over a year.

Step inside one of the bright, airy units, and you’ll find a suite of technical innovations:

• Tight Building Envelopes: Super-insulated walls and triple-pane, ENERGY STAR-rated windows keep the perfect temperature in and the weather noise out.
• Fresh Air Machines: Formally known as Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs), these systems constantly swap stale indoor air for fresh, filtered outdoor air, all while recapturing heat to save energy.
• Top-of-the-Line Everything: From Panasonic induction cooktops to heat pump dryers, every appliance is chosen for maximum efficiency without sacrificing an ounce of quality.

They’ve even thought of the air you breathe, using low-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) paints and finishes to ensure you’re not inhaling nasty chemicals. It’s healthy living, baked right into the drywall.

From Forest City to Future City: A Nod to London’s Legacy

Now, you might be thinking, “This is all very futuristic, but what’s it doing in London, Ontario?” The beautiful part is that it makes perfect sense.

London didn’t get its “Forest City” nickname by accident. There’s a deep-seated respect for nature here, even if decades of conventional development tried to pave over it.

EVE Park, nestled within the greater West 5 community and connected to the Thames River park area, is like the 21st-century expression of that Forest City soul. It’s a return to the ideal of living with nature, just with the benefit of 80-second parking retrieval.

It’s a project that required navigating outdated building codes and regulatory hurdles, a testament to the stubborn optimism of its developers, s2e Technologies, and designers like Gensler. They fought for this future, and London is now on the global architectural map for it.

Come See for Yourself

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of sustainable innovation.

EVE Park is just one of the many things I’ve discovered while exploring London on my bicycle. But there’s sooo much more. Come and see for yourself.

I’ve made it my mission to help inquisitive folks like you discover the best parts of London – from my bicycle seat, of course.

Click here to learn more about my tours!

[4-minute read]

Any city can build a neighbourhood on nice, stable, dry land.

But then there’s London’s Blackfriars District, a heritage neighborhood erected almost two centuries ago on a low-lying flood plain.

Defiantly, it sits beside a river that regularly threatens to devour it.

The Great Floods

The Thames River can be very unpredictable.

Sometimes it slows to a trickle, but when heavy rains fall upstream, it becomes a swollen torrent.

In July 1883, a catastrophic flood swept through London, killing 17 people.

In April 1937, another devastating flood poured river water into the Blackfriars neighbourhood, a reminder that you can’t just wish a river away.

In the 1937 flood, roads became rivers, and boats came in handy.

(Photo credits: UTRCA).

In the 1950s, in response to the continued risk of flooding, the newly formed Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA) built a series of dams upstream and dikes downstream.

They reinforced the West London Dike, a 2,374-meter-long, sloped mound of compacted earth and concrete walls to protect the low-lying Blackfriars District.

By 2030, further upgrades by the UTRCA will ensure that the dikes can withstand a 1-in-250-year flood.

The Bridge That Refused to Quit

During the 1800s, a combination of floodwaters and winter ice systematically destroyed each wooden bridge that was erected to cross the river.

Finally, in 1875, the city decided to build for the long run and constructed a bridge made of iron.

The Blackfriars Bridge is an iron bowstring truss bridge that looks delicate, but is deceptively strong. Some say it’s a miracle that something that looks so intricate has lasted so long.

It is now the oldest wrought-iron bridge in North America still used for vehicular traffic.

Yet a century and a half of high floodwater and vehicle wear-and-tear took its toll. By 2017, the bridge was in such poor repair that it was closed for a year, painstakingly restored, and then reopened in 2018.

Its latest comeback proves that in Blackfriars, they don’t discard their history; they polish it up and send it back into battle.

Blackfriars Bistro: A Taste of the Modern Harvest

Just a couple of blocks west of Blackfriars Bridge sits Blackfriars Bistro, the district’s culinary crown jewel.

Housed in a heritage building that was once a hotel and broom factory, this celebrated farm-to-table, chef-inspired restaurant offers seasonal menus, catering, and pastries baked from scratch.

Labatt Memorial Park

Also behind the dike is Labatt Memorial Park, the “World’s Oldest Continually Operating Baseball Grounds,” as proclaimed by Guinness World Records in 2008.

Over time, this park has hosted legends such as Ty Cobb, Satchel Page, and Fergie Jenkins.

It has hosted a wide variety of events, including bicycle racing, soccer, football, boxing, wrestling, winter skating, political rallies, show jumping for horses, civic receptions, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride, and even a 21-gun salute to Queen Elizabeth in 1997.

Your Invitation to a District That Earned Its Place

The Blackfriars District is one of London’s best comeback stories. It’s a lesson in grit… and proof that the most interesting places are often the ones that had to fight the hardest to survive.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of puns.

The Blackfriars District, with its elevated bicycle path, is just one of the many amazing things I’ve found while exploring London on my bicycle. But there’s sooo much more to discover.

Come see for yourself.

Small groups, big laughs, and zero chance of being swallowed in a flood. I help curious folks like you discover the best parts of London – from the seat of my bicycle, of course.

Click here to learn more about my tours!

[4-minute read]

You normally wouldn’t expect to find a noted archaeological site at the end of a quiet suburban street, but that’s exactly what you’ll find in London, Canada.

In the north end of the city are two significant historical treasures: The Museum of Ontario Archaeology, along with the adjacent Lawson Site.

Here you will find the remains of a bustling, fortified 16th-century village, a place where nearly 2,000 people once lived, 500 years ago.

From Pre-European Contact to Subdivision

Imagine it’s the year 1500.

Well over a century before Europeans ever made it this far into the North American wilderness, the Attawandaron (Neutral Iroquoian) people had already built a thriving settlement on a plateau overlooking the confluence of the Medway River and Snake Creek.

And this was no temporary camp. It was a heavily fortified settlement, a pre-European contact masterpiece of urban planning and defense.

It was surrounded by a series of palisade walls, earthworks, and maze-like entrances designed to keep enemies out.

Inside, the remains of at least 39 longhouses were discovered, each a home to multiple families.

The inhabitants were master farmers, who cultivated the “Three Sisters” – corn, beans, and squash – in the fertile fields outside their walls.

But they were also sophisticated traders, craftspeople, and hunters. Over 500,000 artifacts have been recovered from the site, telling a vivid story of daily life.

Aspect of Life	Evidence Found at the Lawson Site
Food & Agriculture	Carbonized corn, beans, and squash seeds; evidence of cultivated fields.
Hunting & Tools	Projectile points for arrows/darts; stone drill bits for crafting.
Art & Craftsmanship	Intricately carved pipes; beads made of bone, shell, and stone; bone needles for sewing.
Trade & Connection	Materials sourced from as far as the Atlantic seaboard and Lake Superior.
Home & Defense	Post molds from 39+ longhouses; evidence of complex palisade walls and earthworks.

The Museum now has Virtual Reality

The Museum of Ontario Archaeology is dedicated to the study and interpretation of over 11,000 years of human history in Ontario.

In addition to traditional exhibits, you can now step into their VRchaeology lab, where you will be immersed in a reconstructed 16th-century longhouse through virtual reality, a truly cutting-edge way to walk in the footsteps of the past.

But how did this all come to be?

In the late 1960s, local archaeologist Wilfrid Jury convinced property owner Colonel Tom Lawson to donate a portion of his property (on which this archaeological site was located) to the University of Western Ontario, ensuring it was saved from development and preserved for generations to come.

The Lawson Site was the first archaeological site in Ontario to be placed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.

So, the next time you’re in North London, come in for a closer look.

The Lawson Site is a powerful reminder that you don’t have to travel far to find world-class history. Sometimes, the greatest adventures are buried right in your own backyard.

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Hi. I’m Lawrence – bicycle tour guide, storyteller, and lover of puns.

This 500-year-old village is just one of the many things I’ve come across while exploring London on my bicycle. But there’s sooo much more to see.

Why not come along for a ride? I help inquisitive folks learn about the best parts of London – from my bicycle seat, of course.

Click here to learn more about my tours!