Evergreen Brick Works

Decent facility for events. I like the indoor /​outdoor factor and the rustic vibe of the building… But I’ve gotta say it’s a pain in the butt to get there as its pretty much out in the middle of no where. Even cabbies are out of their element when asking them to take you there, so take that into consideration and make sure they turn on the GPS before leaving.

What a beautiful venue. I was at the Toronto Food & Wine Festival and it was perfect. A fantastic green space with shuttles and a farmers market. It truly gave the event a new vibe.
There were paths with people walking dogs, riding their bikes, running, etc. You wouldn’t even know you’re in Toronto. They have a large garden where they teach children how to grow food! How great is that?!
If you’re looking for a nature walk, but don’t want to go too far, this is the place to be. Check out their website for events; there’s always something going on!

What an amazing space so close to the city! The Evergreen Brickworks feel smoke proper countryside yet has all the amenities you associate with downtown Toronto: great transport links and damn good coffee (courtesy of the on site café Café Belong)
I first went during the Toronto Food and Wine festival last weekend (September) and the atmosphere was electric. Full of families and groups, young and old alike the market area was brimming with energy. Tickets for the festival itself were over priced ($ 32+tax) but it was a great event nonetheless. The best thing about it however were the surroundings.
Behind the market there is a huge quarry and small lake, with miles of walking trails connected to the belt line making for a great cycle from the city. A bus (28) takes 10 mins from Davisville station and the subway connects to a shuttle from Broadview station. Head out for a picnic the weekend, you’ll probably find me there!

Visited the farmer’s market for the first time. That opens at 9AM and closes at 1PM. Got there around 11:30AM. The farmer’s market spanned through two buildings, one room was full of mostly hot food and some other canned foods, meats and cheeses. Lots of samples around to help you make your decision on what to buy. Some places sure sold out fast. have to get here earlier to line up and to even make sure that there is stock left. Bought chocolate mint and lemon blueberry coconut macaroon cookies for a dollar each and they were good. I want to try The Little Dumpling next time. There is a café in the garden market and one stand caught my attention, as it was selling sweet potato fries. This Saturday was the last weekend of the winter farmer’s market which is indoors and next Saturday, the summer farmer’s market will begin outdoors. Also bought a gluten-​free red lentil pasta at the farmer’s market for $ 3CAD and a garden vegetable pasta for $ 5.25CAD at the garden market, which doesn’t close at 1PM like the farmer’s market does. If they’re good, next time I’ll be back to buy the calamari pasta, red pepper pasta and olive&oregano pasta as well. There was a stand in the garden market selling seeds and on the table, they were giving away seeds of a particular flower for free! I will probably come again during the summer farmer’s market to enjoy some fresh air and to see what new stands have appeared.

Definitely a hidden gem tucked away just out side the downtown core. The venue is pretty awesome — historic/​older building with a hip vibe.
I came here for a craft beer event — the beer was great but the food was bad.
I will definitely check out the Farmer’s Market at some point and add to this review.

came here to play with my camera, and a new lens that i had purchased, my only disappointment was the parking *3 bucks every 30 minutes* lots of awesome sights to see, and lots of amazing graffiti to enjoy, great for a photoshoot or to just explore and «sightsee» i went on a saturday and they have a farmers market held in one of the main buildings, it was fantastic for the eyes and the nose.
highly recommend, everyone was super friendly.
*not sure if you need a license to shoot professionally*

Very nice getaway in the heart of the city. A great place to bike to and spend the day outdoors. They have restored a lot of the old buildings, and the nature is beautiful. There is also a restaurant there which uses locally sourced food. Only downside is the restaurant is pricey.

What a hidden gem! The ALL YEAR Farmer’s Market is such a beautiful treasure trove and the local food court is a must visit. I definitely recommend Clement’s Crepes for all your sustenance needs while visiting. Mike was a fantastic tour guide and we learned a lot about the area.
Not only is the area very peaceful despite getting a fair amount of foot traffic, it’s picturesque and suitable for everyone. Kids will absolutely love the kid-​oriented park (so will adults who don’t mind some dirt).
Everything is overpriced but the proceeds go back into the Brickworks in it’s maintenance, development and programs. I can get behind that :)
Like Janna S., I can’t imagine who would give this scenic, peaceful and well planned area less than 5 stars.

Off-​leash area is nice but too small. I also don’t understand the reasoning of the person who set up the fences. Hmm… let’s have two off-​leash spaces right next to each other, with no identifiable difference, but separate them by a fence. Who’s paying this guy’s cheque? Off-​leash area also doesn’t have any benches for the hoomans.
On-​leash is far nicer and prettier. If you stray off path a bit, it feels just like you’re in the woods far away from this Concrete Jungle. I wouldn’t recommend letting your dogs off leash outside the fenced area unless they have excellent recall as it is a b***h chasing them down in the steep hills and thorny bushes.

I wanted to visit Evergreen Brick Works because it is quite hyped up by my Torontonian friends. The place is divided into multiple areas and could be broken down in to various tours depending on your liking.
Art Tour
Ecology Tour
Geology Tour
Heritage Tour
Sustainability Tour
You can ask about the them at the front desk as they have the maps or you can print them online to have a self guided tour, if you don’t want to with their tours.
I loved the Art Tour as I went to see the graffiti art and it was awesome to see so many at one place.
They also have a kids playing area and lot of hiking trails. There is a café, restaurant and a expensive market shop on site.
The parking is not free, so you will have to pay up.

I used to come to this area for photography and no good. I was extremely upset when they started develop it. It was like a secret fort was being taken away from a child.
Recently I had the pleasure of returning to this ol spot for a beautiful wedding. And I must say I was impressed. The catering and the venue were great. Easy to get to and the parking was affordable. The place was classy but still had that «did I get my tetanus shot recently» vibe. Above all, it was stunning.
It isn’t the same as the old squat, but it’s clean and safe. I guess it kind of grew up with me. If you have the funds, I highly recommend booking this place for your wedding. There are also a bunch of shops and art. In fact I think the place grew up quicker than me. I gotta get classier.
If you haven’t checked it out, go!

Lot’s of things to see. Not cheap but great spot to visit and try some outdoor Green activities…

I love Evergreen Brick Works!
What an awesome idea of transforming a old quarry into this environment green space that provides a place for Torontonian to enjoy the outdoor all year round, a place for events, a place for education, a market, a nursery, a outdoor skating rink…
I usually come here for the Brewer’s Backyard event so always have a good experience!
Parking can be a little tight on weekend, so arrive early!

I’ve been here on 3 – 4 different occasions, various seasons, all for a different reason. In the Wintertime, there is a small ice rink. I can’t remember if you had to pay or not, but I think there were rentals.
Another time was when it was warmer, to hike the trails that surrounded the area.
And today, on my most recent visit, it was for a beer event, Brewer’s Backyard a la Quebec. I wanted a place to meet up with a friend who lived near the Beaches, this came up, and she was able to meet me! So I was able to visit Brick Works in a different setting.
Prices were sorta on the higher-​end, but it helped to know that the proceeds were going back into the venue!
There’s an outdoor, covered component where the beer event was happening. And a separate, indoor venue where I believe the Farmer’s Market happens. They also have weddings there which would probably be lovely! Unique and nice use of historical site in T.O.
Wish they would do something similar to the waterfront, but that’s another post!
Tip: Literally RIGHT OFF the highway. So when you’re exiting, quickly switch to the left lane and Brick Works will be right there!
Tip #2: Paid lot. You hafta memorise your plate #, insert that into the machine. Machine takes change & Debit/​CC. NO BILLS. Parking is $ 1.50/30mins so time your stay accordingly!

Anyone who gives the Brick Works less than 5 stars does not know how lucky they are to visit such a unique location. Every time I come back here I learn something new about Toronto’s history and remarkable geography.
You’re most likely to enjoy all this place has to offer if you visit during a quiet weekday. The market and events are wonderful, but some of the charm of the space itself gets lost in the crowds. Evergreen Brick Works is a living example of how industrial buildings can be re-​integrated back into a natural setting. The multi-​functional buildings provide space for numerous free community activities and it’s connected to hiking trails as well.
All-​day parking is $ 6 but you don’t need to spend much more than that to enjoy a visit here.

A former quarry, the Evergreen Brick Works has been reclaimed as an environmental and cultural centre with a local farmer’s market on Saturdays (running during the summer), a small nursery specializing in native flora, a café which is always packed every time I’ve visited, workshops and local community events. Most items on sale are on the pricy side.
I’ve attended the Toronto Underground Market and the Brewer’s Backyard (housed in the Gardens) events. These are natural fits complementing the overall mission of being a showcase for green design and urban sustainability.
The former quarry has been converted into a park (the actual pond) with trails around it.
Accessible from the ttc via a free shuttle (boarded at Broadview station), a direct bus running from Davisville station on Saturdays (in the summer), and through local trails, it’s a not to be missed visit, esp during the summer, when walking towards it from one of the local trails is a good way to get some exercise.

I visited Evergreen Brick Works because I wanted to eat the Jamie Kennedy fries. What I found was an entertaining fair that comprises of a year round farmers market, a children skating rink, a clay work area, a café and more. It is quite a place for both children and adults. I recommend Evergreen Brick Works for a family day outing once in a while.
Parking is affordable at $ 8 flat for weekends and holiday, or $ 6 for weekdays. Everything else from coffee to pizza to organic products are pricey, as expected.

So just what do you do with a defunct 120-​year-​old factory in the smack dab center of Toronto with nearly 40 acres worth of post-​industrial land featuring a gouged– and stripped-​out ravine of exhausted clay?
Thank you, Evergreen*, for turning this into a public space that improves the quality of the water shed, connects people to history and nature, and provides opportunities for education, outdoor activities, connecting to your local growers and more.
Here you can learn how to fix your bike, introduce children to wattle fence or cob house building, see the Toronto skyline from hill top look outs, and walk trails galore.
I love watching the native vegetation change through the seasons. Right now sumac trees dot the hills, showing their deep red tassels and crimson leaves.
Here, I have visited an antiques show, shopped for eco-​friendly childrens’ toys, browsed their native plant selections, enjoyed a double espresso with friend Kimberly K, drank beers with my guy in Café Belong, attended a Blueberry festival complete with a children pie baking class, watched my boys build fairy houses, play in the sand pile and explore the stick fort structure in the children area Chimney Court, scrambled down a steep incline from a dramatic ridge-​walk trail, admired the outdoor art, native plantings and informative displays, ate excellent hand crafted crepes from Clement’s Crepes, bought small batch herbal remedies and other local wares at the farmers market. etc!
We go by public transit by walking to the Broadstreet Station and taking the convenient shuttle. The shuttle is FREE and operates frequently, 7 days a week.
Easy and free, people!
I can’t wait to bring my boys to skate here. I’ll be the mama waiting in line at the café for her Baileys and coffee.
*Evergreen is a fantastic national charity whose mission is to transform derelict or abandoned urban spaces into green commons in order to make cities more livable.

Brilliant. Not a secret. SHHHH… shouldn’t be a secret.
Recently named by National Geographic as one of the world’s top 10 geotourism destinations, Evergreen Brick Works needs to be on your list. If you have a list of places to visit that inspire, places that teach, places that motivate, places that energize, places that reveal, places that sustain, places that transform… you will want to consider this destination.
Evergreen is poetry in motion, created by fire and water. The Great Fire of 1904 insured that the Brick Works was busy rebuilding the area. The floods from Hurricane Hazel in 1954, caused the creation of the Metropolitan & Toronto Region Conservation Authority which began acquiring ravine lands.
Author Robert Fulford said «the ravines are to Toronto what canals are to Venice, hills are to San Francisco and the Thames is to London. They are the heart of the City’s emotional geography, and understanding Toronto requires an understanding of the ravines.»
Hoa N. is a rockstar infamous poet, sometimes elite Unilocaler, and always amazing friend who is a true Anthropologist of Place. She is a pro at mapping the «emotional geography» of a city and in her short 2 months in Toronto, has already made Evergreen a regular visit in her weekly schedule.
She brought me here.
It was free.
We ate fresh local foods from the Farmer’s Market. She bought some amazing comfrey for my injuries. She brought my attention to a water collection tank near the Market. We used the airblades in the Women’s Restroom. We saw a party walk to their wedding. We listened to a race as hundreds of people gathered. Drank a double espresso. Went on a hike with her boys. We discussed prefab architecture and kit-​of-​parts metal building ideas for inexpensive and beautiful homes.
Had I been paying attention, I would have noticed the pervious concrete parking lot, the green roof, the 15 20K-​litre rainwater harvesting cisterns, the solar chimneys, the numerous energy saving devices, the many good ideas…
Evergreen makes me want to pay attention…
Build and destroy less. Smile and plant more.
Write the wrongs.

Since we were in the ‘hood, my husband and I checked out the Evergreen Brick Works.
A site that has known constant transformation — first by two million years of glacial action, later by 100 years of brick making — is being transformed yet again.
This time, Evergreen is turning the buildings of this abandoned industrial site into a lively and engaging community environmental centre that will help create a greener future.
We were too late for the farmers’ market (it closes at 1pm) and we walked around the park.
A clay and shale quarry for one hundred years, this 16.5-hectare (40-​acre) area has been transformed into a thriving green space managed by Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation.
Free and open to everyone, Weston Family Quarry Garden is the back garden to the revitalized industrial pad that is now Evergreen Brick Works.
Spend an afternoon walking along the boardwalks and you’re likely to spot a turtle sunning on a log and fish swimming in the ponds. Look for a great blue heron in the reeds, a family of ducks paddling along and songbirds too. Follow the meandering paths up the North Slope and you’ll be rewarded with an unmatched view of the Toronto skyline. All this in heart of the city.
A great place to spend a couple hours! It was fun to wander around the trails. The view of Toronto at the top of the hill was worth climbing up there for. It was cool to watch the turtles, fish and blue heron.