Episodes

  • The Beaches
    May 20 2025

    Is it The Beach or The Beaches, singular or plural? We're calling it The Beaches and this episode of Muddy York is dedicated to the history of this distinctive Toronto neighbourhood, from amusement parks to racetracks to stylish water treatment plants. There's a lot more to The Beaches than the beach, although there are plenty of beaches.


    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    The Dover – The Westerlies

    Classic 1985 Movie Soundtrack – Freedom Trail Studio

    Resolve – Joel Cummins

    Looping Ascent – Joel Cummins

    Everything – Joel Cummins

    Looping Ascent (Repeat) – Joel Cummins

    Argonne – Zachariah Hickman

    Allégro – Emmet Fenn

    Resolve (Repeat) – Joel Cummins

    The Dover (Repeat) – The Westerlies

    Potato Deal – Unknown Artist

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    24 mins
  • Castle Frank
    May 5 2025

    What comes to mind when you hear Castle Frank? A TTC station? An area of Rosedale? Bob Georgiou joins us to talk about one of those little corners of Toronto whose story touches on the man who founded the town of York, a lost landmark of pioneer days, and two of the biggest infrastructure projects in Toronto's history.


    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    "Dover" – The Westerlies

    Used as theme music at the beginning and end of the episode


    "Cylinder Three" – Chris Zabriskie

    Genre: Ambient Minimalism

    CC BY 4.0 – https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/


    "Resolve" – Joel Cummins

    Genre: Cinematic Ambient / Piano

    Free to use via YouTube Audio Library


    "Looping Ascent" – Joel Cummins

    Genre: Piano / Ambient

    Free to use via YouTube Audio Library


    "Argonne" – Zachariah Hickman

    Genre: Classical / Chamber

    Free to use via YouTube Audio Library


    "A Fool’s Theme" – Brian Bolger

    Genre: Reflective / Indie Instrumental

    Free to use via YouTube Audio Library

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    22 mins
  • 1895 City Budget
    Apr 15 2025

    We're doing something a little different for this episode of Muddy York. We got our hands on a copy of the city budget from exactly 130 years ago and we're going to look at some of the ways that the government used to raise and spend money. There is some interesting stuff - well, it's interesting if you're the kind of person who listens to history podcasts.


    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    The Westerlies – The Dover

    Aaron Kenny – Gaiety in the Golden Age

    Aaron Kenny – The Curious Kitten

    Freedom Trail Studio – Classic 1985 Movie Soundtrack

    Joel Cummins – Resolve

    The Westerlies – The Dover

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    13 mins
  • Florence Linehart
    Apr 1 2025

    Florence Linehart is one of Toronto’s greatest unsung visionaries. And yet … outside of a very specific group of academics, subway historians, and people who take brunch way too seriously, her name has been completely forgotten. She shaped the Toronto subway system and she fought the souls minions of orthodoxy at City Hall. On this episode of Muddy York, she joins us to discuss her overlooked contributions to this city.


    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    1. "Resolve" – Joel Cummins

    2. "Looping Ascent" – Joel Cummins

    3. "Divine Life Society" – Jesse Gallagher

    4. "Argonne" – Zachariah Hickman

    5. "A Fool’s Theme" – Brian Bolger

    6. "Randy Butternubs" – Dyalla

    7. "Calmity" – Yung Logos

    8. "Allégro" – Emmit Fenn

    9. "Dover" – The Westerlies









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    32 mins
  • Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres
    Mar 18 2025

    The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres were built to host vaudeville as the Canadian flagship of the Loew's theatre chain. The building would become one of top cinemas in Toronto before being converted back into a theatre to host the Canadian premiere of Cats during the 1980s. Learn about the last stacked theatres in the world on Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.


    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    The Westerlies - Dover

    Arron Kenney - Gaiety in the Golden Age

    Doug Maxwell - Honky Tonkin'

    Dough Maxwell - Rag Time Time

    E Jammy Jams - Dark Town Strutters Ball

    Zachariah Hickman - Argonne

    Track Tribe - Members Only

    Joel Cummins - Resolve

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    18 mins
  • Streetcar Strike of 1886 w/Greg Koabel
    Mar 4 2025

    In 1886, employees of the Toronto Railway Company went on strike. They weren't fighting for a pay raise or shorter hours; this strike was over their right to even join a labour union. Greg Koabel from The Nations of Canada podcast joins us to talk about this important event in labour history on Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.


    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    The Westerlies - Dover

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    39 mins
  • Battle of St. Andrew
    Feb 18 2025

    Next week's provincial election inspired this episode which is about an election campaign that was fought in the riding of St. Andrew all the way back in 1955. This race was significant because the local Tory candidate wanted to defeat the last communist MPP at Queen’s Park. This campaign was about what it meant to be a communist elected official and it reflected a ferocious debate that was taking place within the Toronto Jewish community about who they should support and about who would support them.


    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    Argonne - Zachariah Hickman
    Dover - The Westerlies
    Classic 1985 Movie Soundtrack - Freedom Trail Studio
    Looping Ascent - Joel Cummins
    Resolve - Joel Cummins
    Allégro - Emmit Fenn
    Earth Appears - Brian Bolger
    E Minor Prelude - Chopin

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    20 mins
  • Degrassi w/Sarah Fisher
    Feb 4 2025

    Set in the school hallways of Toronto, Degrassi is less about teenagers attending school and more about the architecture of growing up. Join us to learn more about one of the most successful media franchises in Canadian history on Muddy York, Toronto's #1 history podcast.

    As a bonus, Sarah Fisher, who played Becky Baker on Degrassi: TNG, joins us for an interview at the end of the episode.

    You can follow Muddy York on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Toronto_History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Blue Sky: ⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/muddyyork.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠ and Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/muddyyorkhistory/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.


    Music:

    1. "Randy Butternubs" by DYALLA
    2. "Dover" by The Westerlies
    3. "Classic 1985 Movie Soundtrack" by Freedom Trail Studios
    4. "Elevators Need Rock Too" by Spence
    5. "My Achy Heart" by Audio Hertz
    6. "Sightlines" by Jeremy Blake
    7. "Looping Ascent" by Joel Cummins
    8. "Everything Is Gonna Be Just Fine" by Jeremy Blake
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    43 mins
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