Opened in 1974, the Toronto Zoo stretches across 710 acres in northeast Toronto. Built to replace the smaller Riverdale Zoo (now Riverdale Farm), the Toronto Zoo attracts about 1.2 million people a year. There are currently over 5,000 animals representing just over 450 species in seven tropical pavilions. Plan to spend a whole day here. Permanent exhibits include an underwater viewing of beavers, polar bears and seals; an elephant trail; and a small petting zoo/pony ride for the kids. Popular past exhibits have included “Giant Pandas,” “Celebration of Pigs” and “Naked Mole Rats.” Best all-time gift store product: “Zoo Poo” fertilizer! For more info, visit the Toronto Zoo Web site at www.torontozoo.com/
 

#39

Mike Myers

dimetre alexiou

There are few Canadian celebrities who wear their nationality on their sleeve as much as Myers. In his days on Saturday Night Live he protested the 1995 National Hockey League lockout, and even portrayed Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. He often wears his Toronto Maple Leafs sweater in public, and even included a few Toronto references in his 1992 movie Wayne’s World, which was originally supposed to be set in Ontario. (For example: Wayne meets Cassandra at a club called Gasworks, which shares its name with a now defunct Toronto club.) His Wayne Campbell character dates back to his stint in Toronto’s Second City comedy troupe, and he still returns to the city to catch a few Leaf games. His upcoming projects include playing the bumbling Inspector Clouseau in a Pink Panther film.
 

#38

The TTC

glenn gabriel

TTC (aka “Toronto Transit Commission”) is the acronym for our local transit system. It includes 1,468 buses, 248 streetcars, 672 subway cars and two light rapid transit lines. Created in 1921, the TTC was an amalgamation of nine existing systems within the city limits. In 1954, the first section of the subway was completed; the latest section (known as the Sheppard Subway) is still under construction. Safe and clean, the TTC is a popular way to move around the city. Other TTC facts:
* The little-known “Lower Bay” station is often used in films and commericals to double as a “New York” or “Chicago” subway station (see: Johnny Mnemonic, The Mimic, Extreme Measures, Darkman)
* One of the TTC slogans is “Ride the Rocket!” The “Red Rockets” were early Toronto streetcars.
For more info, visit the TTC Web site at www.city.toronto.on.ca/ttc/
 

#37

Barenaked Ladies

dimetre alexiou

You’ve probably heard of this group. If not, you probably heard some of their songs like One Week featuring such nonsense lyrics like, “Like Kurosawa I make mad films. Okay, I don’t make films, but if I did they’d have a samurai.” Or maybe you’ve heard Pinch Me which includes more weird lyrics like, “I could hide out under there. I just made you say ‘underwear.’” Well the Ladies (who are very rarely naked and are most certainly not ladies) are one of the biggest music groups ever to emerge from our fair city. The group played their very first concert way back in 1988 at Nathan Phillips Square in front of New City Hall. A few years later they slid a loonie into the Speakers Corner booth outside the ChumCity Building at Queen and John Streets and sang their song Be My Yoko Ono. After the clip aired on Citytv they quickly became the talk of the town. Then the mayor cancelled their appearance at a New Year’s Eve celebration in Nathan Phillips Square because their name “objectified women.” Suddenly the group, who didn’t even have a record deal yet, was on the front page of every newspaper. Their independently-released cassette is the first in Canadian history to go platinum, and five hit albums later they’re still among the city’s most loved musicians.
 

#36

High Park

glenn gabriel

Arguably our city’s most famous park (well, maybe the biggest within the downtown area), High Park is a 400-acre park in West Toronto. It was originally the estate of architect and city-surveyor John Howard. In 1873, he donated High Park to the city of Toronto on the condition that alcoholic beverages never be sold in the park. The rule is still enforced. Howard’s home in the south end of the park, Colborne Lodge, is now a historical site and museum. High Park is a popular location for walking, running, biking and inline skating. It hosts the Dupont Spring Run-Off 8K in April, the first race in a popular Toronto running series. During the year, many species of waterfowl can be seen on Grenadier pond; in winter, you can skate on it! For more info, visit the High Park page of the City of Toronto Web site at www.city.toronto.on.ca/parks/parks_gardens/highpark.htm
 

#35

The Elevated Wetlands

dimetre alexiou

One of the best things about running in Toronto is the network of large parks and trails running through the city’s east end. Three of Toronto’s best trails can be found in the Don Valley, Sunnybrook Park and Taylor Creek Park, and at the point where all three meet is one of the most bizarre landmarks any city can possess. What looks like three molars with bushes growing out the top stands perched alongside the Don Valley Parkway. Practically everybody in the city has seen them since they were erected in 1998, yet very few know what they are.
They are part of a permanent art installation called The Elevated Wetlands, and were created by Noel Harding. The “molars” are essentially gigantic hydroponic planters filled with a soil substitute made of recycled plastic instead of traditional soil. Water from the Don River is pumped via solar power through the planters, creating an artificial wetland. The trees and shrubs in the planters were chosen for their ability to remove pollutants from the environment. It is hoped that over time they will return clean water to the Don River.
 

#34

Toronto Raptors

dimetre alexiou

Yes, yes... Our basketball team has a stupid name. In 1993 Jurassic Park was the most popular movie of the year, and it was up to the public to name the team. (In 1977 Star Wars was the most popular movie, but our baseball team isn’t named the Toronto Wookies.) Nevertheless, the Raptors are already shaping up to be one of the NBA’s elite teams. Central to the team’s success is superstar guard Vince Carter who signed a six-year $94 million contract extension, making him possibly the most popular athlete ever to play in Toronto. But also solidifying the team is Antonio Davis who signed a five-year $64 million deal and Jerome Williams who inked a seven-year $41 million package. With the addition of Hakeem Olajuwon, this season looks like it will be the team’s best yet. Yes, yes... the sums are obscene, but if you can get past that the Raptors are a mighty entertaining and talented team.
 

#33

Caribana

glenn gabriel

For two weeks in the thick of the summer, Toronto gathers for Caribana, a celebration of Caribbean and African culture. Caribana was created in 1967 as a response to the Canadian centennial celebrations, focusing on the role of Afro-Canadians in the Canadian mosaic. It is modelled after Carnival in Trinidad, which began as a celebration of freedom from slavery. Thirty-four years later, the festival attracts nearly one million people and pumps $250 million dollars into the local economy, according to the Caribana Web site. The highlights of the festival are the parade on Lakeshore Boulevard (which takes nearly half a day to complete!) and the party on the Toronto Islands.
Caribana has attracted many American visitors including stars like Shaquille O’Neal of the Los
Angeles Lakers and P.Diddy (aka Sean “Puff Daddy” Combs) of music industry fame. Intricate costumes. Soca music. Jump up! For more info, visit the Caribana Web site at www.caribana.com
 

#32

Greektown

dimetre alexiou

Toronto is renowned as one of the most multicultural cities in the world, and Danforth Avenue is the
perfect illustration of that point. Between Broadview Avenue and Donlands Avenue all the street signs are written in English and Greek and Greek music can be heard coming from the windows and doorways of restaurants, bakeries, fish markets and butcher stores. The origins of this thriving area of the city has its roots in the post-WWII immigration boom, which saw many mostly unskilled Greek immigrants arrive in Toronto. Over time a good many of those immigrants began to move up the social scale by opening up their own businesses, including restaurants, fruit and grocery wholesale, retail firms, and travel agencies. Most Torontonians have at least one of the restaurants
on this stretch of road as one of their favourite places to eat.
 

#31

Chinatown

glenn gabriel

If someone asked me for directions to Chinatown, I’d ask them, “Which Chinatown?” Yes, Toronto now has many Chinatowns, a far cry from the turn of the century when Sam Ching, the first Chinese person listed in the city directory, operated a hand laundry. The first place I’d direct them, though, is the neighbourhood of Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West. The oldest Chinatown, it remains the centre of commercial and cultural activity for Toronto’s Chinese community. It’s also home to authentic Chinese restaurants, grocery shops and bookstores — as well as banks, import-export and electronics companies.
In the early 1900s, new immigrants set up laundries, restaurants and small shops. Then Toronto’s Chinese population grew considerably between 1947 and 1960 and included university students, skilled workers and businessmen. They came from places as diverse as Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, as well as from Mainland China.
Today, with more than 350,000 members, Toronto is home to the biggest Chinese community in North America. In the 1980s, real estate investments by Hong Kong entrepreneurs sparked the creation of new Chinatowns across the city (notably Scarborough, Richmond Hill, Markham and Missisauga). But the heart of the dragon remains at Spadina and Dundas.
 

#30

The Second City

david gegear

Taking its name from the title of A.J. Liebling’s derisive profile of Chicago in The New Yorker, The
Second City opened on Dec 16, 1959, in Chicago. In 1973 it opened up its dinner theatre review in
downtown Toronto. The Second City has been the starting point for many of today’s comedic actors. Dan Aykroyd, Joe Flaherty, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy and John Candy were regulars on the Toronto stage, while John Belushi, Shelley Long and Steven Kampmann all graced the Chicago stage at one point.
Moving from the stage to television was the next logical step for these masters of improv sketches and the TV show SCTV was launched, first here in Canada and then in the U.S. The original cast included John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Rick Moranis, Catherine O’Hara, Dave Thomas, and later Martin Short.
Today, the Toronto show has since moved from its original location to the new theatre on Blue Jays Way. Each show is written entirely by its cast with the two current shows being When Bush Comes to Shove and Family Circus Maximus.
Every show ends with about one hour of improv work, now made famous by the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway? This is by far the best part of the night, and it’s completely free! Yep, you can show up just for the free improv section at the end. This is certainly a night of theatre that is worth checking out. For more info see www.secondcity.com
 

#29

“Newspaper Wars”

maryanna lewyckyj

News junkies will feel at home in Toronto, which has one of the most competitive newspaper markets in North America with four major daily newspapers, a free commuter giveaway paper, and several ethnic dailies. In addition, USA Today and the Wall Street Journal are readily available at newspaper boxes in the financial district and international papers are available at some downtown newsstands.
A spirited news war in Toronto is being waged between The Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, the National Post and the Toronto Sun. The Toronto Star — Canada's largest-circulation daily — is known for its left-leaning politics, extensive local news coverage and mainstream reach. Meanwhile, the Globe and Mail and National Post duke it out on the financial front, with both papers targetting executives and portfolio trackers, as well as fans of the arts and high culture. The Toronto Sun is know for its right-wing politics, sports coverage, focus on crime and its scantily-clad “SUNshine Girls.”
Whatever your taste in journalism, Toronto offers a virtual smorgasbord of publications to enlighten,
entertain and even infuriate local residents and visitors.
 

#28

Molson Indy

maryanna lewyckyj

Race car driver Michael Andretti always looks forward to visiting Toronto when the CART circuit hits the city in mid-July for the annual Molson Indy race. That’s because Andretti has won the event an unprecedented seven times. No CART driver has more wins at any one track than Andretti. Although he’s often been asked to explain the reason for his extraordinary success on Toronto’s challenging temporary street circuit course, Andretti himself is baffled, noting that if he could ever uncover the secret, he’d try to put it to work at other races.
It’s no secret that the Toronto Molson Indy race is the single largest sporting event of the year in
Toronto, with a record three-day attendance of 169,023 in 2001. It’s not just car racers that tackle the circuit during Molson Indy. Those fleet of feet can participate in a charity challenge fun run on the same circuit Andretti has scored his many triumphs. Walkers, runners and rollerbladers hit the course in separate events, and then enjoy a post-race bash including a barbecue, live music and refreshments. The 2001 event raised more than $450,000 for charity. For more information on the Molson Indy, visit www.molsonindy.com/index.html
 

#27

Roots

glenn gabriel

Rewind: 1973. A Roots store opens in Toronto selling only one item: the “negative heel” shoe.
Fast forward: Early to mid-’80s. The Roots sweater. Everyone had one.
Fast forward: Winter 1998. The Olympic Winter Games in Nagano, Japan. The Canadian Olympic Team wears Roots-designed clothing. Stores can’t keep the Olympic beret in stock.
If there’s one company that can claim to be “Canada's clothing company,” it’s Roots. Started by Don Green and Michael Budman in 1973, there are now more than 175 Roots stores in five countries.
The beauty of nature and a love of sports are two key inspirations in their clothing. The beaver (a Canadian symbol) is prominently displayed on the front of their best-selling sweaters. Roots is the official outfitter of the Canadian and American teams for the Salt Lake City, 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
Ignore the pretentious advertising trumpetting the Roots “lifestyle.” Forget the perfume, watches and
other non-clothing items carrying the Roots logo. What you’re left with is good-looking, quality clothing at fair prices. The flagship store is located at the Eaton Centre, in the heart of downtown Toronto. For more info, visit www.roots.com/
 

#26

Tim Hortons

glenn gabriel

We love hockey. We love donuts. Leave it to Canadians to find a way to combine the two: A donut shop named for a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey legend!
Tim Hortons is a distinctly Canadian chain of donut stores, famous for its coffee. In 1964, hockey player Tim Horton and partner Ron Joyce opened their first store in Hamilton, Ont. These days, you can’t drive five minutes around Toronto without seeing a “Timmy’s,” whether it’s a stand-alone store or part of a gas station, hospital or shopping mall.
Tim Horton spent 22 years in the National Hockey League, 20 of them with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was known as a very strong defenceman, yet gentle and approachable. In 1974, he died in a car accident returning to Buffalo, N.Y., from a game in Toronto. Joyce eventually bought sole ownership in the company.
Today, there are more than 2,000 stores in Canada and the United States. And there’s more to the menu than coffee and donuts: bagels, cakes, sandwiches, soups... My recommendation: Order a coffee “double-double” and 20 “Timbits” for a “toonie.” Translation: You want two creams and two sugars in the coffee and a box of donut holes. The Timbits are going to cost you a Canadian $2
coin, no additional tax.
For more info, visit www.timhortons.com/
 

#25

Hollywood North

dimetre alexiou

If you were in a Toronto movie theatre a couple of years ago, you may have seen a short film depicting a fake awards show. Toronto was among the cities up for the “Best Place in North America to shoot a film” award. When Toronto is announced as the winner, Mayor Mel Lastman comes out to accept the trophy. He congratulates everyone in the city, invites more productions to shoot in the city and ends with the line, “Who’s better than Toronto for filming movies? Noooooooobody!” before winking and making the “okay” sign with his hand. (This hearkens back to when he would appear in his son’s furniture store commercials, but that’s a different story.)
As potentially embarrassing this is to Toronto filmgoers, the producers of this short film are correct about Toronto’s popularity as a film centre. The city’s mix of urban, suburban and rural locations,
supply of studios, labs and facilities, along with the low Canadian dollar has made the city host to such big films as Three Men and a Baby, Good Will Hunting, Extreme Measures, Short Circuit 2 and X-Men. Not only have these films made the game of spotting familiar landmarks a popular game with Torontonians, but it has also made spotting celebrities like Harrison Ford, Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Pfeiffer and others a regular occurrence at restaurants, clubs and shopping centres.
 

#24

CN Tower

helen stukator

Toronto is home to the world’s tallest free-standing structure - the 553 metre (1,815 ft.) CN Tower. Located in downtown Toronto, this incredible structure was built in 1976 by Canadian National. Due to the construction of several high-rise buildings in the ’60s, communications in Toronto was poor and there was a need for a serious antenna which was the real reason for building such a structure.
Each year over 2 million people visit the CN Tower. Visits start with a 58-second ride in the glass-faced elevators to the Observation Deck, located at the 342-metre (1,122 ft.) level. Here you will find the Outdoor Observation area and the Glass Floor. This 256 square foot glass area is 5 times stronger than commercial flooring and can withstand the weight of 14 large hippos.
Up one level is the Lookout Level at 346 metres (1,136 ft.) The potential 120-kilometre view from
here offers sights of the city as well as a spectacular view across the lake and beyond Niagara
Falls. For those interested in going just a little higher, the Sky Pod at 447 metres (1,465 ft.) is the spot to go. You can actually feel the tower sway in the breeze!
Both the public and experts from the field of construction come to marvel at the Tower, which stands as a testament to human ingenuity and achievement.
Visit the Web site www.cntower.ca/
 

#23

Leslie Street Spit

dimetre alexiou

Whether the activity is running, walking, biking, blading or pogo-ing, the Spit is one of the most popular trails in Toronto. (Over 50,000 people make their way through its 471 hectares each year.) While the trail’s real name is Tommy Thompson Park (named for Toronto’s much-loved former park commissioner), its real name derives from its location at the foot of Leslie Street. The beauty of the wildlife and wetlands becomes more impressive when you realize that the Spit rests on millions of cubic metres of construction debris, surplus landfill from new excavations within the city and dredged material from the Outer Harbour.
Between Monday and Friday trucks carry loads of rubble down the Spit’s central road and dump it, making the peninsula a little longer with each load. With each passing year seeds carried by birds or the wind, are planted into the dirt, and over time this pile of refuse has been transformed into a naturalized wilderness. The Spit is now visited by more than 300 bird species, foxes, coyotes, muskrats, raccoons and beavers, plus a variety of reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and fish. These animals make the Spit an exciting place in the city to run, and the experience is enhanced by the lighthouse at the peninsula’s end, a charming, floating bridge that rumbles with each step and the frequent porta-potties at every kilometre. EXTRA! Check out Dimetre's photos of the "Spit."
 

#22

Canadian National Exhibition

glenn gabriel

When I was in elementary school in the early ’80s, we could always count on two things on the last day of school: Report cards and free passes to the Canadian National Exhibition. Established in 1879, the CNE (aka “The Ex”) is a Toronto tradition, as well as one of the biggest and longest-running fairs in the world.
Pick your poison: Midway rides, the Food Building, free concerts, the international building, the
agricultural show, games of skill and chance, the casino, crafts, shopping . . . Make sure to have a
corn dog and a bag of Tiny Tim donuts. The Ex runs from mid-August to Labour Day (Aug 16 to Sep 2, 2002) and the final day signals the end of summer in Toronto.
For more info, visit the Web site: www.theex.com/
 

#21

PATH

dimetre alexiou

When the wind gets to blowing and the rain, sleet and snow seems unrelenting, how does a good Torontonian get around in the downtown core? Easy, they just travel underground through the PATH. No, it doesn’t stand for anything - it just refers to the series of 27 tunnels and three overhead bridges measuring 10 kilometres and linking together 48 office towers, six major hotels, plus connections to the subway, intercity rail and bus systems. The PATH was first proposed in the late ’60s with the construction of the Richmond-Adelaide Centre in 1966 and the TD Centre in 1968. Over 100,000 people are employed in the office towers directly linking to the PATH, and a further
230,000 people work within a half-kilometre radius, so the more than 1,200 establishments housed within the PATH do heavy business. Almost a quarter of these stores are restaurants, plus more than 14 percent of the spaces belong to personal and financial services, and 10 percent have gone to food markets and pharmacies. All this has helped put the PATH in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest indoor shopping mall.
 

#20

Kensington Market

natasha lemire-blair

Kensington Market, bordering on Chinatown, is Toronto’s original ethnic neighbourhood marketplace, often compared to the old Maxwell Street neighbourhood in Chicago. Since its beginnings in the late 1800s, successive waves of immigrants demanding specialty goods at reasonable prices settled in the Market area before moving on to more affluent neighbourhoods.
As a result, it is often said that the Market is home to the most diverse and ethnic selection of independent shopkeepers selling grocery items like fruits, vegetables, bakery, fresh/dried seafood, meat, poultry, beans, spices from around the world, organic and health food. Also in the area, an open-air market on Saturdays, vintage clothing stores, coffee shops, and bunch of great restaurants
(sometimes you can watch the chef run across the street and buy the ingredients for your dinner).
An online walking tour of the Kensington Market is available at www.torontonians.com/
 

#19

Toronto Blue Jays

glenn gabriel

“It’s back... Way back and... GONE!” Ask a Torontonian: Where were YOU on the night of October 23, 1993?
Joe Carter’s ninth-inning home run in the sixth game of the World Series gave the Toronto Blue Jays their second consecutive championship. It was a glorious moment for our city and its sports fans, who had grown accustomed to seeing our Jays and Maple Leafs lose in the playoffs.
The story began in 1976, when the American League expanded into Toronto and Seattle. A year later, the Toronto Blue Jays played their first game at Exhibition Stadium, defeating the Chicago White Sox in the snow! In the next decade, the Jays grew into a contender, eventually winning their first AL East title in 1985 and repeating in 1989. As interest grew, so did attendance. In 1989, the Jays moved to SkyDome, the first retractable roof baseball stadium, and were regularly drawing 40,000 fans a game.
In 1992, the Blue Jays finally made it to the World Series where they faced the defending National League champion Atlanta Braves. Despite losing the first game, the Jays won four of the next five, including the deciding Game 6 in Atlanta. A packed house watching the game on SkyDome’s “Jumbotron” erupted in cheers when Joe Carter caught the final out. It was the first time a non-U.S. team had won the Commissioner’s Trophy.
The following year, with Paul Molitor and Dave Stewart, the Jays returned to the Series, facing the
Philadelphia Phillies. In Game 6, the Jays and Phillies traded the lead back and forth before the
ninth inning, when Joe Carter swung at a Mitch Williams slider. The rest is history.
Since the 1994 baseball strike, the Blue Jays have struggled to return to championship form despite
notable individual performances by Roger Clemens (1997, 1998 Cy Young awards) and Carlos Delgado (2000 Sporting News Player of the Year). Today, they contend for wild-card spots.
Back to my original question: Where was I on that fateful night in October 1993? I was one of thousands on Yonge Street, watching the game on the giant TV screen on the side of the HMV Superstore. When Carter hit the homer, the crowd let out a deafening roar. My friends and I walked up and down Yonge Street high-fiving and celebrating.
“Touch ’em all, Joe. You’ll never hit a bigger home run in your life!”
— Call by Tom Cheek, Blue Jays radio announcer
Visit the Blue Jays Web site at bluejays.mlb.com
 

#18

Citytv

natasha lemire-blair

Citytv, Canada’s largest independent television station, first went to air in 1972 and is now received
in almost 4 million households across Southern Ontario. The Citytv building at the corner of Queen
and John is the most recognizable media structure in the city. The restored early-century building houses the station’s flagship productions such as MuchMusic (similar to MTV). Squealing fans are often found lined up along Queen trying to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars or watching the Electric Circus dancers on a Friday night.
Speakers Corner also resides on the corner of Queen and John. It is a 24-hour video soapbox that captures Torontonians’ deepest or dumbest thoughts, confessions of their sins, declarations of their love and rants about pet peeves for broadcast on a weekly TV show. In the warmer months, the Citytv parking lot hosts filmnights and the occasional concert, in addition to the MuchMusic Video Awards.
 

#17

Toronto Rock lacrosse

dimetre alexiou

When was the last time a professional sports team from Toronto won a championship? It wasn’t in 1967 when the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup. It wasn’t in 1993 when the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series. What most Torontonians don’t know is that our professional lacrosse team, the Toronto Rock, were back-to-back champions of the National Lacrosse League in 1999 and 2000.
Actually, maybe more people know than we realize. After all, 19,409 people packed into the Air Canada Centre to check out the Rock in league finals last spring, and that figure stands as a league attendance record. Although the NLL is 15 years old, it is still far from being able to pay out salaries comparable to professional basketball, football, baseball and hockey. A “star” like Toronto’s Colin Doyle, the team’s most productive and consistent marksman, is still a student by day, and the team also includes teachers, police officers, iron workers, fire fighters and machine operators.
Final game scores are often in the area of 12-11, so a Rock game offers plenty of excitement, and is
relatively cheap — the most expensive tickets are $45 and the nosebleeds are $18 ($7 for youth). This is only the Rock’s fourth season, and they aren’t seen regularly on TV. Yet they are worthy of your attention, so a stop by the Air Canada Centre on a Rock night is a great way to get some thrills. For more information, visit www.torontorock.com
 

#16

Eaton Centre

glenn gabriel

Opened in phases starting in 1977, the Eaton Centre is now the most popular shopping centre in Toronto. One million visitors per week visit the 280+ stores, according to their Web site. What makes it so popular?
Location: It’s the retail heart of downtown, bordered by Yonge, Bay, Dundas and Queen Streets. It also contains two subway stations and is part of the underground PATH system.
Beauty: The structure opens into a glass and steel domed arcade inspired by Milan’s Galleria.
Quirkiness: How many times has a Torontonian stopped to watch the centre court shooting fountain? Or look up at the Canada geese that hang from the ceiling (a sculpture by Michael Snow).
Shopping: The Roots flagship store is here. So are your upscale clothing, technology and lifestyle stores (e.g., bebe, The Sony Store, Williams-Sonoma).
Unfortunately, the store that gave birth to the Centre will soon be gone from Toronto memory. Founded in 1869, the Timothy Eaton Company (aka “Eatons”) was a legendary Canadian department store. After years of red ink, Eatons declared bankruptcy and was bought by Sears Canada in 1999. A year later, Sears reopened several stores under the “Eatons” name, including one at the Eaton Centre.
Now Sears has announced that they will discontinue the “Eatons” name and change the existing stores to “Sears.” Fortunately, Cadillac Fairview (the Eaton Centre’s manager) has no plans to change the name of this landmark shopping centre.
For more information, visit the Web site: www.torontoeatoncentre.com
 

#15

Canadian Slang

glenn gabriel

Canadians and Americans are alike in many ways, but if you look (or listen) deeper, you’ll discover that Canucks are speaking in code. Here’s how to decipher our most common words and phrases, eh? ;-)
“T.O.”: Pronounced “TEE-oh,” “TEE-dot-oh” or the even cooler “TEE-dot.” It’s the way Torontonians abbreviate Toronto.
Loonie & Toonie: The one-dollar and two-dollar coins, respectively.
Squeegie Kids: Homeless young people who offer to wash your windshields for spare change at busy downtown intersections.
Double-Double: Taking your coffee with two creams and two sugars. Correct usage: “Large coffee, double-double, please.”
Back Bacon: Instead of the pork belly, meat from the loin, covered with peameal.
TTC: Short for Toronto Transit Commission (i.e., public transit).
Eh?: Multipurpose word, commonly used as a replacement for “Right?” Example: “You’ve got an extra ticket for the Leafs game tonight, eh?”
For an interesting read, take a look at the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, eh? :-)
 

#14

Royal Ontario Museum

glenn gabriel

Located at the corner of Queen’s Park Crescent and Bloor Street West, the Royal Ontario Museum is Canada’s largest museum. Last year, more than 845,000 people visited the institution known to Torontonians as “the ROM.” More than 45 galleries showcase art, archaeology and science. Popular exhibits include the dinosaur gallery, Chinese art collection and walk-through Jamaican bat cave diorama.
In February 2002, German architect Daniel Libeskind (best known for his Jewish Museum in Berlin) was selected to lead the newest renovation of the building. The ROM will be encased in crystal-like
glass structures, allowing passersby to see the exhibits from Bloor Street. The new addition, expected to be finished by 2006, will bring six new galleries to hold more of the nearly five million objects in the museum’s collection.
For more information, visit the ROM Web site at: www.rom.on.ca/
 

#13

Hockey Hall of Fame

helen stukator

The Hockey Hall of Fame was founded in September of 1943 to establish a memorial to those who have developed Canada’s national game — ice hockey. Officially opened at Toronto’s Exhibition Place in August 1961, the original Hockey Hall of Fame was dedicated to entertainment and educating hockey fans everywhere. Marking the 100th Anniversary of the Stanley Cup, the recently opened Hockey Hall of Fame combines historical themes and modern technology in a restored bank building and the ultra-modern BCE Place.
As you enter the Hockey Hall of Fame, you will instantly begin to relive hockey’s magic moments. An action-packed theatre with a multi-image screen offers a presentation that will focus on the game. The interactive games area will test your hockey skills and knowledge as well as provide instruction on the improvements of specific skills. Commentate a famous game or experience the pre-game jitters in the visitors dressing room. The Hockey Hall of Fame Museum includes a theatre which features the greatest hockey films, game segments and documentaries. Galleries recreate the history of the game by tracing its origins, arenas, equipment and personalities. The library documents the history of the game. The WorldCom Great Hall honours legendary players through the display of their trophies, plaques and other paraphernalia.
 

#12

Multiculturalism

dimetre alexiou

An all-day outing in Toronto will expose you to many different nationalities. A walk along College Street near Bathurst plops you in the middle of Corso Italia. Veer southeast to Dundas and Spadina and you're in Chinatown. Further east along Gerrard near Greenwood is Little India. Danforth Avenue between Broadview and Pape is undisputedly Greektown, and further east is dominated by Arabic culture. Of course, because it is Toronto, the historic centre of Upper Canada, the city is dotted with Irish, Scottish and English style pubs.
Many visitors to Toronto are amazed at this vast mix of cultures, and a trip through Canada reveals our city to possess the most culturally-diverse population in the country. The term “multiculturalism” was first employed during the ’60s in Canada to replace the idea that English and French were the only two cultures that contributed to our national identity. As early as the arrival of the British in the 18th century, the gold rushes of the 19th century and the settlement of the west in late 19th and early 20th century, Canada established itself as one of the main immigrant-receiving societies.
Canada’s policy of multiculturalism has often been likened to a “mosaic,” where all ethnic and cultural groups co-exist, yet retain their distinctive characteristics. This variety of peoples makes living in Toronto a constant learning experience, and hopefully, as time marches on, it will also lead to both a greater understanding and tolerance of cultural differences throughout the world.
 

#11

New City Hall

glenn gabriel

Toronto’s New City Hall opened in September 1965, and ushered in a new era in the city’s history. As Robert Fulford writes in Accidental City: “Modern architecture suddenly became legitimate and respectable. It was one of those rare occasions when a city government provided genuine leadership in design.” The days of rectangular building boxes were over.
“Old” City Hall was designed by Edward Lennox, the architect of Casa Loma, but soon grew too small for the growing city. When initial designs for a “new” city hall proved fruitless, the city held an
international competition. Of more than 500 designs submitted, the panel of architectural experts chose Finnish architect Viljo Revell’s distinctive design, described as the “eyelid”: two curved towers that surround an oyster-shaped council chamber.
When the six cities of Metropolitan Toronto amalgamated into one “megacity” in 1998, local
politicians had a choose a new home. While Metro Hall was newer and bigger, they decided on New City Hall, the sentimental favourite. Not surprisingly, it’s depicted on the City of Toronto’s corporate logo.
The open area in front of the building, known as Nathan Phillips Square, is the site for the New Year’s Eve party and is home to a popular skating rink!
 

#10

Paramount Canada’s Wonderland

natasha lemire-blair

From cartoon characters and live performances to raging rapids and roller coasters, Paramount Canada’s Wonderland offers hours of family fun.
The park, over 300+ acres in size, features nine themed areas and more than 200 attractions including over 65 rides and a 20-acre water park. Rides include: Shockwave, a spinning ride; Silver Streak, a highflying kid’s coaster; Drop Zone, where the daring are lifted 23 stories high and then dropped at 100 kilometres per hour; Vortex, suspended roller coaster; SkyRider, stand-up looping coaster and; Top Gun, inverted looping jet coaster. My all-time favourite coaster is the Mighty Canadian Minebuster, a nice long classic wooden roller coaster.
Regular shows running this season include: Superstars, a song and dance review; Scooby Doo and the Ghost in the Attic; Victoria Falls High Divers, competitive dives from 66 feet off Wonder Mountain; and Arthur’s Baye Stunt Show, antics, comedy, gymnastics and diving.
Paramount Canada’s Wonderland offers various fast food establishments throughout the park or you can bring your own picnic lunch. It is located in the City of Vaughan on Highway 400 approximately 30 minutes from downtown Toronto.
For more information visit their Web site: www.canadas-wonderland.com/
 

#9

Ontario Science Centre

natasha lemire-blair

Don’t think you have to be a kid to enjoy the Ontario Science Centre. Since opening its doors in 1969, the centre has fascinated 30 million visitors, including more than 200,000 students per year, with the wonders of science and technology. If you talk to anyone who has visited the centre, they’ll rave over the hair-raising electrical ball, lasers burning through wood and flowers shattering into icy shards.
With more than 800 interactive exhibits and 13 exhibition halls, one visit doesn’t scratch the surface. Space, Sport, the Human Body, Mindworks, Information Highway, Truth and Timescape are a few of the in-depth exhibits worth exploring. There are also special events, demonstrations and kids programs held throughout the year.
In addition to the exhibits, the Science Centre presents different films in the OMNIMAX Theatre for an additional charge. Here, moviegoers will feel as though they have explored the deepest ocean, soared through space, climbed a mountain, or are a part of the making of special effects.
The mission of the centre says it all: “To open minds to science by creating environments which excite curiosity, inspire insights and motivate learning in science and technology.”
For more information visit their web site: www.osc.on.ca/

[Editor's note: Due to a province-wide labour action by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, the OSC and the OMNIMAX theatre are closed until further notice. Hopefully, the strike will be over by PWC4! --GG]
 

#8

Casa Loma

dimetre alexiou

Toronto has its share of unusual sights, but one of the most unusual has got to be a Victorian-style castle situated in the middle of the city. Nevertheless, Casa Loma, with its 98 rooms, 25 fireplaces, 30 bathrooms, three bowling alleys and 50-metre shooting gallery, is a must-see for tourists, and a favourite place for Torontonians to hold weddings and other festivities.
Casa Loma was built in 1911 by an eccentric Toronto businessman, Sir Henry Mill Pellatt, who hired 300 artisans from all over the world and eventually spent more than $3.5 million to construct it, plus more than $1.5 million to furnish it. The stable floor consists of stone from the nearby Credit Valley, and Spanish tile. The castle includes secret passageways that Pellatt could use to escape from unwanted guests or his many creditors. When World War I wreaked havoc on the economy Pellatt realized he could not keep his dream home (which was costing him $100,000 a year in maintenance) and he and his family were forced to vacate the premises. The city took over and the castle became home to a nightclub in the 1920s and later on a hotel. For the past 60 years the Kiwanis Club has leased the club from the city and restored it to Pellatt’s original vision, attracting more than 400,000 visitors a year.
For more info, visit the Casa Loma Web site: www.casaloma.org
 

#7

Toronto Maple Leafs

dimetre alexiou

As much success as the Toronto Blue Jays and the Toronto Rock have had, and as flashy as the Toronto Raptors are, our city is without a doubt a hockey city. Virtually every Torontonian has been to a Toronto Maple Leafs game at least once in their life, although far fewer can remember the team’s last Stanley Cup win, which came in 1967. There have been some quality playoff runs since then (most notably in 1978, 1993 and 1994), but this year the Leafs have tied a club record of 100 points on the season and with stellar play from goalie Curtis Joseph and team captain Mats Sundin, Toronto sports fans are once again finding a reason to welcome the Stanley Cup home.
The fiece devotion of the Leafs’ fans no doubt is rooted in the team’s rich heritage in the city. Conn Smythe assembled the team back in 1927 after he purchased and renamed the Toronto St. Pats (who won the Stanley Cup in 1922). A fierce patriot, Smythe adopted the leaf symbol in hopes of giving his team a broader appeal. Since then the Leafs have invariably kept their image as a gutsy, hardworking team, producing such heroes as Turk Broda, Ace Bailey, Syl Apps, Punch Imlach, George Armstrong, Johnny Bower, Tim Horton, Dave Keon, Carl Brewer, Frank Mahovlich, Darryl Sittler, Lanny McDonald, Wendel Clark and Doug Gilmour along the way.
The Leafs’ 11 Stanley Cup victories are second only to the Montreal Canadiens’ 24, a situation many in Toronto wish to rectify. While life as a Leaf fan has not been easy since 1967, there is never an empty seat at the Air Canada Centre when the team is playing, and if the team should ever win a Stanley Cup again, you can bet the celebration will be felt the world over.
 

#6

Theatre Scene

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One of the great things about living in Toronto is that there are so many different ways to spend an
evening. Sure you can watch TV, or you can catch the latest blockbuster at the multiplex, but you can do that in any city. Toronto has the proud standing of being a world leader in live theatre (third behind London and New York). Popular shows like Mamma Mia! at the Royal Alexandra, The Lion King at the Princess of Wales and The Mousetrap at the Toronto Truck Theatre have been playing for so long, they’ve become fixtures in the community. But those shows only hint at the huge variety available to the theatre-going public.
Smaller yet prestigious venues like the Tarragon, the Bluma Appel and the Berkeley Street Theatre often host the Canadian premieres of plays from all over the world. Still smaller theatres, like the Alumnae Theatre, Todmorden Mills, the Fairview Library Theatre, the Leah Posluns Theatre and the Robert Gill Theatre often stage high quality productions, many of which are rarely performed elsewhere.
Dance has a strong presence in Toronto, with ballet being regularly performed at the Hummingbird Centre, and a wide variety of moves being offered at the Premiere Dance Theatre. Toronto is also a strong hub for improv, which can regularly be found at The Second City, the Poor Alex Theatre and even local pubs like the Rivoli, Clinton’s and the Victory Café.
Even the local parks are being used as stages. The Dream in High Park is an annual summer event that sees local actors play out a Shakespeare classic in an outdoor setting. Likewise Dusk Dances leads an audience through various locations in downtown parks to check out a variety of dance performances. With so much to offer, Toronto can be a very inspiring place in which to live.
 

#5

Yonge Street

glenn gabriel

Los Angeles has Sunset Boulevard. Paris has the Champs Elysees. New York has Broadway. For many people who know nothing else about Toronto, they know Yonge Street. For many years, the Guinness Book of World Records called it the longest street in the world.
Yonge Street runs from Toronto to North Bay, then arcs north and west across Northern Ontario, finally falling south again to Thunder Bay at the head of Lake Superior. From there, it’s more or less straight west until, 1,896 (1,178 miles) kilometres later, Yonge Street ends at the U.S. border in Rainy River, Ont.
In 1794, John Graves Simcoe, Governor of Upper Canada, ordered a military road built from Lake Ontario to Lake Simcoe, in case of American invasion. Over the next two years, the construction was interrupted by poor weather, sickness and growing tensions with the United States. By 1796, they reached Lake Simcoe.
Simcoe named the street after an old friend, Sir George Yonge, British Secretary of War. Yonge had signed the document designating the Queen’s Rangers as guardians of the new province of Ontario. The Rangers were key to the construction of the new street. Interestingly, Yonge also had a lifetime interest in roads and their construction.
As Toronto’s first street, Yonge eventually became the centre of the new city. (It literally divides
addresses into “east” and “west”). Our first department store opened on Yonge Street. Canada’s
first subway was built underneath it. Today it’s the busy, bustling spine of Toronto.
 

#4

The Beaches

natasha lemire-blair

Until the 1930s, the “Beaches” neighbourhood was a summer retreat filled with cottages, lovely sand beaches, and a string of amusement parks. Today, this laid-back waterfront community has a “Californian” feel, with funky shops, cafes and restaurants, as well as more dogs per capita than any other area of Toronto.
The Beach neighbourhood is a village just 15 minutes from downtown Toronto. The beach — which borders Lake Ontario — is lined with more than 3K of wooden boardwalk, ideal for strolling and people watching. Adjacent is a biking and roller-blading trail. The beach itself is wide, with dozens of volleyball courts, an area devoted to kite-flying, and rental kiosks for sailboards and small boats.
Torontonians love to run along the boardwalk and the connected Ashbridges Bay loop, called the “peanut” by locals. Out-and-back is around 8K.
The neighbourhood extends several blocks from the water, a charming and fairly expensive residential area. The main thoroughfare, Queen Street East, reflects the diversity and easy-going attitude of the local population. The street is lined with quaint antique shops, quirky stores, and a cool collection of bars and restaurants.
Kew Gardens — a large public garden between Queen St. East and the Boardwalk. It is home to the neighbourhood’s many festivals, craft shows, concerts and exhibitions. One particular charm is the annual Easter Parade (Toronto’s only such parade), which starts in the gardens.
R.C. Harris Filtration Plant — located at the eastern end of the neighbourhood, this industrial structure is one of Toronto’s best examples of Art Deco architecture. Public tours are offered periodically, most often on Saturdays. Local runners can often be found running “hill repeats” behind the plant!
The Beaches International Jazz Festival is held every July in Kew Gardens and along Queen Street East. It’s billed as the largest free jazz festival in Canada, with upwards of 400 musicians performing over a weekend.
 

#3

Harbourfront

glenn gabriel

Originally a run-down district of warehouses, factories and docklands, Harbourfront is now a popular tourist area and neighbourhood, despite the prevalence of too many ugly condos! Harbourfront is a lakeside strip of land that runs from Yonge Street to roughly Bathurst Street. It’s easily accessible by a Light Rapid Transit (LRT) streetcar from Union Station.
Arguably, the hub of activity is the Harbourfront Centre, located near York Quay. It’s the home to
important theatre, dance and art events, a popular reading series, as well as the site of the Milk
International Children’s Festival on PWC4 weekend. In winter, you can also skate on Canada’s largest outdoor artificially-refrigerated ice rink!
Further west, there is a weekend antique market and the Toronto Music Garden, inspired by the music of Bach and partly designed by cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Harbourfront is also part of the Martin Goodman Trail, a popular 20K stretch for runners, cyclists and inline skaters.
Of course, Harbourfront is a working harbour: The ferry to the Toronto Islands is located at the foot of Bay Street. There are also plenty of boat tours available and even boating and canoeing rentals.
As part of Toronto’s bid for the 2008 Olympics, the city began a waterfront revitalization process. The first stage, which includes the Harbourfront area, will include “a grand waterfront boulevard for Lakeshore Boulevard, a series of new waterfront communities, a spectacular pier and public plaza at the foot of Yonge Street and new parks for the East Bayfront, Port Lands and Fort York.”
 

#2

Toronto Islands

natasha lemire-blair

The network of islands, collectively referred to as “Toronto Island,” were originally a peninsula which offered the area a naturally-protected harbour. However, the peninsula was broken up into six islands during a raging storm in 1858, and were cut off from the mainland by a channel which was subsequently dredged and deepened artificially.
The Islands were transferred to the newly-created regional Toronto government in the mid-1950s, and the plan was to turn the entire area into one large park by removing all the cottages and other structures. However, residents on Ward’s Island and Algonquin Island refused to leave, and remain to this day on 99-year leases. While the residential use of the Islands is relatively minor, it is still somewhat controversial, and the Island residents have formed a closely-knit community in order to make their interests heard by the municipal government.
Some 1.2 million people visit the Islands each year, via a 10-minute ferry ride which departs from the foot of Bay Street. Ferries run year-round and are part of the city’s public transit system. The Islands provide the most spectacular view of Toronto’s impressive skyline, and are user-friendly; signs instruct visitors to “Please walk on the grass”! There are no cars allowed, which makes the area a favourite for cyclists, walkers and rollerblade enthusiasts. The many lagoons and waterways are populated by ducks and swans, and some areas are off-limits to people, designated instead as “wilderness zones” for migratory birds.
The three major islands — there are eight islands with names and several without — are connected by a tram system. And each has its own atmosphere. The most popular is Centre Island, which features huge picnic areas, greenspace, a maze, a beach, a chapel, and award-winning gardens. It also features an amusement park geared towards younger children. “Centreville” has some 30 rides, a petting zoo featuring farm animals and pony rides, and picturesque swan boats circling a small lagoon.
Hanlan’s Point provides a quieter escape, with a “clothing optional” beach and is home to Toronto’s famous “haunted” lighthouse. Ward’s Island, the easternmost, is home to quaint cottages, wildflower
gardens, and a boardwalk along its southern, lakeside edge.
The Queen City Yacht Club, site of the Penguin World Conference Awards Banquet, is situated on Algonquin Island.
 

#1

Penguin World Conference IV

glenn gabriel

Toronto is the site of the fourth Penguin World Conference, to be held from May 24 to 27, 2002. The weekend includes activities such as running workshops, a Blue Jays game at SkyDome, a race in nearby Burlington, Ontario, and the Penguin Awards Banquet on the Toronto Islands. Enjoy a city described as most multicultural in the world. A city that’s safe, clean, fun and a great value for the dollar. Your hosts will be the Toronto Penguins, one of the largest local Penguin groups in the world. Come join us for the first major Penguin encounter outside the United States. We wish you a safe journey. Godspeed!