Canada Day Celebrations In Toronto

Archive for June, 2008

Canada Day Celebrations In Toronto

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

Tuesday, July 1st is a great day for all Canadians to celebrate Canada Day and in Toronto there are many great Canada Day events and activities for the whole family.

• July 1st in Mel Lastman Square at 8:00 PM - come out and listen to some great live music followed by fabulous fireworks at 10:15 PM. This family friendly evening is absolutely FREE!

• Enjoy a spectacular evening out on the water on one of Toronto Harbour Cruises brilliant fireworks cruises. You have no idea how exciting it is to see the fireworks up close and personal. Make your reservations ASAP!

• Bring your chair or your blanket and come out to watch the Ashbridge’s Bay fireworks at 9:30 PM. Take the TTC - Queen East streetcar to Coxwell or Woodbine or the subway to Woodbine and the bus going southbound. Come early to stake out your spot.

• Come out to the Beaches Country Jam Music Festival all day long – from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM at Woodbine Park, near Lakeshore and Coxwell.

• The Toronto Zoo is celebrating Canada Day in style – where else but in the Canadian Domain. Musical performances by Soli and Rob and their friend Alistair Ant will take place at the Courtyard Stage between 11:00 AM and 4:30 PM. The birthday cake will be served at 2:00 PM so don’t be late!

• Downsview Park is hosting its annual Canada Day celebration featuring lots of FREE fun the whole family.

• Canada Dry Festival of Fire at Ontario Place is a positively breathtaking display of world class pyrotechnics choreographed to the world’s best music.

• Harbourfront Centre has a full slate of activities for the whole family.

Happy Canada Day Toronto! How will you be celebrating?

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Would You Pay $1 to Use a Public Toilet in Toronto

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

Toronto will be getting 20 state of the art public washrooms – they automatically sterilize the floors, sinks, and toilets after each use. They are ultra modern, made of very chic and trendy stainless steel, and they are very expensive. It will cost $1.00 to use them.

Toronto has a great lack of public toilets and the ones that are available are more like outhouses than toilets. It is so problematic that many businesses in the downtown core require you to use a key to get into their washrooms to ensure that only paying customers are using their facilities. While I see their point, what’s a person supposed to do when the need arises? Have you tried to locate a public toilet in a park or just walking around in high traffic areas? In the downtown core if you are not near a department store or a big box store, you have a serious problem.

The toilets are being supplied by Astral Media and they will be responsible for maintaining them. There will be a 1-800 quality line manned by people 24/7 and they have pledged to have graffiti removed from bathrooms, bus shelters or benches within 24 hours of being discovered. They will also be providing new benches, bus shelters, garbage cans, and street furniture – 26,000 fixtures ranging from newspaper boxes to bike racks in public spaces. The program is being financed by ad revenue, with Astral making the profits on advertising revenue generated on bus shelters and information pillars. There will no longer be any advertising on garbage/recycling receptacles or benches. Astral Media has a 20-year contract with they city.

Would you pay $1.00 to use one of these new toilets? I think that it‘s going to be a hard sell and much more of a “got no choice”.

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Toronto Is Proud Of Pride

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

Sunday, June 29th the Pride Parade will begin at 2:00 PM. This spectacular event is the culmination of Pride Week, which is actually not a week at all, but a full 10 days from June 20th to June 29th. Toronto’s Pride Week is one of the largest in the world and a great source of pride to Torontonians.

What began in the ‘70s as a way for our gay and lesbian population to become visible has gradually evolved into one of only eight “Signature Events” in the Toronto. Pride Week now hosts over 1 million people eager to take in this arts and culture festival that celebrates our diverse sexual and gender identities.

Some of the Pride Week Events that you won’t want to miss are:

• Pride Toronto Media Launch and Official Kick-Off Launch Party on Friday, June 20th
• Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall Monday, June 23rd
• Pride Awards and Gala Dinner Tuesday, June 24th
• Community Fair & Marketplace Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th
• Pride Street Festival with 8 live entertainment stages and a great street fair from Friday, June 27th to Sunday, June 29th
• Family Pride on Saturday, June 28th and Sunday, June 29th
• Dyke March on Saturday, June 28th
• Pride Parade on Sunday, June 29th 2008

This fabulous event has been awarded the Best Festival in Canada award by the Canadian Special Event Industry two years in a row and is recognized as one of the Top 50 Festivals in Ontario by Festivals and Events Ontario. And, there will be fantastic entertainment too with Sandra Bernhard performing at Massey Hall on Sunday, June 22nd at 8:00 PM. All proceeds are going to Pride Week. If sporting events are more your style there will be an all-lesbian professional boxing match at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, June 25th at the Circa Nightclub.

Check out the website for all of the details: Pride Week Toronto

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Toronto Has Available Public Housing That Is Uninhabitable

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

There is something seriously wrong with the Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), the second largest public landlord in North America with 58,000 units. Although it is estimated that 70,000 low income individuals and families are on the waiting list for affordable housing in Toronto, the TCHC is sitting with 1,422 vacant units, an increase of 14% from last year. This in itself is shocking. But, what is even worse is that the units are vacant because they are uninhabitable and are suffering from a variety of infestations including rats, mice, mould, and pigeons.

Of course this begs the question, “Why isn’t anyone cleaning up these properties and making them inhabitable again?” According to the chairman of the city’s affordable housing committee and a board member of the TCHC, they simply can’t afford to bring them up to standard without a $300 million contribution from the city of Toronto, the province, and the feds. In the meantime no one is doing anything and the situation is just getting worse.

Quite frankly I find this all amazing. Toronto is a city with very high property values and we are letting these valuable assets go to seed. In fact Councillor Case Ootes has recommended that the TCHC board sell off some of their lucrative properties and use that money to finance the repairs on the others. The estimates are that there are 300 apartments and houses that are empty and uninhabitable. It is totally absurd for the TCHC to be sitting on properties worth a fortune and just let them sit vacant, uninhabitable, and decaying. This sounds like gross mismanagement by the TCHC board. Why isn’t anyone investigating?

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Tune Up For Toronto’s Jazz Festival

Wednesday, June 11th, 2008

The 22nd annual Toronto Jazz Festival will be taking over the city from June 20 – 29. This year we are expecting over 500,000 to attend. More than 1,500 stellar international musicians will be performing 350 concerts at 40 venues throughout Toronto. And many of them are FREE. JAZZ.FM91 will be broadcasting live from Nathan Phillips Square the entire 10 days of the festival.

Among the fabulous free events are the Lunchtime Concert Series daily at Nathan Phillips Square (Queen Street West & Bay Street) at noon or 1:00 PM and the Afterwork Concert Series also at Nathan Phillips Square daily at 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM. Don’t forget to visit the Artisans’ Village in Nathan Phillips Square. Admission is free and it is open daily from noon – 8:00 PM. Now in its 5th year the Artisans’ Village features unusual handmade items – bamboo instruments, jewelry, artwork, and more.

There are some great intimate venues around that you may not associate with the Jazz Festival. Here are a few worth checking out.
http://www.mezzettarestaurant.com/
http://www.tenfeettall.ca/
http://www.orbitroom.ca/orbit.htm

You will be able to see great jazz at any of the many different series - Mainstage, Grandmasters, Cabaret at the Old Mill, French Connection, Pilot Guitar Jazz, Supermarket, Jazz by the Lake, Lunchtime, Afterwork, and In the Clubs. Some of the greatest of the greats will be here performing – Dave Brubeck, Michel Legrand, Oliver Jones, Dr. John, Arturo Sandoval, and Al Green.

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Torontonians Will Be Laughing Out Loud Again This Year As The Just For Laughs Festival Returns

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

Happily, the Just for Laughs Festival will be returning to Toronto this year after its successful debut in 2007 when over 60,000 attended. This year attendance is projected at 90,000. Yonge Street between Dundas and Shuter will be closed to traffic during the festival which will take place from July 23 – July 27. This is two days longer than last year’s festival and it will have double the number of shows. In order to help fund and market Just for Laughs the provincial government is kicking in over $420,000 which was instrumental in expanding the festival to 4 days. Some of the money will also be used to market the festival to Americans and Canadians, giving our economy a much needed boost. When tourists come in for a festival they fill up the hotels, spend money in restaurants and bars, and shop in our stores. Everyone benefits.

Free events will take place at Yonge-Dundas Square with spectacular shows by the French troupe Transe Express Circus, stilt walkers and acrobats from Italy’s Teatro Pavana, performance artists, comedy acts, musical performances, buskers, and more.

Ticketed events go on sale on Monday, June 2nd. The galas which take place at Massey Hall will be headlined by Martin Short, Jason Alexander, and Jimmy Fallon. There will be comedy shows galore at the Yuk Yuk’s, The Second City, Absolute Comedy, and Toronto’s Ethic Comedy Series at the Winter Garden Theatre.

We can all use a great laugh. Come out and support this great event. Bring your friends, bring your family. For more information or to buy tickets for any of the events, follow the link below.
http://www.hahaha.com/en/festival/11/?nav=1&filter=22

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What To Do On Father’s Day In Toronto

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

Dads are our heroes, yet often unsung. This year let’s give our father’s not just a gift, but the gift of time. Whether your Dad likes to walk, run, golf, swim, watch sports, or wine and dine, there are endless options. Here are a few:

• Golf with Dad
• Camp with Dad
• Fish with Dad

• The 7th Annual 5 km Father’s Day Walk/Run for Prostate Cancer on Father’s Day – Sunday, June 15, 2008 from 8:00 AM - 11:00 AM is at the Distillery District - east of Parliament and south of Front Street. This year alone it is estimated that 22,300 men will be affected by prostate cancer and it will affect 1 in 8 men in their lifetimes. The money raised from this event will support the work of the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada. Registration is free for participants who submit $100.00 or more in donations. Otherwise there is a $35.00 registration fee. Children under 12 years of age can register for free. Transit services don’t begin until 9:00 AM. However, there are parking lots accessible from Parliament and Cherry Streets.

• Toronto Blue Jays are taking on the Chicago Cubs at the Rogers Centre on Sunday, June 15th. Game time is 1:07 PM. Tickets range in price from $9.00 - $205.00. The first 10,000 fans through the gate will get a special Father’s Day apron as a gift for Dad.

Father’s Day doesn’t have to be expensive. Have a BBQ at home; go out for a bike ride, or a walk. Just spend some time with your Dad and let him know how much you love him.

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Mayor Miller Takes Aim At Toronto’s Legal Gun Clubs

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

Instead of going after gangs, criminals, and illegal weapons, Mayor Miller in another one of his ill-conceived plans to try to prove to Torontonians that he is tough on crime, is going after legal gun ranges and the legal manufacture of firearms. According to everyone on the planet except for our illustrious mayor, all that this will serve to accomplish is to penalize legal and law abiding gun owners and put gun clubs out of business, while having zero affect on gun violence.

The Scarborough Gun Club (single shot rifles only) at the Don Montgomery Community Recreation Centre would have to move outside the city limits and the CNRA Gun Club’s shooting range at Union Station would be closed. Neither of these clubs has ever been tainted by even the slightest hint of scandal. The Scarborough Rifle Club currently pays the city $3,155.00 for its permit and the CNRA Gun Club at Union Station pays $500.00 rent to the city. This absurd new law would do nothing to deter criminals but it would put an end to sport shooting. There are currently 15,000 members of the Canadian Shooting Sports Association across Canada. Target shooting is also an Olympic sport. Avianna Chao who is a member of the Union Station club, will represent Canada in the 10-metre air pistol and 25-metre sport pistol events in Beijing this summer. She and others like her will no longer have any place to train in Toronto if this new law is passed.

The real source of illegal guns used by criminals is the United States. Legal guns are not the problem. When is Mayor Miller going to stop all of his ridiculous posturing and start addressing the real problem? Then perhaps he can come up with some real solutions instead of these ridiculous schemes that have no effect on the criminal element what-so-ever.

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Toronto’s Little Italy Gets Ready To Party

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

Everyone is part Italian when it comes to eating. It’s hard to find anybody who doesn’t love pasta, pizza, or risotto. The delicious annual Taste of Little Italy will be on from June 13th – June 15th. College Street from Bathurst to Shaw will be closed to cars during the event and turned in a pedestrian walkway full of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of an authentic Italian piazza.

All of the College Street restaurants will be open for business and hopefully the weather will cooperate so that we can all enjoy a wonderful meal out on a patio. In addition there will be tons of food samplers and drinks that can be purchased on the street for between $1.00 and $5.00.

Music is a very important part of this fantastic event. In addition to Italian you will be able to see some great live acts perform jazz, Latin, R & B, Cuban, Venezuelan, and Ecuadorian on the street and on stages.

Don’t miss out on some of these great bands.

The Taste of Little Italy is on Friday June 13th from 7:00 PM – 2:00 AM, Saturday June 14th from 11:00 AM – 2:00 AM, and on Sunday June 15th from 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM. Leave your car at home and take the TTC. Parking will be a nightmare. If you are taking the subway, exit at the Queen’s Park Station. Then hop the 506 Streetcar going west. Get off at Bathurst and follow the action (go west).

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Toronto Will Finally Have Its Own Power Supply

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008

Believe it or not Toronto had no local source of power. Our power lines bring electricity from Pickering or Niagara, and they are working at maximum capacity leaving Toronto vulnerable to blackouts or brownouts. The Portlands Energy Centre, owned jointly by TransCanada Corp. and Ontario Power Generation, is set to open. The plant, located at Unwin Avenue and Cherry Street, has two natural gas turbines and will also have a third turbine brought online later this fall, powered by the steam produced from the heat of the other two.

The Portlands Energy Centre is expected to operate mostly during periods of high demand as opposed to on an ongoing basis due to the cost factor. Producing power from natural gas is more expensive than hydro or nuclear generation. The power plant will produce 340 megawatts at peak speed and will be in service during this summer’s high demand period. In September it will be shut down so that an additional unit can be added. This unit, slated to be in place and fully operational in 2009, will capture waste heat from the turbine and use it to generate more power, boosting the capacity to 550 megawatts (10% of Toronto’s power demand during extreme heat or extreme cold).

The power plant will be able to generate up to 25% of the power that Toronto needs and regular service is scheduled to begin on June 1st in spite of protests to stop the project. There are those that felt that the area should have been used for parks and homes instead of a power plant, but the protests didn’t gather much steam (excuse the pun).