It is now just two weeks before Brussels Airlines will launch the much awaited flights to Toronto, which will give East Africans traveling from Entebbe and Kigali to Canada another one-stop option to reach one of North America’s most vibrant cities.This coincides also with Brussels Airlines adding a fifth weekly flight between the European capital and Entebbe, sharply raising the visibility and connectivity through the airline which brought the ‘Savoir Vivre‘ to the skies.
Read on to learn more about what there is to do when visiting Toronto and the Eastern part of Canada.
A final article on this series is due next week just seven days prior to the launch date.
Green Toronto
Many visitors are struck by the number of parks (roughly 1,500) that dot Toronto’s urban landscape. But here, the green movement concerns more than just parkland (we have 8,000 hectares) and bike paths (about 195 km). The City of Toronto is recognized around the world as a leader in environmental stewardship.
The Power to Live Green,the City’s sustainable energy strategy, is founded on greater conservation, renewable energy sources, reduced use of fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal), and the implementation of a ‘smart’ energy grid. By 2050, this initiative will bring Toronto closer to an 80 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels while maintaining energy reliability and affordability.
Meanwhile, theToronto Green Development Standard works on designing environmentally friendly sites and buildings. Achieving the Toronto Green Standard will result in improvements to air and water quality, increased energy and water efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and enhanced ecology and the natural environment.
The Better Building Partnership (BBP) is a world-renowned City program established in 1996 that helps Toronto buildings owners, managers and developers achieve their energy efficiency goals and reduce emissions to the environment. The BBP program has helped eliminate over 550,000 tonners or CO2 emissions.
The Live Green Toronto program encourages, inspires and supports residents in making Toronto a greener city. And it’s working! By adopting sustainable practices at every level and providing green options to all Torontonians – including leaders of business, politicians, educators and everyday citizens – the city has become a role model in environmental leadership. The program won the 2013 Environment Award from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA). Some of its environmental achievements are:
- Since 2005, Toronto residents have been separating the compostable food waste from their garbage. The Green Bin Organic Program currently achieves a diversion rate of 66 per cent for its 460,000 single-family households. The City was recently awarded the 2013 Management Innovation Award from the Ontario Public Works Association (OPWA) for its strategy to promote Green Bin (organics) implementation in apartments and condominiums.
· The city’s leading a movement towards greener conferences. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) has become a model for sustainable meeting practices. It boasts a green roof, alternative energy power sourcing, and energy efficiency renovations.The Allstream Conference Centre at Exhibition Place is the only conference centre in Canada with LEED Silver Certification. The Centre has secured a 100-percent green power purchase agreement. This purchase equates to removing 168 cars off the road per year and offsets the same amount of carbon dioxide as 422 acres of planted trees annually. The Enercare Centre’s meeting conveners can purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) to offset their carbon emissions.
All three conference centres work closely with local agencies, donating leftover food to food banks and the remainder to local farmers for use as compost.
· In 2004 Toronto became the largest municipality in the world to ban commercial or cosmetic pesticide use.
· Enwave’s Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) system, the world’s largest lake-sourced cooling system, provides buildings in downtown Toronto with an alternative to conventional air conditioning. The DLWC method harnesses the coldness of the lake water to chill building cooling systems. Compared to conventional air conditioning, DLWC reduces electricity use by up to 90 per cent and saves the equivalent electrical power demand of 6,800 homes.
· In 2013 Tourism Toronto became the first convention and visitors association outside of the United States to reach a new international sustainability standard. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Certification is awarded to destinations that achieve high standards in environmentally sustainable meetings, trade shows and conferences.
Green hotels
The Hotel Association of Canada has awarded numerous Toronto hotels with Green Keys from its Green Key Eco-Rating Program. This graduated rating system is designed to recognize hotels that are committed to improving their environmental and fiscal performance. Many hotels are taking steps, big and small, to help the environment.
· The Westin Harbour Castle uses 100 per centgreen electricity to power the lobby and restaurant, an advanced recycling program, and its Make a Green Choice Program which credits guests for each night they opt out of housekeeping services.
· The Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotelpartners with Turtle Island Recycling for easy use, and Clean the World to recycle soap and shampoos for people in need. It also has a Make a Green Choice Program for option with housekeeping services.
· The InterContinental Toronto Yorkvillemaintains its role as an eco-friendly hotel with growing its own rooftop herb garden, programing that reduce water and electricity usage, and encouraging paperless meetings.
· Since 2005 the Chelsea Hotel , Toronto has diverted over 82 per cent of its waste stream to recycling. The hotel has invested in many renovations to reduce water and electricity consumption including low-flow fixtures, high efficiency boilers, and ozone-friendly chillers.
· The Fairmont Royal Yorkis part of the Fairmont’s Green Partnership Program focusing on operational sustainability and involving local groups.
Easy cycling
Toronto’s bicycle paths extend across the downtown core. The City is developing a Bikeway network to link cyclists with Toronto’s neighbourhoods serving both commuters and recreational cycling. It currently comprises of connected 111 bicycle lanes, 150 shared roadway routes and almost 300 off-road pathways.
TheBike Share Toronto provides Toronto with a network of bikes throughout the downtown core. Docking terminals allow users to pick up and drop off bicycles from location to location, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at a very reasonable price.
Events and the community
Every April,The Green Living Show welcomes everyone who’s curious and committed to lightening their environmental footprint. As North America’s largest green and healthy living show, it offers products, tips and inspiration to help the planet, help save money and feel good. Over 450 of the best green products, services, and innovations are showcased. There are even ticket reductions for those who have a public transit pass or Live Green Card.
Every summer, the Live Green Toronto Festival is Toronto’s largest outdoor celebration of all things green. In 2013, more than 40,000 residents and visitors attended the event to shop the Green Street Market and enjoy the live concerts, swap zone, kids’ zone, local foods, buskers and more.
Established in 1995, the grassroots, charitable organization, Toronto Green Community, address many urban environmental issues. It focuses on enhancing biodiversity, expanding urban greening, fostering appreciation and conservation of water, and reducing waste. Through education and community engagement, the organization aims for a behavioural change for a healthy, sustainable planet.
Green Enterprise Toronto (GET) strives to provide support for small and medium businesses through events, networking, information and training. It has created a network of local, independent businesses with a focus on environmental, local and social issues.
Holiday Season and Winter
Annual Traditions
· The Santa Claus Parade always kicks off Toronto’s holiday season in mid-late November. Entertaining all ages since 1905, the parade is one of Toronto’s oldest traditions. Animated floats leave the corner of Christie and Bloor Street in the company of two dozen marching bands and thousands of costumed participants, cheered along by excited kids.
· Late November brings another annual tradition: the Cavalcade of Lights, presented by Great Gulf. It’s the first lighting of Toronto’s official Christmas tree celebrated with live musical performances. More than 100,000 energy efficient LED lights illuminate Nathan Phillips Square.
· In early November, theRoyal Agricultural Winter Fair showcases 300 vendors, regal horse shows, entertaining dog shows and more.
· From late November to early December, the One of A Kind Show is the ideal place to find a unique, handcrafted holiday present. This craft show features handmade designs by over 800 artists, makers, designers and craftspeople.
· During the first two weeks in December, the historic Distillery District transforms into the Lowe’s Toronto Christmas Market, garnering its inspiration from the markets in Eastern Europe. Sip on mulled wine, listen to classic carols and warm yourself over a roaring fire pit while eating pork knuckle, schnitzel or the Canadian classic poutine. Kids always enjoy the festive performances and rides too.
· Two of Toronto’s major department stores decorate their windows with festive, lavish displays to welcome shoppers. Families love the traditional displays at The Bay’s flagship store across from the Eaton Centre. Uptown, fashionistas revel with delight at the creative merchandising of Holt Renfrew.
· The National Ballet of Canada’s sumptuous, comical, touching and spellbinding version of E.T.A. Hoffmann’s Christmas tale, The Nutcracker, was created in 1995 and has been enthralling audiences – especially children – ever since.
· Festive musical performances of all kinds are found at Massey Hall and Roy Thomson Hall. Jazz, pop, orchestras, choirs, all music helps celebrate the holiday season.
Winter Family Fun
· The Toronto Zoo celebrates the season with its annual Boxing Day tradition called the Christmas Treats Trek when the Zoo animals await their seasonal treats.
· At The Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre, acclaimed producer Ross Petty is known for his farcical pantomimes of traditional fairy tales. The plays run throughout the holiday season. Petty is known to perform as a female character in these plays, which has been an ongoing tradition.
· Tie up those laces on the skates and enjoy one of Toronto’s many skating rinks for some holiday cheer. Nathan Phillips Square,Harbourfront’sNatrel Rink, Evergreen Brickworks, and Mississauga Celebration Square are all great options.
· If the snow piles up, the many tobogganing hills in the city keep family spirits high. Centennial Park in Etobicoke has one of the biggest hills in the. Riverdale Park and Withrow Park in the east end are popular options for families; make sure to warm up with hot chocolate nearby at Rooster Coffeehouse. High Park and Trinity Bellwoods Park are good west end options.
· ROM for the Holidays occupies families and encourages holiday spirit with two weeks of holiday programming at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM).
Neighbourhood Displays
· A 40-foot tree decorates the historic Distillery District.
· Twenty-two trees in blue, white and gold as well as a reindeer display light up the College-Yonge Street intersection.
· At Yonge-Dundas Square stands a 40-foot sculptural Christmas tree dressed in 52,000 blue and white lights.
· In the middle of the Eaton Centre shines an enormous tree display that changes year-to-year.
· Nathan Phillips Square holds one of the most famous trees; a 60-foot tree decorated with 12,000 LED lights and 700 ornaments. It takes atwo week sto decorate and string the lights on the tree.
· Christmas trees full of blue lights line the neighbourhoods of Summerhill and Greektown on the Danforth.
New Year’s Eve Celebrations
· A Toronto New Year’s celebration wouldn’t be complete without City TV’s annual New Year’s Bash at Nathan Phillips Square. Forty thousand people gather to be entertained by free, live performances and count down the final seconds until the new year arrives.
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Toronto’s Music Scene
Toronto has one of the most diverse music scenes in the country. Major venues in central downtown host a variety of mainstream music to enormous audiences. Then there are the little hole-in-the-wall bars with the independent musicians for a different memorable experience. As for entertainment, there’s something happening every night of the week in Toronto.
Major Concert Venues
· Rogers Centre (formerly known as The Skydome) used to be the only main stage for some of the most famous musical acts in the world. It attracts the likes of U2, Bon Jovi and Beyoncé for their massive stages and crowds.
· The Air Canada Centre (ACC) books many popular concerts and performances. The best part about the ACC: a great seat anywhere in the house for musical acts like Coldplay, Mariah Carey and Maroon 5, who have graced their stages.
· In the summer, the Molson Amphitheatre offers an outdoor concert experience. Its excellent sound system gives fans a chance to enjoy their favourite bands in the theatre’s permanent seating section or lawn seating section (more like lawn party section).
· Roy Thomson Hall,a concert hall located in the heart of King St. West’s theatre district, is home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Over 30 years old, the Hall is often used as a venue for screenings and premieres during the Toronto International Film Festival and corporate events throughout the year.
· Koerner Hall, a concert venue designed to provide acoustic perfection for music of all genres, features classical, jazz, pop, opera, and world music performances. Associated with The Royal Conservatory, Koerner Hall has high ceiling and layered ribbons of wood forming a floating canopy. It provides a dramatic yet intimate ambience between the audience and performers. The spectacular glass lobbies welcome guests to and offer an extraordinary view of the city.
Historic Concert Venues
· A few buildings in Toronto have become as famous in themselves as the acts that grace the stages. Massey Hall, the “grande dame” of local music halls, has been part of Toronto’s music history since 1894. It has hosted some of the greatest musical legends. In fact, Gordon Lightfoot is the most frequently returning artist in the building’s history.
· The Phoenix Concert Theatre, located on the fringe of downtown, has had thousands of live performances on its stages. Over the past 20 years, it has hosted legendary artists, including The Rolling Stones, The Tragically Hip and Bob Dylan as well as contemporary artists like Death Cab for Cutie and Two Door Cinema Club. This 18,000 square foot entertainment complex houses one of the city’s largest dance floors.
· In Leslieville, The Opera Housestill holds the charm of its original 1900’s vaudeville theatre architecture. One of the more intimate concert venues in the city, the balcony offers a spectacular view.
Standing Room Only – Concert Venues
· TheSound Academy concert venue is part of an indoor/outdoor entertainment venue, Polson Pier. Popular indie acts like Vampire Weekend and Lights have performed here. This venue also offers a scenic view of the Toronto skyline.
· Located in the heart of The Annex and originally a bank, Lee’s Palace has gained a big name in alternative music. With the second floor for dancing and the main space for live performances, this is one of Toronto’s well-known alternative music dance clubs.
· Adelaide Hall holds its own as a new concert venue in Toronto’s music scene. It showcases a mix of local and international indie artists with promises of diversifying in the future.
· The Danforth Music Hallswitches it up; sometimes there’s seating but often more than 1,400 people dance to whatever indie, up-and-coming artists are playing that night.
Notable Bars
· The 65-year-old Horseshoe Tavernis one of the most historic bars and music venues in Toronto. Legends like The Police, The Ramones and The Rolling Stones have taken over its stage.
· Located justdown the street from the Horseshoe Tavern,Cameron House provides a more intimate venue with a main room and a back room. Canadian acts from Blue Rodeo to the Barenaked Ladies have performed here.
· Parkdale offers a few options of classic rock n’ roll bars, like Stones Place(a shrine to the Rolling Stones) and the sprawling Cadillac Lounge. On Ossington, The Dakota Tavern has become an institution for folk and rock bands. Famous for its bluegrass brunch on Saturdays and Sundays, the Tavern is also known to have famous Canadian musicians like Sam Roberts and members of Broken Social Scene.
· The classy, subterranean space of The Reservoir Lounge pleases jazz and swing music-lovers. This is home to some of the city’s most distinctive lounge bands five nights a week.
· At Victoria St and Dundas St E, Jazz Bistro’s open-concept space includes a performance and dining area, wine bar, private event space and rooftop patio. Jazz musicians from around the world have performed here, sometimes accompanied by a red pop Steinway piano (the only one of its kind in Canada).
Music Festivals
· Canadian Music Week (CMW) spans five nights every spring across the city with 1,000 bands at over 60 venues. CMW is recognized as one of the premier entertainment events in North America focusing on the business of music.
· Every June, North by Northeast (NXNE) is the Canadian festival destination for emerging artists, major-label headliners, music filmmakers, and digital interactive innovators. With over 800 bands performing at venues across the city in addition to 40 films being featured over 10 days, the city buzzes with excitement.
· AtThe TD Toronto Jazz Festival over 1,500 musicians perform at 40 locations citywide. The heart of the Festival beats in Nathan Phillips Square. Aretha Franklin and Janelle Monae have been some of the past featured artists. The other major jazz festival, the Beaches International Jazz Festival, shuts down streets in the Beaches for 10 days in July.
· Electronic music fans can dance for two solid days in June at the largest electronic music festival in Canada, Digital Dreams Music Festival. The VELD Music Festival attracts the electronic music-lovers to Downsview Park in August. If that’s not enough electronic music, every long weekend in the summer, Toronto’s Centre Island becomes Electric Island with international and local talent.
· The Brrrrr! Winter Music Festival celebrates Canadian winter with this vibrant outdoor music and art festival. In early February, DJs and electronic music acts like Wolfgang Gartner and Sharam entertain a bundled crowd.
· SING! was Toronto’s first-ever a cappella festival in 2013. Dedicated to celebrating Canadian and international vocal artists, the festival illustrates the voice’s capabilities every May at the Harbourfront Centre.
· Afrofestcelebrates African culture at Woodbine Park, Toronto’s east side. Some of the top national and international African music groups perform here. The bustling African marketplace, drum stage, music workshops and Children’s Village educate and delight families and communities.
· Toronto holds many cultural festivals throughout the year and known for the eclectic mix of world music. One of Toronto’s biggest cultural festivals every August is the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival. The Caribbean Carnival showcases music, dancing and a colourful parade from various parts of the Caribbean. World music is showcased throughout the year at both the Harbourfront Centre (on the Worldstage) and the Sony Centre for Performing Arts.
Notable Music Acts from Toronto
Toronto has a huge music scene that incubates artists into internationally famous musicians. A few notable acts include: Drake, The Barenaked Ladies, RUSH, Blue Rodeo, Simple Plan, Justin Bieber, Broken Social Scene, k-os, Deborah Cox and Avril Lavigne.
FUN FACT
The Bloor-Yorkville neighbourhood, known for its luxurious shops, restaurants and salons was once a cultural haven for folk singers, similar to the Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood in San Francisco. Yorkville’s most famous club in the 1960s was the Riverboat. It was home to the biggest names in Canadian music, including Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell and Bruce Cockburn. It also attracted international legends such as Simon and Garfunkel.
· At Mississauga Celebration Square, the party starts with treats from gourmet food trucks and continues with Mississauga Art Council’s LimelightBlock Party featuring the city’s best dance groups and up-and-coming musicians and artists.
· DowntownBrampton becomes a flurry of fun and activity with Jugglers, Stiltwalkers, two live concert states, two spectacular firework displays and more.
· The kids will love the Toronto Zoo’s New Year Eve’s Family Countdown starting from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Families can visit with new and wild friends in the Americas & Australasia Pavilions and in the Tundra Trek. There’s plenty of entertainment including magic shows and music.
· On Toronto’s waterfront, Mariposa Cruises offers a New Year’s Eve cruise complete with dinner and dancing and, best of all, a glittery view of Toronto’s skyline.
Fun Facts
· In the 1913 Santa Claus Parade, Eaton’s (an old Toronto department store) arranged for Santa to be pulled by live reindeer, which had been imported from Labrador, Canada specifically for the Parade. The reindeer had a dedicated veterinarian who looks after them and supplied their special diet of moss. Following the Parade, the reindeer retired to the property of an Eaton’s Executive outside Toronto.
· The One of a Kind Show is now the largest consumer craft show in North America.
· Lowe’s Christmas Market opened in 2010 but already had over 204,000 visitors in 2012.
· The National Ballet’s The Nutcracker has 214 performers in each show: 70 professional dancers, 60 student dancers, 60 musicians, and 24 singers.
· The all-time worst day for winter snow recorded at Pearson International Airport was on February 25, 1965, when the city was buried by a mind blowing (and no doubt snow blowing) 39.9 centimetres.
