Toronto: The city of “the”

The TTC at Union Station on Front St.

In this blog, I haven’t written much about Toronto itself as I have concentrated on reviews of my travels to parts east. So, during a Labour Day weekend walk in one of Toronto’s many neighbourhoods, this time in Yorkville, I took stock of some of my impressions over last two years in Canada’s largest city. 

One thing that comes to mind is how folks here often use the in front of place names, streets, communities and sports teams. Topping the list for me is the TTC.  People say “I’m taking the TTC,” or “the streetcar” or “the subway.” The TTC is the Toronto Transit Commission, the operator of the subway, streetcar and bus system.

The Gardiner

For drivers, the constant worry in the GTA – the Greater Toronto Area – is the traffic tie-ups on the Gardiner (the expressway along the lakeshore) or the DVP (Don Valley Parkway along the city’s east side connecting the Gardiner and the 401, the highway across the northern part of the city) or the QEW (the highway linking Toronto with Hamilton and Niagara Falls.)

Bay and King: The Financial District

Queens Quay at York

Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods – some 140 of them.  A few to mention include: The Danforth, The Beaches, The Annex, The Entertainment District, The Financial District and The Harbourfront (my neighbourhood, south of the Gardiner.) Early during my time here, a Toronto local told me “no one lives south of the Gardiner.”  I guess she hadn’t noticed the explosion of waterfront condos. And since moving here in October 2013, the waterfront is now connected to the rest of downtown by an extension of the PATH, Toronto's underground pedestrian walkway that links 30 kilometres of shopping, services and entertainment.

The Jays on a July 2015 afternoon

In terms of sports, it’s all about the Jays – especially this summer with everyone on the Jays bandwagon – and the Leafs and the Raptors. But there are also the Argos and the Marlies. By the way, the Leafs and Raptors play in The ACC. I’ve managed to see all the teams in action, except the Marlies.

The Ex on a hot and hazy early evening

I’ve been to two editions of The CNE or simply The Ex, Toronto’s annual summer fair that was founded in 1879 and renamed to Canadian National Exhibition in 1912.

From the Toronto Island Ferry

And of course, almost never out of sight during my downtown walks, is Toronto’s iconic landmark that punctuates the city’s skyline and is a way-finding marker – The CN Tower.


Friday Night Lights in TO

A last-minute plan saw three TO2015 staffers head to the Rogers Centre to catch the last regular-season Toronto Argonauts game.  When I was asked late Friday afternoon if I wanted to go to the CFL game, I replied, "well, going to an Argos game is on my list."  With that, it was off to the stadium formerly known as the SkyDome. 

The stadium is holding up well, in my opinion, since it opened in 1989.  The stadium is the site of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2015 Pan Am Games.

But on this night, the focus was football -- Argos vs. the Montreal Alouettes. It was the first CFL game for my American colleague Cecil who commented that "field is massive" compared to the NFL.

There was plenty of on-field marketing activities in a family atmosphere.


As for the game, in true CFL fashion, it was down to the final minutes to determine the score in a tight game.

The visitors beat the home team 23 - 20.  Here's the game summary:  http://www.argonauts.ca/article/week-19-recap

Next up for the Argos: hosting the eastern final on Nov. 17.