Flatiron Building Toronto

Flatiron Building Toronto - Flatiron Building Toronto information and pictures

Flatiron Building was built in 1891 and is one of the most photographed buildings in Toronto. It was purchased from the Goodenham family who were in the distillery business and ownedGooderham and Worts Distillery.

It was designed by architect David Roberts and its unique shape makes it the first flatiron building preceding the Flatiron building in New York. This red brick Gothic Romanesque landmark is located in downtown Toronto at the intersection of Front st. Wellington St. and Church Street. Flatiron building had the first manually operated elevator in the city.

In 1975 the Flatiron building was declared a National Historic Site. It is now owned by Michael and Anne Tippin. They bought the building in 1998 and made major restorations. At the back of the building a mural is painted by Canadian artist Derek Besant which is a mirror image of the building across the street.

“Flatiron & Firkin” is located in the basement of Flatiron Building and is very popular meeting place. The pub is shaped like a V and there aren't a lot of seats but during the summer an outdoor patio is open.

Where is Flatiron Building: 49 Wellington Street East

How to get to Flatiron Building: Subway Yonge-University-Spadina to Union Station

Flatiron Building, Toronto


Flatiron Building Toronto with the BCE Place office towers in the background


Flatiron Building Mural Trompe l’Oeil,
Toronto


Flatiron Building stairs,Toronto

Old City Hall

Old City Hall - Old City Hall information and pictures

Old City Hall was Toronto’s third City Hall and was built in 1899. It was designed to accommodate the growing staff of civic officials and to combine the City Hall and the court house in one building. Architect Edward James Lennox designed the building in 1888 (he later designed Casa Loma). The impressive building of the Old City hall was the biggest structure in Toronto at that time.

Old city hall was designed in Romanesque Revival style and has remarkable architectural details, gargoyles and a clock tower. The clock tower is 103.6 m /300 f high and looks down Bay Street. The interior has mosaic floor patterned in Buffalo and walls covered with neatly matched marble. The entrance hall has impressive proportions and was used for public events.

In 1965 when the New City Hall was opened the Old City hall was scheduled for demolition during the planning of the Eaton Centre but community activists convinced the city to preserve this important landmark, and in 1989 Old City Hall was declared a National Historic Site. Today Old City Hall is a courthouse for the Ontario government.

Where is Old City Hall: 60 Queen Street West

How to get to Old City Hall: Subway Yonge-University-Spadina to Queen Station

Old City Hall, Toronto


Old City Hall, Toronto, view from Bay Street


Old City Hall, Toronto

Ontario Place

Ontario Place - Ontario Place information and pictures

Ontario place is leisure and entertainment parkland located alongside the Lake Ontario waterfront very close to Exhibition Place. Ontario Place opened its doors to the public in May 1971 and was built as a showcase for the Province of Ontario.

The park consisted of three man-made islands connected by bridges and walkways but later undergone a substantial transformation and number of new attractions were introduced.

In 1994/95 Molson Amphitheater was built. It seats 16,000 people and is a popular venue for concerts while Ontario place is an excellent place to escape the summer heat with the water rides, slides and pedal boats.

The Cinesphere at Ontario Place is the World's First Permanent IMAX® Theatre.

Where is Ontario Place: Alongside the Lake Ontario waterfront south of Exhibition Place.

How to get to Ontario Place: There is a FREE shuttle bus to and from Union Station.
Schedule times during the Summer:
Departs from Union Station at 9:00am every half hour till 12:00 noon
every hour from 12:00 noon till 2:00pm
and every half hour from 2:00 pm to one hour after park attractions close.

By streetcar: From Union Station take 509 Streetcar to Exhibition Place. Then walk 10 minutes south through Exhibition Place, over the Lakeshore bridge and into Ontario Place.

For more information on current events visit the Ontario Place web site.

Ontario Place, Toronto




Ontario Place Waterslide, Toronto


Ontario Place Slide, Toronto

High Park

High Park - High Park information and pictures

High Park is a popular spot for locals and tourists in Toronto year round. Recognized as one of the best parks in the city it provides a save heaven for relaxation and recreation. High Park successfully combines the wilderness within the urban city with discovery trails, wildlife species, rare plant species, pond, playgrounds and lawns for picnics.

The Jamie Bell Adventure Playground is unique place for the children inspired by the creativity of local community. The Grenadier Pond is a favourite fishing spot during the summer months. A trackless train will allow you to explore High Park on a 25-minute scenic ride. High Park Zoo is one of the most popular attractions. It dates back to 1890 and is a home of bison, peacocks, llamas, sheep, deer and more.
High Park is a home to the Dream in High Park - an open-air theatrical event that has become a tradition for locals and visitors and takes place each summer.

High Park is a perfect place for jogging, bike riding or just enjoying the nature. You can get a quick bite at the Grenadier Teahouse and Café located at the center of High Park.

Where is High Park: 1873 Bloor St W.

How to get to High Park: Subway Bloor-Danforth line to High Park Station

Opening hours for the High Park Zoo: Open year round from 7:00 AM to dusk

High Park Zoo, Toronto

Casa Loma Toronto

Casa Loma Toronto - Casa Loma Toronto information and pictures

Casa Loma is a famous landmark in Toronto. This one of a kind Toronto castle attracts many visitors and hosts many events year-round.

It was the home of the prominent industrialist and financier Sir Henry Pellatt for less than 10 years. In 1883 he founded the Toronto Electric Light Company and in 1902 he and his partners built the first Canadian hydro-generating plant at Niagara Falls. In 1911 with a fortune of $ 17 million he hired Canadian architect E. J. Lennox to build his dream “House on a hill” (“Casa Loma”). Casa Loma was the largest private home in North America at the time and it took $3.5 million and 3 years to build. Unfortunately political decisions allowed for public ownership of electricity and his source of income practically disappeared. After the World War I Pellat’s company filed for bankruptcy and in 1924 he was forced to move to his farm in King Township. During the Depression Casa Loma was vacant and in 1933 the City took the property for back taxes. Today Casa Loma is owned by the City of Toronto and is operated by the Kiwanis Club of Casa Loma since 1937.

Casa Loma was a very modern home at the time. The Great hall has 18 meters (60 feet) high ceiling and is also a home to Canada's largest Wurlitzer pipe organ. On the first floor you will find the Conservatory with marble Italian floor, the Library, Sir Henry’s study and the Smoking and Billiard rooms. On the Second floor are the state-of-the-art apartments with private bathrooms, bathtubs and even bidet. Climb to the third floor to the Scottish and the Norman Towers to be rewarded with a stunning view of the city. In the basement a 240m/800f tunnel connects the house with the stables. The tunnel is 5.4m/18 feet below the ground.

The Casa Loma gardens are a beautiful sight during the summer with fountains and sculptures. Casa Loma also is a popular venue for weddings.

Where is Casa Loma: 1 Austin Terrace at the corner of Davenport Rd. and Spadina Ave.

How to get to Casa Loma: Subway Yonge-University-Spadina to Dupont station

Opening Hours: Daily 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Last admission is 4:00 p.m.)



Casa Loma Toronto


Casa Loma Toronto


Casa Loma Toronto

The Beaches

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The Beaches - The Beaches information and pictures

The Beaches is a very popular neighborhood in Toronto located along the Lake Ontario shore east of downtown. The Beaches is trendy neighborhood with Victorian and Edwardian houses and low rise buildings. Queen Street east is in the heart of the Beaches community with lots of shops, restaurants and cafes, nice parks and a boardwalk just a couple of minutes away. Along the beach stretches the boardwalk and a recreational bicycle and jogging lane, tennis courts and the Kew Gardens. The area is bounded by Woodbine Avenue to the west, Victoria Park Avenue to the east, Kingston Road to the north.

The Beaches is a favorite destination for the locals and for the tourists during the summer not only for the beach but also for the nice parks and places for relaxation. You won’t see many Torontonians swimming in Lake Ontario - it is quite cold and on particular days not very clean but still the beach is quite nice and wide.

One popular attraction in the end of July is The Beaches International Jazz Festival which draws thousands of people in the area. The street jazz festival along Queen Street east is a four day event with bands playing on every corner from Woodbine Ave. to Victoria Park Ave. (over 2 kilometers). Queen Street is closed for traffic at that time and is a pedestrian zone only. The main stage performances are held at the Kew Gardens. The Beaches jazz fest has been held every year since 1989.

Where is the Beaches: Area between Woodbine Avenue to the west, Victoria Park Avenue to the east, Kingston Road to the north.

How to get to the Beaches: Subway Bloor-Danforth line to Main Street station and transfer to bus line 64 (Beaches)

The Beaches, Toronto


The Beaches International Jazz Festival, Toronto


The Beaches Kew Gardens


The Beaches International Jazz Festival Toronto


The Beaches Queen Street, Mounted police, Toronto


The Beaches, Toronto

Eaton Centre

Eaton Centre - Eaton Centre information and pictures

Eaton Centre is probably the best known shopping mall in Toronto. It stretches two city blocks and is a 5 storey glass building connecting three office towers.

It all started with Timothy Eaton, immigrant from Ireland who opened his first store in 1869. Later in 1883 he built a four storey department store at the corner of Queen and Yonge Streets. In the 1960s, Eaton’s partnered with Fairview and TD Bank, to create what would become known as the Eaton Centre.

Eaton Centre was built in 2 stages -the north section was opened in 1977 and the south section was opened in 1979. It was created by Eb Zeilder who modeled Eaton Centre after Galleria Vittorio Emanuele in Milan, Italy. The mall has glass-domed roof and during the Christmas season is beautifully decorated and a giant Christmas tree is installed in the centre.

In 1999 Eaton’s filed for bankruptcy and the Centre was acquired by Sears Canada but didn’t change its name.

Eaton Centre is still a very popular destination for local shoppers and a quarter of the visitors are tourists.

Where is Eaton Centre: 220 Yonge Street, Yonge & Dundas

How to get to Eaton Centre: Subway Yonge-University-Spadina line to Dundas or Queen Station

Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM; Sat 9:30 AM - 7:00 PM; Sun 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Eaton Centre, Toronto


Eaton Centre Fountain and Eaton Centre Christmas Decorations, Toronto


Eaton Centre, Toronto


Eaton Centre, Toronto


Eaton Centre Geese, Toronto

Ontario Science Centre

Ontario Science Centre - Ontario Science Centre information and pictures

Ontario Science Centre was commissioned by the Ontario Government in 1964. Raymond Moriyama, an architect from Toronto, designed Ontario Science Centre and on September 27, 1969 it was officially opened.

Ontario Science Centre hosts permanent and temporary exhibitions. Some of the most popular areas are - The Science Arcade, The Living Earth, The Human Body, The Space hall. The cool thing is that the visitor can interact with most of the exhibits, touch things to see what will happen and trigger action.

The IMAX® Dome theatre opened in 1996 at the OSC and hosts spectacular presentations ever since. It features six-channel sound produced by 44 speakers and screen 4500 bigger than a TV.

In 2003 KidSpark, the area for children eight and under, opened and because of the great popularity was doubled in size in 2005. It features Water play area, Music instruments and Perform in a studio area. It is an amazing experience for the young minds and kids love to go there again and again.

Where is Ontario Science Centre: 770 Don Mills Road, M3C 1T3

How to get to Ontario Science Centre: Subway Yonge-University-Spadina to Eglinton Station, then transfer to Bus route 34 Eglinton East and get off at Don Mills Road. Then walk south for 3 minutes.

Opening hours: Daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

For more information on current events visit the Ontario Science Centre web site.

Royal Ontario Museum

Royal Ontario Museum - Royal Ontario Museum information and pictures

Royal Ontario Museum was created in the dawn of the 20-th century. ROM opened its doors to the public in 1914.

The Royal Ontario Museum has diverse collections of world cultures. The permanent display includes Chinese art from the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1271 – 1368), Native Art from North America, Canadian Art, Japanese ceramics and Sculpture, Egyptian art from 4000 BC - AD 400, Ancient Art from Greece and Middle Eastern and South Asian collections.

Very popular are the Natural History Galleries - the Bat Cave, The Birds Gallery and the reptiles Gallery. The Hands-on Galleries are a great place for children- The CIBC Discovery Gallery with its highlight the Dinosaur Dig, where you can discover dinosaur fossils and the Digital Gallery with virtual three - dimensional space.

In 2007 the ROM expanded thanks to a 30 million dollar gift from Michael Lee-Chin. The new Michael Lee-Chin Crystal wing has distinctive architecture and added more space to the Museum. Architect Daniel Libeskind created this stunning glass vision of crystal and successfully integrated it with the rest of the building. The Gallery of the Age of Mammals located on the second level of the Crystal wing is an amazing display of 400 North and South American examples of extinct mammals and non-mammals. The Dinosaurs Galleries are probably the most popular with its 50 dinosaur specimens, 25 of which are fully-mounted skeletons, featuring Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton and a real Triceratops skull.

Where is Royal Ontario Museum: 100 Queen's Park

How to get to ROM: Subway Yonge-University-Spadina line to Museum Station or Bloor-Danforth line to St. George station

Opening Hours: Saturday to Thursday: 10:00 am - 5:30 pm
Friday: 10:00 am - 9:30 pm

Visit the ROM official web site here.

Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto


ROM Crystal Wing


ROM Toronto, The new Michael Lee-Chin Crystal wing

Allan Gardens Conservatory

Allan Gardens Conservatory - Allan Gardens Conservatory information and pictures

Allan Gardens Park and Conservatory is a major landmark and tourist attraction in downtown
Toronto. It is a public botanical garden and features six greenhouses with permanent plant collection (sub-tropical garden, Palm House and cacti) and seasonal plants.

Allan Gardens were established in 1858 in the downtown core in Toronto. The Palm House was created in 1910 and is comparable to similar gardens in England and USA. Allan Gardens were named after George William Allan who was a politician and cultural leader. Allan Gardens cover over 16,000 sq ft (0.3 acres) and has the largest collection of pandanus (Madagascar tropical pine) in Toronto. Allan Garden’s permanent plant collection includes orchids, hibiscus, cacti, caladiums and various palm trees.

During the spring Allan Gardens seasonal plants bloom in all their glory. This is also one of the best times to visit the gardens.

Where is Allan Gardens Conservatory: 19 Horticultural Ave.

How to get to Allan Gardens Conservatory: From College Subway Station transfer to Carlton Streetcar #506 east. From Sherbourne Subway Station transfer to Sherbourne Bus #75 south.

Opening Hours: Daily from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Allan Gardens, seasonal plants greenhouse


Allan Gardens, cacti greenhouse

BCE Place

BCE Place - BCE Place information and pictures

BCE Place is a complex of 2 office towers build in 1990-92, restaurants, shops and cafes. Comparing to the classic TD Centre the architecture is more contemporary and was designed by Bregman and Hamann Architects.

The Bay Wellington Tower was built in 1992 and has 47 floors and TD Canada Trust Towerwas built in 1990 and has 51 floors. Between the towers is the award-winning Allen Lambert Galleria which is six storey pedestrian through street. It is a jewel of light and glass and the steel support columns curve into parabolic shapes and seem to resemble tree branches.

Interesting fact is that 12 historic buildings are incorporated into the complex and one of them is the old Bank of Montreal building which is now the Toronto’s Hockey Hall of Fame, (a must see for any hockey fan). The tower is also connected to the underground PATH System.

As a visitor you may enjoy the numerous retail shops and the famous Richtree Market / Le Marche restaurant located in the BCE building.

Where is BCE Place: 161-181 Bay Street

How to get to BCE Place: Subway Yonge-University-Spadina line to Union Station.

BCE Place, Toronto


TD Canada Trust Tower, Toronto


Allen Lambert Galleria, BCE Place, Toronto


Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto

Toronto Island

Toronto Islands - Toronto Islands information and pictures

Toronto Islands are a popular destination during the summer for the locals and for the tourists. Toronto Islands are a nice retreat from the summer heat and humidity and you will have a splendid view of Toronto skyline.
You can also go at the beach and enjoy a swim in Lake Ontario.

The islands were formed gradually from sand-bars carried from the Ontario currents. The ferry can take you to the three main islands – Centre Island, Ward's Island and Hanlan's Point. When you reach The Centre Island you can get to Ward's Island and Hanlan's Point on foot or by renting a bicycle or boat.

Toronto Islands have large lawns where you can play soccer, baseball or just rest. You can make barbeque and enjoy time with friends. The beach is nice and the water is quite warm during the summer. There are also snack bars, bicycle and boat rentals, Toronto Island Marina andCentreville Amusement Area which is very popular with the kids. There you can ride a train, and old fashioned carousel or visit the Far Enough Farm.

Ward’s Island is on the east side of Centre Island and was named after the first settlers – the Ward family who built a hotel in 1882. The hotel was demolished in 1966 and today there are houses and large marina. The island is ideal for cycling and has separate beach.

Hanlan’s point is on the west side of Centre Island and was a resort destination for the people of Toronto in the late 19-th century. John Hanlan built the first a hotel there in 1878 and soon after 2 more hotels and an amusement park was added. However in 1937 the amusement park was demolished and Toronto Island Airport was built.

How to get to Toronto Islands: By Ferry from the Toronto Ferry Docks located at Bay Street on Queens Quay west of Harbour Castle Westin Hotel.
Take a subway to Union station and street car 509 or 510 to Queen's Quay Stop. Union station is quite close to the Ferry Docks so you can get there by foot.



Toronto Islands


Toronto Skyline, view form Centre Island


Toronto Island Airport


Toronto Island Ferry


Toronto Island Marina


Hanlan's point lighthouse


Centreville Amusement Area


Manitou beach, Centre Island