2005 ANNUAL MEETING
Optional Activities and Events in Toronto
For
those that plan to stay in Toronto through the weekend after the 2005
Annual Meeting, below is information about a few events and activities
in the greater Toronto area.
Feel free to contact the State Capital Group at (202) 659-6601
if you have any questions or need additional information about the
2005 Annual Meeting in Toronto. For more information about Toronto,
visit www.torontotourism.com.
MUSEUMS, ATTRACTIONS
AND HISTORICAL SITES
Art
Gallery of Ontario Founded in
1900 by a group of private citizens as the Art Museum of Toronto,
the Art Gallery of Ontario is now the 10th largest art museum in North
America.
Bata
Shoe Museum Discover the treasures of North America's
unique shoe museum. Housing more than 10,000 shoes spanning over 4,500
years of history, the Museum celebrates the style and function of
footwear in four impressive galleries. Artifacts on exhibit range
from Chinese bound foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut
crushing clogs and Elton John's platforms.
Casa Loma
This stately castle has been dubbed "a rich man's folly." Built
in 1917 by Sir Henry Pellat (a financier and military officer), the
home was constructed for the exorbitant price of $3.5 million and
was a gift to his wife. Within ten years, it was valued at only $27,305.
It features beautiful, 17th century architecture, including Elizabethan
chimneys, Rhenish turrets, underground tunnels, and secret passageways.
CN
Tower Built as a TV transmission antenna, this tower
has come to be known as Toronto's symbol and is a huge draw for tourists.
At 1,815 feet, it's one of the tallest freestanding structures in
the world and currently serves 16 Canadian TV and FM radio stations.
Ontario
Legislature Referred to by many as Queen's Park, this
pink granite and sandstone building was built in the late 1800s as
a political forum for Ontario. Stroll the marble halls, take guided
tours, listen to the Legislative Chamber session, and view the display
of Canadian art and historical exhibits.
Royal Ontario Museum The Royal
Ontario Museum collects and exhibits the cultural and natural history
of Canada and the world. The collections and research are the basis
of the ROM's international reputation.
Toronto
City Hall Designed by Finland's Viljo Revell more than
thirty-five years ago, this remarkable, contemporary facility is comprised
of two separate half-circle towers that enclose a saucer-shaped structure
for the council chamber. The latter is a public area that can accommodate
300 people, is open only on council days, and allows citizens to watch
as local councillors formulate policies and by-laws.
Toronto
Zoo Thirty minutes from downtown Toronto, the zoo showcases
over 5,000 animals located in six geographic regional areas. There
are four major tropical indoor pavilions and several smaller indoor
viewing areas, plus numerous outdoor exhibits. Get involved with the
Toronto Zoo at your own pace on the camel ride, pony ride, zoomobile
or the safari simulator.
PERFORMING ARTS AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS
Live
Theatre - Toronto is the undisputed entertainment capital
of Canada – in large part due to the wealth of lavish Broadway-style
musicals, homegrown productions, traveling road shows and classical
concerts being staged at any given time. Below is a short list of
the live theatre productions taking place in Toronto the weekend of
the 2005 Annual Meeting:
Toronto
Symphony Orchestra - Roy Thomson Hall September 24,
2005 7:30 pm - Join musicians and dress informally for this 90-minute
concert performed without intermission and with commentary from the
stage. After the concert, there is an informal reception with live
music in the Roy Thomson Hall lobby.
Major League
Baseball
Toronto Blue Jays vs. Seattle Mariners
September 22, 2005 . 7:07 PM
TORONTO NEIGHBORHOODS:
Toronto is a city of cultures, enclaves
and pockets – this is reflected in a mosaic of distinctive neighbourhoods.
Some can be described as ethnic, while others reflect a particular
lifestyle, business or leisure activity. Below are a just a few of
Toronto's neighborhoods:
Chinatown
Although Toronto has four districts with large Chinese populations,
this is the heart of the city's Chinese culture. Streets are lined
with shops, apothecaries, and markets selling a large mix of traditional
Chinese goods. This is the place to pick up everything from produce
to porcelains at half the price of designer boutiques.
Kensington
Market The public market got its start in the early
1900s when the city's Russian, Polish, and Jewish immigrants settled
in the surrounding neighborhood. Today, the market is the place to
find all kinds of European treats. In warmer weather, sidewalks are
alive with activity. It's a jewel of the city's heritage.
Toronto
Islands Located opposite the downtown area, Toronto's
Islands are accessible only by ferry from the Bay Street Ferry Dock.
A natural haven dotted with beautiful gardens that are perfect for
recreation, the park spreads across 600 acres and no cars are allowed.
The
Beaches One of Toronto's most engaging, popular communities,
this charming neighborhood is known for lush parks, outdoor exhibits,
windsurfing, rollerblading, bicycling, unique shops, and restaurants.
The
Distillery District [Outdoor
Art Exhibition September 24-25] Founded in 1832 by Brother-in-law
William Gooderham and James Worts, the Gooderham and Worts Distillery
eventually became the largest distillery in the British Empire. Set
on 13 acres in downtown Toronto, the 40+ buildings constitute the
largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture
in North America.
DAY TRIPS & FESTIVALS
Niagara
Falls One of the world's great natural wonders,
this popular honeymoon site is located on the Canadian border about
20 miles north of Buffalo, New York. The falls are well over a mile
in length and send more than a half-million gallons of water per second
over the edge. Boats and helicopters provide folks a closer look at
the plunging curtain of water, but the elevator/tunnel journey behind
the falls makes for the most breathtaking views and allows you to
view the thundering current flowing overhead.
Shaw Festival/Niagara-on-the-Lake
Once the capital of Ontario, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a quaint township,
full of unique visitor experiences and stunning scenery. Set by the
Niagara River and Lake Ontario, it was home to a strong military presence
and a busy port. Niagara-on-the-Lake is also home to the Shaw Festival,
one of Canada's premier theatre festivals.
Stratford
Festival of Canada Stratford, Ontario is the home of
the largest classical repertory theatre in North America and is ultimately
attributable to the dream of one man, Stratford-born journalist Tom
Patterson. In the years since its first season the Stratford Festival
of Canada has set benchmarks for the production not only of Shakespeare,
Molière, the ancient Greeks and other great dramatists of the
past but also of such 20th-century masters as Samuel Beckett, Bertolt
Brecht, Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen, Eugene O'Neill and Tennessee
Williams.
