The tour starts at the Southwest end of the campus at the intersection of Spadina and Bancroft and ends at the Eastern end of the campus at the intersection of Queen’s Park and Wellesley.  A full map of the tour can be found here and a brochure detailing the event can be found here.  However, being a student of the university I have been inside many of these buildings before, so I’d like to take the time to offer a few comments on some of the twelve buildings that are going to be part of this tour.

University of Toronto Multifaith Centre – Stop #1

Located at Spadina and Bancroft, the Multifaith Centre is arguably one of the most important cultural buildings in the City of Toronto.  It is home to all of the different spiritual student groups and for that reason forms a sort of hub of faith-based student activity not just within the university, but really across the city.  The University of Toronto is home to over 80,000 students and for that reason forms the lion’s share of the post-secondary student population residing within the city.  It’s a real education chatting with many of these groups and you’ll get a chance to see firsthand just how richly diverse the religious community within the city actually is.

Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library – Stop #3

The Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library really doesn’t have anything to do with spirituality, but the tour has billed it as being a “temple to the book.”  While that’s perhaps overstating things a little bit, it is certainly true that the inside of the library does lend itself to that type of imagery.  With many of the rarest books in the world being housed within this area, getting a chance to see them firsthand could be considered a spiritual experience for anyone that is inclined to reading as a hobby.  This building is located at St. George and Harbord and is very hard to miss.

Hart House – Stop #9

Well, no tour of the University of Toronto would be complete without a stop at Hart House and luckily enough for the people going on this tour there happens to be a chapel right inside where people can pause for a moment before continuing the tour.  Hart House is one of the central hubs of the university and even on the weekend you can expect it to be bustling with activity.  The architecture of the building is spectacular as well and according to the University of Toronto public relations division, it is one of the most photographed buildings in the country.

These are just three of the twelve major stops on the walking tour of the university and truth be told you can probably check out many of the adjacent buildings as well.  The University of Toronto is one of the most spectacular campuses in the country in terms of its historical value and aesthetic beauty and for that reason a walking tour of the campus is always a fun thing to do.  When the added bonus of a tour from a cultural point of view is thrown into the mix however, the results are that much more pronounced.

Post from: The Toronto Traveler

Are you interested in visiting Toronto sometime in the near future?  Well, whether you’re planning to drive across the border from the US, hop into Pearson International Airport from another continent or simply take a bus or train ride into the city from elsewhere in Canada, the upcoming weekend of May 24th and 25th should be your top priority when doing the scheduling.  The reason for this is that a great event will be taking place during this time. 

Known as Doors Open Toronto, this event will showcase some of the best of the city as 150 buildings will open their doors to the public over the weekend.  These include places that show off Toronto’s distinct multicultural heritage and religious diversity as well as the historical heritage that the city has come to be proud of over the years of its existence.  Some of these buildings would not normally be open to tourists because of their private nature, but during Doors Open Toronto you can tour them to your heart’s content.

Event Details

Doors Open Toronto 2008 is the 9th incarnation of this event and it is going to be the biggest one yet.  Admission to all of the buildings participating under Doors Open Toronto is completely free during the May 24-25 weekend.  To get an idea of how remarkable that is, every single building on the list is either a building that would not normally be open to the public during those hours or alternatively would charge an entrance fee for you to enter.  However, during the weekend that Doors Open Toronto is going on, admission is free and accessibility is universal.

More information about the event can be found by visiting the Doors Open Toronto Website, by e-mailing doorsopen@toronto.ca or by phoning 416-338-0628.

Buildings on Display

A full list of buildings on display is readily available from the Toronto City Website, but in looking over it I’ve come up with some highlights that I think warrant special attention:

Allan Gardens, located on 19 Horticultural Avenue, is one of the premier botanical garden sites in Toronto.  It was created in an act of philanthropy more than fifteen decades ago and ever since that time it has been a must see site within the City of Toronto.  During Doors Open Toronto, it will be open on both days from 10 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon.

The City of Toronto Archives is a site that doesn’t get mentioned much in traditional tourism, mostly because access to the archives is restricted by the city’s governing council.  However, all of the information that you could ever want to know about Toronto’s rich cultural and historical tradition can be found inside the archives and for people that love to totally immerse themselves in a city both past and present, the accessibility to the archives during Doors Open Toronto is an opportunity that can’t be missed.  The archives will be open on Saturday from 10 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon and will be closed on Sunday.  It is located on 255 Spadina Road.

There’s no specific reason for me to mention these two out of the 150 that will be available aside from the fact that I haven’t covered either before on The Toronto Traveler.  The fact of the matter is that every single site on the list is an important one for understanding Toronto, so you can quite easily scan the list and pick out the buildings that interest you the most.

Photo Credit: Flickr, Flickr

Post from: The Toronto Traveler

Today, we offer you a look at Halloween as it is going to be celebrated in one of the most historic areas of the city of Toronto; Mackenzie House.  Mackenzie House was the home of the first mayor of Toronto as well as the head of the upper Canada rebellion of centuries past.  William Lyon Mackenzie was the man’s name and his place within Canadian history has been secure for centuries.

Now, Mackenzie House has expanded into the Halloween market, offering a tour of downtown Toronto during the night hours of 6:30 and 7:00 both on the upcoming saturday and sunday.  The tour ends at the Mackenzie House, when mulled cider will be served to all of the guests and ghost stories will be told regarding some of Toronto’s most historic sights.  There is a rumour that a ghost story involving William Lyon Mackenzie himself might be told as well, but you’ll just have to show up during one of the events if you want to find that one out for sure!

This tour, known as Spirit Walk, requires that you pre-pay and pre-register.  Prices are $5 for children and $10 for adults, with more information available at request by calling 416-392-6915

Post from: The Toronto Traveler

In fact, I’ll probably come back to them many times when I talk about different events, because The Toronto Zoo is really where it’s at.

But more on that later!  For now, I am going to introduce you to the event known as Boo at the Zoo.  This is an event that is held on a regular basis at The Toronto Zoo.  In the October weekends leading up the Halloween, children and their parents can have a great time at the many Halloween Zoo attractions such as the crafts centre, the scary zoo exhibit and much much more.

What’s even better is that this upcoming weekend on both Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 4PM, children aged 12 and under get in free!

For more information, visit the Toronto Zoo’s official website at http://www.torontozoo.com/

Post from: The Toronto Traveler

All Hallows Eve is the name of the event and it is taking place at the world famous Black Creek Pioneer Village. The price of admission is a puny $25; an amount that you can get knocked down to $20 simply by registering a bit early so that you aren’t paying right at the door to the event.

From October 20th to October 27th, there will be tours of the Black Creek Pioneer Village. As you walk through some of the old and drafty buildings located within the village, you are going to be treated to stories and legends about the spirits that are supposed to inhabit those buildings.  Some of the stories can be quite scary, so if you have young children that are easily excitable, then you might want to think twice before bringing them to this event.  In addition to the tours, you can attend fire dances, a village ghost walk and even Ouija board ceremonies.

Then, on October 27th, there will even be a gigantic banquet that people can attend in honour of the coming Halloween day.  The feast promises to be absolutely delicious and well worth the price you pay for it.  Seating starts at 5:30 PM on the 27th for the banquet, so if you plan to attend the banquet, keep that in mind.

More information about all parts of the event can be found at http://www.blackcreek.ca/allhallowseve

Post from: The Toronto Traveler