What's New and Happening in Toronto

Spring 2010

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The spring season is blooming and so are many new attractions in Toronto.  Keep your feet dry during the winter season transformation at Toronto’s indoor attractions and take advantage of the first warm day of spring breezes and sunshine with attractions at Harbourfront.  Whether hiking through Toronto’s best scenic trails or shopping districts, Toronto is the perfect place to welcome warmer weather.  This season will see even greater enhancements to the city's already superior festivals and events. Dramatic renovations and fresh venue spaces provide the perfect backdrop for thrilling activities and inspiring exhibits that invite all to continue their love affair with Toronto.

Toronto springs into the season with rockin’ shows at Mirvish, Rock of Ages, and exotic animals too at Tundra Trek at the Toronto Zoo.   There’s even a splash of excitement that may be coming to Toronto!  So, read on and find out the updates on the latest news in Toronto or visit www.SeeTorontoNow.com.  Don’t forget to request a copy of Tourism Toronto’s newly released Toronto Magazine 2010 featuring compelling editorial, rich photography and thoughtful perspectives on Toronto.

ATTRACTIONS

A new 150,000-square foot aquarium could be coming to the foot of the CN Tower: Canada Lands Company is partnering with Ripley’s Entertainment to build a 150,000-square-foot facility.  If approved, the aquarium is going to be a major new tourist attraction to come. Along with the aquarium is a planned 47,000-square-foot retail and restaurant complex, a destination hot-spot for Torontonians and tourists.

At the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) now until April 2010 is Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs, an extensive exhibition featuring 130 pieces from Tut's tomb and other ancient sites including a 10-foot statue of Tut found at the remains of a funerary temple and the first three-dimensional CT scans of the king's mummy, captured by an Egyptian research and conservation project. Other artifacts include jewelry, furniture and weapons, as well as Tut's golden sandals-- which were created specifically for the afterlife and still covered his feet when his mummified remains were discovered in 1922. www.ago.net

Leading art collector and philanthropist Dr. Ydessa Hendeles is donating an extraordinary collection of 32 Canadian and international contemporary artworks to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), representing the most significant single gift of contemporary art in the AGO’s 110-year history. www.ago.net

Look, Listen, Touch and Learn at Niagara Fall’s Bird Kingdom’s newly expanded Reptile Encounter Zone. Marvel at the historic area photos from a by-gone era in the new “Niagara Room.”  Check out the amazing birds, reptiles and more on opening day, March 1st, 2010. www.birdkingdom.ca

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd. (MLSE) had announced plans to increase public access to BMO Field year-round by installing grass.  MLSE will spend $3.5 million dollars to replace the field turf at BMO field with a natural grass field.  The conversion of BMO Field into a natural grass field will have tremendous benefits for the community and the city of developing soccer at an amateur, national, and professional level.  It will also help to attract high-profile soccer teams to BMO Field and will in turn create a positive economic impact for our city.  The installation of natural grass at BMO Field will be completed this spring in time for the start of the Major League Soccer 2010 regular season. www.bmofield.com

Maple Leaf Square is Toronto’s $500 million unprecedented sports and entertainment complex located adjacent to Air Canada Centre.  Two glass towers soaring 54 stories high will contain 872 superbly designed residential condominiums with over 35,000 square feet of residential amenities including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, fitness facilities, recreational rooms, and a state-of-the-art home theatre and business centre.  Featured inside the podium will be the largest, most sophisticated sports bar in Canada – Real Sports Bar & Grill.  The retail facility will also have a variety of dining and fashion facilities, as well as a 48,000 square-foot Longo’s grocery store.  The complex also includes day care facilities, Leafs, Marlies and Raptors gift shops, and the Le Germain boutique hotel.  Maple Leaf Square will provide direct indoor access to Air Canada Centre and Union Station, making it Toronto’s most exciting residential development and sought after location. www.mapleleafsquare.com

Toronto's most unique and classic charter boat has had a face lift! The New Beginnings has operated on Toronto's waterfront for decades. This vessel is ideal for small groups of up to 23. Available for charter, this beautiful teak and mahogany power yacht is perfect for birthday parties, weddings, corporate events or simply a cold drink out on the water! The "New Bee" has undergone major restoration in 2009/10 to restore its shine, brilliance and comfort. Available for hourly or daily charter, May- October. www.harbourtourstoronto.ca

The Fort York National Historic Site is adding to its history: A 22,000 square-foot Visitor Centre is under development at the revitalization of the natural historic site.  The $18 million Visitor Centre is scheduled to be complete in 2012.  Located outside the walls of the existing museum, but within the 43-acre National Historic Site, the Visitor Centre will reframe Fort York to include not only the seven-acre museum within the Fort’s walls, but also the archaeological landscape/former Lake Ontario shoreline to the south, the Garrison Common/battlefield, the Strachan Avenue cemetery, Fort York Armoury, Garrison Creek parkland to the east, and Victoria Memorial Square. www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/fort-york-history.htm

This spring, Harry Potter fans will have the chance to step inside the famous wizard’s magical world when Harry Potter: The Exhibition opens at the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto on April 9, 2010, its first venue outside the United States. The 14,000 square-foot exhibition offers fans a firsthand view of authentic artefacts displayed in detailed settings inspired by the film sets, including the Great Hall, Hagrid's hut, the Gryffindor common room, and more. The exhibition will also include costumes and props from the upcoming instalments of the Harry Potter film series, once production of these films has been completed. www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca

Also at the Ontario Science Centre February 10-March 2, 2010 is Northern Lights: African-Canadian Stories.  Experience Black History Month at a unique exhibition honouring the past and celebrating the present.  The exhibit will feature a special collection of photographs and artefacts celebrating more than 10 generations of African-Canadian Heritage in Toronto.  www.OntarioScienceCentre.ca

Spadina Museum: Historic House & Gardens is currently undergoing an extensive restoration to reflect the inter-war period with a primary focus on the 1920s. Over a half a million dollars has already been committed to the project and once complete Spadina Museum will be the only Toronto museum dedicated to interpreting this exciting time period.  The restoration will bring a return of the Jazz Age – along with flappers, the Charleston, bobbed hair and rum rows! Site interpreters will explore the fascinating time that saw F. Scott Fitzgerald publish The Great Gatsby, Art Nouveau emerge as the new art, and the women’s suffrage movement become a Canadian success. The museum is currently closed to the public and will re-open its doors in the Fall of 2010.  www.toronto.ca/spadinamuseum

The award-winning Tundra Trek, an awesome Arctic experience, home to polar bears, Arctic wolves, Arctic foxes, snowy owls, reindeer and lesser snow geese, is now open at the Toronto Zoo. Special features are the spacious new polar bear exhibit; the Wolf Bridge; the Goose Camp, depicting the contributions of native Canadians; the new Caribou Restaurant; Plexiglas Arctic fox burrows that kids can clamber through; a whale skeleton; bush  plane; and state-of-the-art audio components that deliver realistic animal sounds. Tundra Trek conveys the impact of climate change and global warming. Construction on this new exhibit, valued at $13.5 million, began in August of 2007 and completed in August 2009. www.torontozoo.com

Re-opening February 27, 2010, the Royal Ontario Museum’s (ROM) Bat Cave is bigger, better and scarier than ever!  A perennial family favourite, the Bat Cave is a walk-through sensory experience based on the famous St. Clair Cave in Jamaica.  Totally re-imaged, the highly anticipated re-opening of the Bat Cave features more bats and creepy crawlies, along with new hands-on displays and state-of-the-art technology to bring these cool and mysterious creatures to life. Visitors learn all about how bats navigate in the dark, their influence in human culture, their benefits to the environment, and much more, in an immersive, interactive environment. www.rom.on.ca

In celebration of Black History Month, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) proudly presents Stitching Community: African Canadian Quilts from Southern Ontario, an exhibition that uses quilts made from 1848 to 1976 to explore the role of African Canadian women in reinforcing community ties in new and unfamiliar settings. The exhibition runs from January 30 to September 6, 2010, in the Wilson Canadian Heritage Exhibition Room of the Sigmund Samuel Gallery of Canada, and addresses the notion of developing social and familial ties through quilts while mainly focusing on the African Canadian community in North Buxton - a community whose foundation owes much to the freed slaves who settled in Canada, 'the land of freedom.' The exhibition comprises artifacts loaned from the Buxton Museum and items from the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS), including quilts, photographs, tools of the trade, and a variety of black cloth dolls. www.rom.on.ca

The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) has announced the first national tour of The Warrior Emperor and China's Terracotta Army commencing in June 2010.  The exhibition showcases one of the most significant archaeological finds in history: the 1974 discovery, in China’s northern Shaanxi province, of thousands of life-sized terracotta sculptures of Chinese warriors. These extraordinary figures, along with countless treasures yet to be uncovered in the elaborate underground tomb complex of China’s First Emperor, were created during the Qin Dynasty, 2,200 years ago.  The Warrior Emperor and China’s Terracotta Army will feature 120 sets of loan objects, encompassing over 250 artifacts, dated to the first millennium BC. Among them are impressive 18 life-sized terracotta sculptures, comprising 16 human figures and 2 horses. These figures depict a wide range of military and civic personnel. www.rom.on.ca

STAY

The Cambridge Suites Hotel, Toronto, recently completed a $4 million renovation; including a fresh and contemporary redesign of its 229 spacious suites.  The million dollar facelift in Portico restaurant has been enhanced with the introduction of a new seasonal menu, featuring upscale casual fare, and traditional favourites that celebrate regional food and wine. www.cambridgesuitestoronto.com

Anticipate more comfort, quality, and accommodations with the new and improved Delta Chelsea Hotel.  Undergoing a $6.5 million renovation in Spring 2010, the hotel will carry out a full renovation of 271Delta rooms, hotel corridors, lobby furniture, and the Market Garden restaurant. In addition, all deluxe accommodations will now be equipped with a minimum 32” flat panel television. www.deltachelsea.com

When the new luxury boutique hotel, Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, perched within the Square, opens its doors in August 2010 discerning sports fans alike will appreciate the modern décor and high-tech amenities each room features – perfect for the big game. If you’re looking for a more social environment to share the “oooohs and awws” when the game gets down to the nitty gritty, you can take advantage of the sports bar and restaurant below where shout outs to the building’s history will be the main design theme (also evident in the hotel’s décor scheme as well, but with a lighter touch). www.germaintoronto.com

Owned and operated by the Aitken-Gundy family, The Ivy at Verity is inspired by the new small boutique hotels in Europe. Each of The Ivy's four rooms has a large balcony overlooking the private club’s courtyard. With stylish comfort and decor, the rooms at The Ivy are designed to create a vital synergy of 19th century charm combined with contemporary chic. The Ivy at Verity is part of Verity, a private women’s club and the fastest growing club in Toronto. Use of Verity’s extensive facilities including the award winning George Restaurant, a women's spa, an indoor pool, a women's fitness facility, as well as many meeting rooms and lounges are extended to guests of The Ivy.  The Ivy at Verity guests also enjoy exclusive access to the hotel's exquisite private bar and lounge area. www.theivyatverity.ca

The newly built, $36 million Radisson Plaza Mississauga Toronto Airport has been awarded the prestigious “Plaza” designation; the first Canadian Radisson Hotel in over 16 years.  The 100-room, all-suite, grand Victorian- inspired design opened its doors to guests in September 2009 and is proud to announce its success since.  Located just minutes from Toronto Pearson Airport, the Radisson offers a luxurious and relaxing stay while providing guests with the up-most important amenities at their finger tips.  With all its amenities, the Radisson undeniably impresses its guests with extraordinary conference facilities which include: Top Glass Room and 3,500 square foot Terrace Garden, a multi-tiered theatre/presentation room, and the Grand Victorian Ballroom, which boasts 26 foot-high ceilings, large windows, a balcony/lounge, and a $1 million lighting system including twenty-four 800 lb. crystal chandeliers in Bohemian Crystal. www.radisson.com/torontoca_mississaugaair

The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto is located in the heart and soul of downtown, where the city's performing arts, sports, entertainment and financial districts all call "home." The Ritz-Carlton, Toronto will be a striking 53 storey architectural icon with its internationally inspired design and will change the face of the city. Opening in Summer 2010, the Ritz-Carlton is destined to become one of Toronto's signature buildings with the largest luxury ballroom at 7,400 square feet, accommodating up to 600 guests, elegant junior ballroom of 3,000 square feet, spacious pre-function space with dramatic floor to ceiling windows overlooking Metro Hall Park and Roy Thomson Hall,  two individual meeting rooms including one executive boardroom and one meeting room with floor to ceiling windows overlooking Wellington Street West and Metro Hall Park.  www.ritzcarlton.com

An exciting new addition to Toronto’s increasing number of skyscrapers is the Trump International Hotel and Tower. Upon completion in 2011, the building will include 260 luxury hotel rooms, 109 condominiums and the top two floors will feature an 18,000-square-foot (1,700 m²) spa. When completed, the Trump Tower will be the tallest residential building in Canada. The mixed-use skyscraper is located in the heart of Toronto’s financial district. www.trumptoronto.ca

The Strathcona Hotel has been carefully designed by a French decorator with guests’ ultimate comfort in mind. Elegantly appointed, charming deluxe guestrooms offer a new bedding package, California shutters, cleanliness of wooden floors, eco-friendly supplies and are 100 percent smoke free. The Strathcona offers a superb location with easy access from/to airports and across from Union Station.  Conveniently situated in the heart of downtown, steps to the shopping district, world-class entertainment venues, sports & financial districts and city's must-see attractions.  www.thestrathconahotel.com

The Westin Prince, Toronto has recently completed $1.5 million upgrades and renewals to the hotel. The refreshing new look was designed by Harry Christakis from HCA Architecture, incorporating an invigorated, sleek, modern look.  The lobby enhancement includes the addition of a stunning gas fireplace into the lobby as well as a tranquil water wall.  The hotel has revitalized the Westin workout facilities, adding new state-of-the-art fitness equipment. The hotel has also added improved signage on the hotel’s exterior as well as incorporating WI-FI connections throughout the hotel in all guest rooms, meeting space, and public space. In addition, the hotel has five new modern board rooms perfect for small meetings of up to 17 people. The new meeting space features state-of-the-art multi-media capabilities and natural lighting throughout.  The Westin Prince is situated on 15 acres of parkland in the northeast corner of Toronto, 20 minutes from both downtown and Pearson International Airport. www.westin.com/prince

WATCH and LISTEN

The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts stands at the pinnacle of the world’s venues for great opera and dance – and now, for the world’s finest musical theatre as well. In August 2010, the most operatic of mid-20th century musicals, South Pacific, will fill the Four Seasons Centre with its iconic, beautifully crafted songs and spectacular sets. The winner of eight Tony awards, this rich production of South Pacific will be an enchantment on a stage built to showcase the human voice. www.coc.ca

The Canadian premiere of Broadway’s rockin’ goodtime musical ROCK OF AGES will feature some of the country’s hottest musical theatre talent when it begins performances at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on April 20, 2010. After many months of auditions across Canada and in major centres in the U.S., lead producers Matthew Weaver and Carl Levin and director Kristin Hanggi have cast six of the musical’s lead roles with performers who have made their marks on stages in Toronto, New York, and other cities. www.mirvish.com

ENTERTAINMENT VENUES and SPACES

Air Canada Centre, one of North America’s premier sports and entertainment venues, spent over $48 million in 2008 and 2009 following a two-year revitalization project.  Air Canada Centre has been expanded to include a new major entrance, new retail areas and additional concession stands.  Upgrades inside include a full replacement of the current signage panels to digital signage, an upgrade of all food, beverage and retail concessions and further investments in the security program throughout the venue, as well as an expanded and renovated Ice Box Bar on the 300-level concourse. As part of the expansion a covered glass bridge will connect Air Canada Centre to Maple Leaf Square, a sports entertainment and residential development presently under construction.  www.theaircanadacentre.com

Allstream Centre is Toronto’s newest Conference Centre, offering meeting planners an environmentally friendly meeting venue for groups of 50 - 2000 delegates.  The first LEED Silver (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) conference centre in Canada, Allstream Centre is conveniently located on the shores of Lake Ontario at Exhibition Place.   Formerly the Automotive Building, an extensive renovation has transformed the 1920's Art Deco building into a purpose-built conference centre with 20 meeting rooms, and the largest divisible, column-free, ballroom in Toronto (43,900sf).  Operating under the Exhibition Place GREENSmart Program, Allstream Centre offers linen free meeting rooms, 100% green energy, natural light, local and organic foods, sophisticated HVAC system, 4-stream recycling program, Wifi capability and independently controlled room temperature in each room. www.allstreamcentre.com

The Pearson Convention Centre is one of Toronto's most established and sumptuous venues for successful corporate events or fashionable social affairs.  Located 10 km from Pearson International Airport, the 60,000 square-foot Pearson Convention Centre is equipped with the latest in high-tech facilities and telecommunications services, in a setting rich with a timeless elegance of design, exquisite amenities and good old-fashioned comfort. The Centre can provide business facilities for groups of ten to 2000 guests. Pearson Convention Centre plans to extend its services with a state-of-the-art hotel in the near future. www.pearsonconvention.com

Porter Airlines has invested over $45 million in a new 150,000 square-foot passenger terminal at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, laying the foundation for significant growth as the carrier continues adding flights, creating jobs and contributing to economic growth.   Phase one of the terminal opens February 2010, and includes passenger facilities, aircraft gates and office space. Standard complimentary Porter amenities, including business centers, lounge-style seating, beverages and Wi-Fi will be enhanced in the new building.  The full facility, including 10 bridged aircraft gates, and two passenger lounges will be complete by late 2010. Services such as retail, food services, duty-free, and car rental are being considered. www.flyporter.com 

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has found a new place to call ‘home.’  Currently under construction, TIFF Bell Lightbox, a breathtaking five-story complex located in downtown Toronto, will provide a permanent home for film lovers to celebrate cinema from around the world and will propel TIFF forward as an international leader in film culture. Designed by innovative architecture firm KPMB, TIFF Bell Lightbox’s fluid structure encourages exploration, movement, and play. www.belllightbox.ca

WINE, DINE and DANCE

The 1850 centre of the Underground Railroad, the famous St. Lawrence Hall and four other heritage buildings in the Old Town area have been lit with new LED lighting at a cost of over $200,000.  New exterior lighting on St. Lawrence Market and buildings facing Berczy Park provide a wonderful ambience for restaurant patrons walking to the theatres and the Air Canada Centre nearby. www.stlawrencemarket.com

The BerBer Lounge recalls a magical time when the Berbers of North Africa bestowed exquisite gifts of urban living on medieval Europe.  The artisanal hand made luxuries, the smell of rose water, and the mystical sights and sounds take you away to a place of sheer delight.  The success of The Sultan’s Tent & Café Moroc allowed the journey to continue with this $1.5 million creation.  The space has been made to allow for a very intimate meeting or for an elaborate banquet or celebration with its multi positional seating arrangements.  Its versatility continues with its very new and unique hands-on cooking classes presented by its very own Moroccan chef.  This is truly a functional and sophisticated work of art created from the heart that will undoubtedly touch the hearts of all those who visit. www.berberlounge.ca 

Along with a revamped New Orleans inspired menu Big Daddy’s has just completed a half million dollar renovation! The extensive renovations include a new dining room that has the Bourbon Street look and feel including a courtyard-style water fountain and semi-private booths. The private dining Plantation room can accommodate up to 60 guests for a comfortable sit-down dinner complete with fireplace. For a more informal cocktail party, up to 30 guests can socialize and relax by the fireplace in the new Jazz Terrace room. The Voodoo Lounge has been extended to embrace 90 guests. To complete the transformation, Big Daddy’s will now be known as Big Daddy’s Bourbon Street Bistro & Oyster Bar! www.bigdaddys.ca

Located adjacent from The Fifth Social Club, Cabin 5 has become one of Toronto’s newest hot-spots with its instant success upon its launch in September 2009.  With part Aspen chic and part settler’s cabin decor, Cabin 5 promotes a feeling of welcome and good times.  Furnished with pine antiques, an old harvest wagon, Hudson Bay blankets and two fireplaces, the room offers a separate entrance, coat check, and washroom facilities. Cabin 5 has proven to be great for an evening out or to host a fun-filled party or event.  www.thefifth.com

The Fifth Grill and Terrace has expanded its outdoor accommodations! With a fully winterized patio complete with new decor, The Fifth Grill and Terrace continues to live up to its reputation of ‘the best patio’ in town.  Join in celebrating 13 years of success and continuous reinvention. www.thefifthgrill.com 

Now open, Ciao Wine Bar offers a truly authentic Italian experience in a contemporary yet soulful environment in the heart of Toronto’s Yorkville District. This new Italian eatery and wine bar, created by the Liberty Entertainment Group, offers traditional Italian fare in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Ciao is open for lunch and dinner Monday – Sunday.

Grace O’Malley’s has made $20,000 renovations in an effort to provide first-class service to its customers.  With the newly renovated washrooms and a vastly improved sound system for concert quality, live performances by local bands have never sounded better! www.gracies.ca/toronto

Located directly across the street from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, The Loose Moose Tap & Grill is one of Toronto’s most recognizable bars with a two decade-long legacy. Recently, the beloved restaurant has undergone significant changes in the kitchen, starting with a new chef, Cary Bynoe. Bynoe leads the culinary team at The Loose Moose and is responsible for an entirely new menu.  With seating for more than 400 guests on two levels, The Loose Moose is the place to meet and make new friends, listen to live music, or watch NFL games and UFC. A rock-n-roll good time is assured thanks to the bar’s glass-encased motorcycle and a play list of contemporary and classic rock. With its close proximity to the Air Canada Centre and Rogers Centre, The Loose Moose is the ideal spot to enjoy a burger and a pint before or after the game or concert. Walking distance from the Bay Street financial district, it is also a popular meeting place for lunch or after-work drinks. www.theloosemoose.com

GET YOUR MOVE ON

The City of Toronto has recognized the Bike Train Initiative and Transportation Options with two Bicycle friendly Business Awards. The Bike Train was awarded the Best Small Business of Organization Award and the Best Overall award for its work in promoting cycle tourism and cycling destinations across Ontario. www.biketrain.ca

Rediscover Toronto with a complimentary walking tour in celebration of International Tourist Guide Day.  On Sunday, March 21, 2010, the Canadian Tour Guide Association is leading walking tours through some of Toronto’s most remarkable sites between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Leaving from Nathan Philips Square, tour groups will leave every 15 minutes and will last approximately one hour. Come and learn about the unique history, architecture and stories of Toronto for free! www.ctgaoftoronto.org

The Martin Goodman Trail gets a breath of fresh air as the 56-kilometre-long waterfront recreation trail sees the addition of new wave decks. The Martin Goodman Trail traverses a multitude of environments, all highly developed. Its western end starts just west of the Humber River at the Palace Pier condominium complex. Undulating ribbons of wood designed to resemble the water’s own waves, these architectural wonders are worth the walk. www.waterfronttrail.org/trail-p-toronto.html

Intrepid Urban Adventures has arrived in Toronto! Tour Guys has partnered with Intrepid Travel to be the exclusive provider of their Toronto Urban Adventures - unique walking tours and city experiences that range in duration from 2 hours to a full day. Toronto is now part of a rapidly expanding global network of cities that offer Urban Adventures to travellers and locals who want to get off the beaten track. Check out popular tours such as "Beer Makes History Better" and "Multicultural Kensington Market & Chinatown" at www.tourguys.ca

SHOPPING and SERVICES

This spring, Air Canada will offer new daily service between Toronto and seven more American cities including: Orange County (Santa Ana) and San Diego, California; Portland, Oregon; Memphis, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio; Portland, Maine; and Syracuse, New York. Flights will be non-stop and conveniently timed for connections with flights on Air Canada's extensive domestic and international network. Customers can earn and redeem Aeroplan miles on each route. Air Canada is also adding new international destinations from Toronto this summer. The airline has announced it will begin flying to Athens (new non-stop summer service with three flights a week starting June 3, 2010 until October 18, 2010); Barcelona (new non-stop summer service starting June 3, 2010 until October 18, 2010); and Copenhagen (new daily non-stop service starting June 24, 2010).  www.aircanada.com

Dixie Outlet Mall welcomed a new member, Laura Outlet, in Winter 2009 to its broad variety of shopping options.  The Laura Outlet offers sizes to fit all, including Laura plus, petite and regular.  All merchandise is marked down at discounted prices for smarter shopping.  The store is located in the Silver Zone near Sport Chek. www.dixieoutletmall.com

In 2007, Rosedale Livery began taking steps to minimize its environmental impact by enrolling in the Green Ride Global environmental sustainability program. The latest demonstration of Rosedale Livery’s commitment to environmental leadership is the purchase of Hybrid L Livery Sedans for its fleet. The Hybrid L Executive Sedan averages 5.74L / 100City / 6.52L / 100 Highway and produces 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than the Lincoln L Sedan.  It was designed to help meet the environmental challenges today while continuing to ensure a comfortable and luxurious transportation experience.  Rosedale Livery is the first limousine company in Canada, and one of the first in North America, to put these vehicles into service in December 2009. www.rosedalelivery.com

Introducing the Toronto Indoor Golf Academy at the eZone, boasting five state-of-the-art “About Golf Simulators” featuring over 30 courses from around the world, including the famous Pebble Beach.  Improve your golf game exponentially with immediate feedback in the following areas: swing speed, swing path, club face angle, ball speed, launch angle and other vital information.  Relax in their fully licensed golf lounge and enjoy the comforts of a club-like atmosphere while you improve your game.  In addition to our simulators, the Toronto Indoor Golf Academy includes:  a driving range, a putting green, individual and corporate-memberships, and-on-site-golf-pros.  www.teetimesindoorgolf.com

The Toronto Transit Commission released the beta version of its online trip planner, a system that lets commuters plan their journeys.  The site will calculate how much time a trip will take and suggest the quickest way to get there – functioning just like a GPS without the robot voice. Designed for premium accessibility and tested by volunteers and members of the Advisory Committee on Accessible Transportation, the site also lets users choose which mode of transit they want to take – just a streetcar, perhaps, or a combination of subway, bus and tram. It shares which stations have accessible bus stops, which subway stations have elevators and which routes have bike racks featured on their buses.  www.ttc.ca

EVENTS and FESTIVALS

This year Toronto’s Canada Blooms (March 17-21, 2010) theme is “Passions” and honours the energy, innovation and passion for excellence of Canada’s landscape and floral industry. Explore over 20 new display gardens presented by premier landscape designers and architects and admire the creativity of Canada’s leading professional and amateur floral designers. In 2010, visitors can browse the newest gardening products from more than 250 vendors in Marketplace which this year includes the new Garden Travel Section featuring countries that include Ireland, Spain, Czech Republic and many Caribbean Destination as well as the Living Green Section and Plant Market. www.canadablooms.com

This spring, corporate fun in Toronto is going green. On Earth Day (April 22nd), Conundrum Adventures will celebrate Toronto’s status as one of the greenest cities in North America by launching a brand new green-themed adventure. A leading provider of experiential urban team building programs since 2002, Conundrum has designed its new Green Adventure as an environmentally-friendly urban hunt aimed at raising awareness of the venues, initiatives, and progressive ideas that are making the city a greener place in which to work and live. Teams will compete on foot to solve a series of engaging, amusing, and informative green-themed puzzles and challenges located throughout the city’s downtown core. As one of Conundrum’s seasonal programs, the Green Adventure will be offered to clients each year from April to the end of October. www.conundrumadventures.com

Flash Forward is an annual competition that showcases the future of photography and is considered to be one of the most important emerging art incubators in the world. In October 2010 the program will be transformed into the Flash Forward Festival, a five day, bi-annual event that will launch in Canada and tour to the United Kingdom and the United States. Flash Forward is a highly focused, highly curated, experience-oriented, action-filled five day festival that includes five major exhibitions, public art installations, curator-led talks, studio tours, an Art Fair, VIP experiences, highly attended public events and art openings. The festival will launch in 2010 in Toronto’s Liberty Village and will be highly concentrated within the neighbourhood and encourage community participation. www.flashforwardfestival.com

Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival returns to Toronto April 29 – May 9, 2010. Featuring over 170 films from around the world screened at various cinemas throughout the city over 11 days, Hot Docs is North America's largest documentary film festival. New this year, Hot Docs will honour celebrated filmmakers Kim Longinotto with its Outstanding Achievement Award and Retrospective and Tahani Rached with its Focus On Retrospective. Also new this year, Hot Docs will explore the works of South America with its Made In program and look back on the past decade of explosive growth in documentary film with Ripping Reality. www.hotdocs.ca

Mysteriously Yours is excited to announce a brand new mystery this March: Dr. Jekyll, There’s Nowhere to Hyde! This comic version of the classic tale opens March 5, 2010 and will be performed every Friday and Saturday evening throughout the spring and summer months. Enjoy a fabulous 3-course gourmet meal before the mystery, and then get involved in the interactive murder mystery.  www.MysteriouslyYours.com

Celebrate Victoria Day weekend (May 22- 24, 2010) at Ontario Place with its annual fireworks on the waterfront.  Ontario Place opens for the season with children’s entertainment and fireworks on May 23, 2010.  See the skies light up over Toronto with the spectacular Festival of Fire at Ontario Place on July 1, 3 and 10. The Festival of Fire is back with world-class fireworks choreographed to the world’s finest music over 3 nights. Additional entertainment surrounds each day, with entertainers performing throughout the park leading up to the fireworks. The shows start at 10:30pm, each night. Dates are subject to change. www.ontarioplace.com

The only film festival for young people in Toronto, Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children is a must-attend cultural event for families and schools. For over a decade, Sprockets has offered children and youth a rare opportunity to see what kids in other parts of the world are lining up to see.  Taking place April 17 - 23, 2010, Sprockets is an enriching experience that is much more than just a day at the movies. It offers free on-site film-craft activities such as special effects makeup and Foley - the craft of movie sound effects, as well as post-screening discussions with filmmakers and special guests to further explore the film's themes, storytelling techniques, and more.  This year's festival offers a glimpse of future family programs that will be offered at the new home for Sprockets. Sprockets 2010 lineup will be announced on March 9th, 2010. www.Sprockets.ca


ABOUT TOURISM TORONTO
Tourism Toronto, Toronto’s Convention and Visitors Association, is an industry association of more than 1,200 members established to sell and market the Greater Toronto Region as a remarkable destination for tourists around the globe. www.SeeTorontoNow.com