Doors Open!
This weekend was Doors Open Toronto. There were 150 buildings of architectural, historic, cultural and social significance that opened their doors to the public for a city-wide celebration. This was our first time going downtown for this event. We had a few places we wanted to see, you really have to plan your route to see the most, we'll be better prepared next year. We started our day driving to Yorkdale Subway station. For $8.50 we bought a Family Day Pass, which gave us unlimited use for our family for the day.
We started from St. George Subway station around 11:00 in the morning and ended up getting back on the subway to head home at Union Station around 6:00 in the evening. Here is a map of our day.
Our first glimpse of the new ROM Michael Lee-Chin Crystal. Looking east along Bloor St.
We could look at the Crystal and see our reflections.
And above us on our side of the street was a window washer.
The Crystal looking west along Bloor St.
Our first Doors Open stop was The Church of the Redeemer located at the north-east corner of Avenue Rd. and Bloor St., probably walked by it over a hundred times, but never been inside.
The church was built in 1879.
The next stop was the Japan Foundation Toronto. From their website "The Japan Foundation aspires to the role of catalyst for international exchange throughout the world, presenting valuable and appealing aspects of Japanese culture to other countries and promoting mutual understanding with peoples around the world."
The exhibition that is currently on is Painting for Joy: New Paintings in the 1990s. It is on until July 31, 2007.
From there it was on to Lower Bay, this is the subway station below the Bay Subway station. It was built in 1966, but only used for a few months before they closed it and now use it to move trains around and for movies and commercials. When we got down there the line-up was huge so we didn't wait. Yeah, it probably looks like any other subway stop, but it's one of those places that you wouldn't see otherwise. Maybe next year. Instead we went to The Toy Shop on Cumberland.
Our first trip on the TTC was the subway, next up was the No.6 bus down Bay St.
We got on the bus at the corner of Bay and Bloor.
Our next stop was the World's Biggest Bookstore on Edward St.
We had lunch at the food court in the Atrium on Bay. Then it was back on the No.6 bus down Bay street to King St. We were headed to the Toronto Dominion Centre. As part of Doors Open we were able to tour the 54th floor.
Waiting in line, we got there at 2:30pm and they stopped the line shortly after, so we were one of the last groups of the day. Here we are waiting in line.
Looking west.
Looking north, if you look hard enough you can see The Church of the Redeemer (just to the right of the centre) steeple.
Next door is the BMO First Canadian Place building that was in the news recently for the falling white marble tile.
Looking down to where the tile fell.
Looking at the Sharp Centre for Design at the Ontario College of Art & Design.
Gillian looking somewhat thrilled.
Angela and Claudia checking out the view.
One of the pieces of art in the 54th floor reception area.
Listening to some history of the building and the design.
Sitting at the table in the board room. This was five pieces brought up by crane on the outside of the building and brought through the windows.
The full table.
The south-east view.
Looking towards the St. Lawrence Market.
A disappearing view, construction has started on the 50 Floor Bay Adelaide Centre due to be completed in 2009.
Looking back up Bay St., the City Hall building on the left.
The Flatiron Building, at one time the tallest building in Toronto.
It was a fabulous tour and well worth the wait. I remember going there as a kid when they had the observation deck.
One last look up to the top.
Sitting with the cows.
Sitting on the chair.
Claudia in art.
I was sitting on the opposite chair when I took these pictures.
A movie scene was being filmed in front of the TD Centre.
We hopped on the streetcar and went west along King St. to the Mountain Equipment Co-op. This was on the way to the streetcar stop.
Waiting for the streetcar.
Here comes our streetcar.
After the MEC, we walked down to Front St. and then back along Front to Union Station to catch the subway back to Yorkdale. This is the front of the Royal York, you can see part of the TD Centre.
We didn't make it to the Empire Sandy, it is a Tall Ship that was one of the Doors Open, although based on the crowds, that may have been a popular choice as well. It was a great day and the weather was perfect for walking around.
