Doors Open Toronto weekend offerings announced

City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:

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News Release:  April 22, 2015  

Doors Open Toronto weekend offerings announced

Doors Open Toronto presented by Great Gulf has announced its lineup of buildings and enhanced programming for May 23 and 24. The 16th annual weekend celebration of architecture will offer free and rare access to architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings across Toronto.

This year's event features more than 155 buildings, including 55 new participants, an exciting speaker series and city-wide walking tours. Details are now available at http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen.

“Doors Open Toronto offers a truly unique behind-the-scenes experience at some of the City’s great institutions,” said Mayor John Tory. “My office will be open for all to see and I encourage Torontonians to visit City Hall for an in-depth tour. I’d like to thank our presenting sponsor Great Gulf for its continued commitment to this event and support for the city, its buildings and its people.”

"Doors Open Toronto is an exceptional opportunity for residents to get to know Toronto and celebrate the buildings in which we live, work and play," said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the Economic Development Committee. "As one of the city's most popular events, it is a unique opportunity for us to explore the charismatic, historic and architecturally significant public and private spaces that we see, but rarely have an opportunity to visit."

"At Great Gulf, we know how vital buildings are to shaping the identity of a city, which is why we are delighted to return as presenting sponsor of Doors Open," said Christopher Wein, President, Great Gulf Residential. "We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the brilliant architecture and progressive design showcased throughout the weekend."

Toronto City Hall, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, will be abuzz with activity during the Doors Open Toronto weekend. Visitors to the building can experience rare access to the Mayor's Office, the 27th floor observation deck, the council chamber and special exhibits and activities, including: 

- 50th Anniversary of City Hall – a photographic exhibition featuring the landmark's design and construction, in honour of its 50th anniversary

- Fit for Office - Fitness Circuit – a family-friendly fitness circuit of activities at City Hall

- Snapshots of Ontario Sports Heritage – a showcase of archival images and facts about sports in Ontario, and

- Rendering Toronto's Landscape – an exhibition documenting Toronto's most significant public spaces.

In honour of this summer's TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, this year's theme – Sports, Recreation and Leisure – offers attendees a sneak peek inside more than 70 private and public recreational sites, and is highlighted throughout many of this year's walking tours and exhibits.

Fourteen free walking tours sponsored by the University of Toronto will extend throughout the weekend, delving deep into the history and architecture of a wide variety of neighbourhoods. Many of the walking tours shine light on Toronto's sports history, including A Century of Fun: Sports Leisure and Recreation at the University of Toronto, Sport Stadiums and Lakeside Leisure: Playing Along the Waterfront, Ravine Lands at the University of Toronto Scarborough and Toronto's Playground: A History of Amusement, Recreation and Athletics on the Toronto Islands.

Three OpenInsights speaker series, featuring influential architects, civic officials, academics and artists, will examine landscape and architectural design, housing, heritage and public space in the city. The series will take place throughout the weekend.

Complementing a conference called the Second Wave of Modernism III: Leading with Landscape taking place in Toronto, the Cultural Landscape Foundation has organized What's Out There Weekend in conjunction with Doors Open Toronto. The series of events brings light to the unique landscape legacy and local character of Toronto.

Full program details, including the speaker series, walking tour registration and a complete list of buildings can be found at http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen.

Note to media: High resolution images and background information about the event are available at http://www.toronto.ca/special_events/media.

About Doors Open Toronto

Since its inception in 2000, Doors Open Toronto has attracted more than two million visits to nearly 650 unique locations across the city. It is Canada's largest Doors Open event and one of the three largest Doors Open events in the world. Doors Open Toronto is dedicated to built heritage, architecture and design. It is presented by Great Gulf and produced by the City of Toronto in partnership with the broader community.

About Great Gulf Group

Established in 1975, the Great Gulf Group of companies including Great Gulf, Ashton Woods Homes, First Gulf Corporation, Tucker HiRise Construction, Brockport Systems Ltd. and Taboo Resort Golf and Spa, is one of North America’s premier real estate organizations. With major projects in Canada and the United States, the company’s fully-integrated activities span the entire real estate spectrum.

This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/1PhBoeN

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

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Media contact: Justine Palinska, Economic Development and Culture, 416-395-7318, jpalins@toronto.ca