City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release: May 15, 2015
The Market Gallery features the history of Toronto summer
sports
The Market Gallery will present Home Field Advantage:
Toronto's Summer Sporting Sites, from May 16 to September 26. This exhibition
will feature historic photographs and artifacts reflecting the history of
summer sports in Toronto.
“As Toronto welcomes the world for the TORONTO 2015 Pan
Am/Parapan Am Games, the Market Gallery is a great opportunity to showcase the
history of sport in our city,” said Mayor John Tory. "I encourage
Torontonians to visit the gallery and see the wonderful artifacts that showcase
our collective history."
To celebrate the upcoming Games, this exhibition examines
the city's competitive summer sports from the early days of rowing and marathon
swimming to cycling and baseball.
Through the eyes of past generations of photographers,
visitors can trace the evolution of summer sports in Toronto. The spartan
conditions of early Toronto (Town of York) offered little in the way of
sporting facilities, initially located on the congested Toronto Harbourfront,
often co-existing alongside industrial and commercial establishments.
"This exhibition is an opportunity for audiences to
experience the city through the perspectives of photographers from multiple
generations," said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough
Centre), Chair of the Economic Development & Culture Committee.
"The Market Gallery display also highlights how and
where Toronto's sporting traditions started," said Deputy Mayor Pam
McConnell (Councillor, Ward 28 Toronto Centre-Rosedale). "The Toronto
Islands and the Waterfront have been central to the development of sport in the
city."
Starting from the 1870s, with the establishment of
regularly scheduled sporting events, spectator facilities became necessary. By
the beginning of the 20th century, these facilities had moved from the Toronto
Harbour and settled on the Toronto Islands, Ashbridges Bay in the east and
Sunnyside in the west.
During the 20th century most athletic activities
continued on an amateur basis, but the growth in professional sports promoted
the building of football and baseball stadiums, swimming pools and gymnasiums.
The Toronto Industrial Exhibition (today's C.N.E.) was
one of the first institutions to provide patrons with a proper viewing stand.
Innovations such as flood-lighting at Maple Leaf Baseball Stadium and indoor
sport complexes extended the hours of both participatory and spectator sports.
The exhibition also reflects the history of Toronto sport
clubs, such as the Argonaut Rowing Club and the Toronto Canoe Club, which were
formed in the 19th century. While they still retain their amateur status, they
have evolved from purely recreational to competitive clubs.
The Market Gallery, one of 10 historic sites operated by
the City of Toronto, presents exhibitions dedicated to Toronto’s art, culture
and history and offers educational programs for school groups and adults. The
gallery is located on the second floor of South St. Lawrence Market, 95 Front
St. E. Gallery hours are Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday
from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is closed Sunday, Monday and holidays. More
information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/marketgallery.
The Pan American and Parapan American Games are the
world's third largest international multi-sport event, and will be held from
July 10 to August 14, 2015 in Toronto.
This news release is also available on the City's
website: http://bit.ly/1KRRMzx
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 http://www.toronto.ca,
call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
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Media contact: Shane Gerard, Strategic Communications,
416-397-5711, sgerard@toronto.ca
