The Market Gallery features the history of Toronto summer sports

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