In & Around Downtown Toronto...

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

I had no idea this was in Toronto! Not that I am a fan of the Opera or anything like that, but I can't recall seeing an ad about them either.



From their website: The Canadian Opera Company (COC) is the largest producer of opera in Canada and one of the largest in North America. Under its General Director, Richard Bradshaw, the company enjoys an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation.

......

The COC Ensemble Studio is Canada’s pre-eminent training program for young singers, directors and coaches. World-recognized alumnae from this two to three-year training program include Ben Heppner, Wendy Nielsen, Gidon Saks, John Fanning, and Isabel Bayrakdarian.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

The Toronto Star building have the distinction of being the first postal address on Yonge Street, the longest street in the world.



Yonge Street is listed as a whopping 1,178 miles (1,896 km) in length -- roughly the distance from San Diego, California, to Seattle, Washington. It starts on the Toronto lakeshore and winds its way northwesterly along Highway 11 to Rainy River, Ontario, at the Minnesota border.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

Captain John's; restaurant and banqueting facilities on a boat!



I have never dined here, but if anyone has, it sure would be great to know what the experience was like.



Virtual Tour

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

One of Toronto's finest...

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

Entrepreneurs like these are not a usual sight on the streets of TO, but this was the holiday Monday after Caribana!

[Porty-48]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

Thanks CEW [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] - great thread - did you get around to the other Mirvish icon "Honest Ed" which shows why this family is much-loved in Toronto.

[Suesumba]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

CEW there are some really beautiful churches on church streeet towards carlton and so [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] also some interesting architecture in cabbagetown if you don't mind tripping over the tweaking methheads and downandouters [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[mountaingal]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

[ QUOTE ]
MG: Thank you for dropping in, and I am glad you are enjoying things so far. I also like and really appreciate the added commentary from your personal reflections, and do feel free to add them whenever and wherever pertinent.

Regarding the Scotia Tower, Campeau doesn't quite ring a bell though Milliken and the whole junk bonds thing I remember very well. I am intrigued by your recall of the events sorrounding this wonderful structure. Also, because you have made reference to it a number of times elsewhere, it was great to finally see the Church to which you make your yearly visit [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Really great personal takes on a number of pics, and thanks again. Much appreciated [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

no, thank YOU, CEW, for bring my old and new stomping grounds so close.

Re Robert Campeau - I'm a little off on some of my facts - here's the Wikipedia entry for him:

Robert Campeau is a Canadian financier and real estate developer born in Chelmsford, Ontario (near Sudbury) on August 3, 1923.

His formal education ended in grade eight, at the age of 14. He talked himself into jobs at Inco as a general labourer, carpenter and machinist. In 1949 he entered the residential end of the construction business. His first project was a single home constructed in partnership with his cousin in Ottawa, Ontario.

In Ottawa, Campeau was able to construct both office complexes and residential subdivisions to accommodate Canada's rapidly expanding civil service. Campeau frequently found himself at odds with Ottawa mayor Charlotte Whitton over planning decisions. Whitton was quoted as saying, "when I look at his (Campeau's) houses, I think perhaps nuclear bombardment might not be such a terrible thing after all." His Campeau Corporation had two main rivals in the residental housing market: Assaly Construction Limited and Minto Developments Inc., the latter owned by the family of future Ottawa mayor Lorry Greenberg. Despite almost constant bitter opposition by Whitton, Campeau developed an outstanding reputation as a high-quality builder and became the most successful in the city. A major street is named after him in the Ottawa suburb of Kanata, much of which he developed.

For many years it was city policy that buildings in the downtown core not be taller than the Peace Tower of the parliament buildings. Campeau found this rule to be unnecessary and was drawn into conflict with city council over large high-rise developments such as Place de Ville.

Due to his excellent relationships to many civil servants and ministers, he was able to have most of his projects approved. He counted amongst his personal friends politicians like Jean Chrétien, Jean Marchand, Marc Lalonde, and Michael Pitfield.

Campeau's real estate development success soon spread outside Ottawa. In Toronto his notable developments included Scotia Tower (the city's second tallest skyscraper) and the Harbour Castle hotel - which helped revitalize the city's waterfront area.


In the 1980s Campeau embarked on a series of leveraged buyouts, first bidding unsuccessfully on the Royal Trust company (now part of the Royal Bank). His brash, confrontational manner made him an outsider to much of the conservative Canadian business establishment.

As his empire expanded, Campeau ventured into the United States, looking for acquisitions that would add shopping mall real estate to his portfolio of assets. Through massive junk bond LBOs which were at their most popular in the mid 1980s, Campeau he gained control of Allied Stores and Federated Department Stores, owner of Bloomingdale's. Campeau retained famous banker Bruce Wasserstein to assist with the transactions. However, in the overenthusiasm and high leverage that defined banking in the late 1980s, the debt obligations that needed to be covered following the merger were too large and exacerbated by a market downturn that hurt retail sales. Campeau Corporation was unable to meet its debt obligations. Federated and Allied eventually filed for bankruptcy reorganization. The company was eventually acquired by the Reichman brothers who went bankrupt themselves and Campeau Corporation ceased to exist.

Sheltered from creditors because all of his assets were in his wife's and several trusts name, he acquired a lakeside castle in Austria and he became involved in several real estate projects including developing a large subdivision near Berlin, Germany That project failed and Campeau's company went bankrupt.

In 1996, Campeau and his wife separated and he returned to live in Ottawa in 2001, where he lives now with Christel Dettmann, a former East German politician, with whom he had carried on an affair for several years. He sued his wife Ilsa for her part of the assets after they signed an agreement as to how the assets should be divided. The divorce proceedings went on for two years, and in the end, an Ontario judge - regadless an open jurisdictional issue - ordered her to pay him spousal support and turn over family assets, which he signed off before and despite a pre-nuptial agreement with total separation of assets.

As of 2004 he remains involved with a number of real estate projects. He is still considered something of a celebrity in Ottawa, with reported sightings, activities and legal disputes commonly appearing in city newspapers.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks CEW [img]/forums/images/graemlins/70409-waytogo.gif[/img] - great thread - did you get around to the other Mirvish icon "Honest Ed" which shows why this family is much-loved in Toronto.

[/ QUOTE ]

I haven't been that far, but if time allows, I can certainly swing across there via Little Italy.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

[ QUOTE ]
CEW there are some really beautiful churches on church streeet towards carlton and so [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] also some interesting architecture in cabbagetown if you don't mind tripping over the tweaking methheads and downandouters [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

You forgot to mention that area is the same-sex 'capital' of the city [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] I did walk by Church & Carlton but didn't go too far into Cabbagetown. I plan on going through the Distillery district this Friday, and if time allows, I'll head north to Cabbagetown.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

As you can probably tell, from it's name, this hotel is *not* cheap. I did a quick seach for one night in September, and it was $340 for one adult!



From the website: "Whether you're in Toronto for a meeting or simply to relax and take in the sights of the city, this landmark hotel has everything you need. Luxurious surroundings, refined guest rooms and suites, a knowledgeable Concierge, and even a fully-stocked Business Center - The Fairmont Royal York is the ultimate downtown Toronto hotel."

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

University of Toronto Laboratory...



Someone must have decided all that greenery on the building's exterior was pretty cool.

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

I thought I could remember the name of this church, but the brain cells are not co-operating [img]/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...

Jarvis Street Baptist Church...

[Diplomat]

Re: In & Around Downtown Toronto...



From their website: "St. Peter's was founded in 1863. The church designed by architect Henry Langley in a high Victorian Gothic style. Bishop John Strachan officially opened St. Peter's on June 10, 1866."



"The interior of the church was last renovated during the mid-1970's. On December 16 1979 St. Peter's was declared a historic site.

Over the years St. Peter's has emphasized outreach to the wider chruch and to the community. From the congregation have come two bishops, 17 clergy, 14 missionaries and two deaconesses. St. Peter's serves the community of Cabbagetown through donations of food, clothing, and rent subsidies, and is active in community festivities."