Photo courtesy of peo pea on Flickr, under Creative Commons license.Why, Toronto, you don't look a day over 174...
On March 6, 2009, the fair city of Toronto marks its 175th birthday! I realize that in the grand scheme of things, that's not very old; some cities have been around for millenia. For North Amercia, though, 175 is pretty old!
When Toronto was incorporated as a city in 1834, there were fewer than 10,000 people living in the town of York-- mostly white and British -- and Queen Street was considered the city's northern boundary. Apparently, singing "Yankee Doodle Dandy" was a hangable offense in those days, too (my, how things haven't changed - grin). Today, there are 2.7 million citizens in Toronto proper and over six million people living in the Greater Toronto Area.
A quick reflection on this feat includes 175 years of growth and change: from the nickname "Muddy York", so named because of its unpaved, swampy streets; to "Toronto the Good" (my personal fave) named for the city's reputation as a stern Protestant outpost in a young country; to "Hogtown", "Hollywood North" (no, Vancouver, that isn't you), "T.O.", "T.dot" and after amalgamation, the "Megacity".
Toronto is now Canada's largest and most diverse city. Over 100 languages are spoken on the city streets. It is the economic engine of the country and one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the world. Of course, there's always room for improvement, i.e. a subway that actually goes somewhere, real automated banking machines, and more 24 hour restaurants, thank you very much. But overall, Toronto has a true grit and an undying spirit that makes it, I think, one of the best places on the planet.
And now, I give you 175 reasons to love Toronto, courtesy of the Toronto Star. I could likely come up with 175 more. Scratch that. I could likely come up with 1,075 more.
Happy Birthday, Toronto! I love you.
A quick reflection on this feat includes 175 years of growth and change: from the nickname "Muddy York", so named because of its unpaved, swampy streets; to "Toronto the Good" (my personal fave) named for the city's reputation as a stern Protestant outpost in a young country; to "Hogtown", "Hollywood North" (no, Vancouver, that isn't you), "T.O.", "T.dot" and after amalgamation, the "Megacity".
Toronto is now Canada's largest and most diverse city. Over 100 languages are spoken on the city streets. It is the economic engine of the country and one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the world. Of course, there's always room for improvement, i.e. a subway that actually goes somewhere, real automated banking machines, and more 24 hour restaurants, thank you very much. But overall, Toronto has a true grit and an undying spirit that makes it, I think, one of the best places on the planet.
And now, I give you 175 reasons to love Toronto, courtesy of the Toronto Star. I could likely come up with 175 more. Scratch that. I could likely come up with 1,075 more.
Happy Birthday, Toronto! I love you.
Also, please warm up.
What do you get someone for a 175th birthday?
ReplyDeleteHmmm, not sure if that's paper or crystal? :-)
ReplyDelete