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Annual Meeting Moves North of the Border
By By Ray. D. FreeburyChair
Local Arrangements Committee
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Toronto, a Huron word meaning meeting place, is aptly named to serve as host of APA’s 1998 meeting, which will be held May 30 to June 4. Moreover, Toronto was once, for a few days during the War of 1812, an American city.
This ethnically diverse city is no longer recognizable as the city once referred to as Hogtown or Toronto the Good. Nowadays, regardless of how you arrive, you will be greeted by a spectacular skyline presided over by the CN Tower, the tallest freestanding structure in the world. This skyline is matched by the splendor of the Toronto Islands glistening in Lake Ontario, a short ferry ride from the city’s Harbourfront.
The Province of Ontario is an easy destination by air or by the excellent highways linking Ontario with several populous and nearby states. The Lester B. Pearson Airport is less than 30 minutes from downtown and is served by limousine, private hotel buses, and public buses. If you plan to drive, the Queen Elizabeth Way will lead you directly from Buffalo to downtown Toronto. The MacDonald Cartier Freeway, better known as the 401, leads from Detroit to the suburbs of Toronto. By the time of the annual meeting, these suburbs will be part of the new Toronto "megacity," which comes into being on January 1, 1998. Passing over the north end of Toronto, the 401 continues on to the Quebec border near Montreal and is easily accessible to upper New York state, Burlington, Vt., and New Hampshire. You should be advised of the high cost of parking downtown, even at today’s favorable exchange rates; however, those exchange rates will make your hotel and shopping bills much less painful.
Citizens and legal residents of the United States do not need passports, but going through customs will be simplified if you do carry one. A birth or voter’s certificate with photo identification will be required in the absence of a passport. Naturalized citizens need their naturalization certificate or other proof of citizenship. Permanent residents should carry their alien registration receipt. Some form of photo identification should be carried by all.
Having gone through these formalities, I can assure you that many pleasures await those attending the Toronto annual meeting, stimulating all your senses. Of course, you can expect the usual high standard of scientific and educational presentations from APA’s Scientific Program Committee.
The climate at the end of May should be ideal. Bring at least a light sweater for evening walks by the lake, but you can expect the days to be warm and mostly sunny. Topographically Toronto is flat, but lush ravines spread throughout the city.
Toronto is, according to the United Nations, the most ethnically diverse city in the world. Needless to say, this is reflected in the diversity of its restaurants and entertainment. Whatever part of the world visitors are from, they can rest assured that familiar dishes will be available. Toronto is also the third largest English-speaking theater center in the world, with more than l40 professional companies performing year round. Toronto also boasts a world-class orchestra, opera company, and ballet troupe. Furthermore, Toronto is within two hours of Ontario’s Stratford and its Shakespearean Company, and a one-hour ferry trip to Niagara and the annual Shaw (as in George Bernard) Festival. Both festivals preview in late May.
The Art Gallery of Ontario is a favorite spot for connoisseurs, but there are many excellent private galleries. The Royal Ontario Museum has excellent Chinese and Egyptian collections, as well as a bat cave and dinosaur exhibit. Across the street is the Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art. The Royal Ontario and Gardiner museums are only a stone’s throw from Yorkville and its trendy boutiques and cafes.
Many culinary treats await visitors to Toronto. A fuller account of Toronto dining will follow in an issue of Psychiatric News closer to the annual meeting, but a few notes here will whet the appetite. A large Chinatown provides a wide range of choices of provincial styles of cooking. There are also other Asian restaurants. Rumor has it that there are more Italians in Toronto than in any Italian city other than Milan; as a result, Little Italy offers great Italian dining. Of course migrating Quebecers have also provided us with some excellent French restaurants. Wherever you dine, excellent Canadian beers and Ontario wines are an inexpensive complement to a meal.
Toronto is home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League, one of the "original six." Toronto also boasts the Blue Jays, the first baseball team to take the World Series trophy out of the United States, doing it on two successive occasions (1992 and 1993). Now the fledgling Raptors of the National Basketball Association are planning to bring basketball back home to its origins.
Toronto is well situated for those inclined to do a little touring. The city of Niagara Falls is under two hours away by car. Two hours in a northerly direction is Muskoka, a land of lakes, abundant wildlife, and the summer home of the loon. The Bruce Trail wends its way from Niagara to the Bruce Peninsula, which arrows into Lake Huron, creating Georgian Bay on its easterly side. This route passes nearby Toronto at the picturesque village of Terra Cota, providing access to this old Indian trail and a wonderful hiking experience. The Terra Cota Inn also provides legendary meals.
The Niagara region of Ontario is grape-growing country, and taking wine tours is one way to sample the local products. The quality of Ontario wines has vastly improved in recent years, and visitors are likely to be pleasantly surprised.
Toronto is a wellspring of fun and entertainment for children. The Royal Ontario Museum is popular for its realistic bat cave, dinosaur exhibit, and hands-on exhibits. The Ontario Science Centre in suburban Don Mills provides many opportunities for children to participate in scientific exhibits and demonstrations. Children and adults alike will enjoy tours of the CN Tower and the magnificent SkyDome, home of the Blue Jays. Both of these buildings are adjacent to the Toronto Convention Centre.
A little further out of town, the Metropolitan Zoo provides natural habitats for the animals and excellent walks. Just north of the city is the theme park Canada’s Wonderland, complete with the usual rides and live entertainment. In Niagara Falls, Marineland is just one of the popular attractions children will enjoy.
The Toronto Transit Commission provides excellent and economical transportation, the highlights of which are a subway system and interconnecting bus services. There is also a private tour bus whose 24-hour ticket enables riders to get on and off at as many stops as they wish. A $2 transit token (cheaper if bought in multiples) will take travelers virtually anywhere in the city, using the free transfer ticket provided upon entering the bus, tram, or subway station.
Toronto is a clean, friendly, and, above all, safe city. The language is familiar although the spelling is a little different. Future articles will elaborate on some of the notes contained in this introduction. Don’t forget to block out May 30 to June 4 on your calendar!