Diversions
August is an excellent time to visit
Toronto,
and offers many opportunities for
cultural activities
(see also toronto.com).
Toronto boasts the third largest theatre community in the English speaking
world, a vibrant array of summer concerts,
dances, nightclubs, music, museums, bookstores, shopping, and even a
castle. The
Canadian National Exhibition
will be in full swing at the time of the conference; located next to
Ontario Place,
it includes an airshow, midway, concerts and fireworks displays, offering
entertainment for all ages.
During the conference we will take time out for an excursion to a winery and Niagara Falls. If you decide to stay over a weekend, within 100 miles of Toronto can be found great hiking, sailing, camping, rock-climbing, cottaging, and canoe camping opportunities, and two world class theatre festivals: the Shakespeare Festival at Stratford Ontario and Shaw Festival at Niagara on the Lake.
Recognizable landmarks on the Toronto skyline include the CN tower --- at 553.33m the world's tallest free standing structure --- standing guard over the SkyDome, home of the Toronto BlueJays baseball team, and the world's only stadium with a fully retractable dome. The photo is taken from Toronto Island, a park and cottage oasis scattered with beaches and picnic sites sheltering Toronto's harbour from Lake Ontario. This pedestrian only island can be accessed from downtown Toronto by passenger ferry in minutes.