June 2017 - Delsuites' Blog
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June 2017

Community Events, Downtown Toronto, Entertainment, Events, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Entertainment, Toronto History

Happy Birthday – Canada Day 150 Years Old

June 30, 2017

Canada DayThis year’s Canada Day celebrations will certainly be a once in a generation event. We mark 150 years since Confederation and this landmark birthday is being celebrated all over the country with huge events, fireworks shows and much more.
The Canadian Federal Government announced that it would be spending approximately half a billion dollars on the 150th anniversary- which means it will be a massive party!

Canada Day 150 Events Happening in Toronto

The theme of this year’s celebrations will be TO Canada with Love and the city will also be hosting Canada 150 Mosaic, which is an exhibition of over 80,000 paintings and 150 individual murals across the country. Here are some of the exciting things that will be happening in Canada this weekend:

  • Canada Days – Nathan Phillips Square – June 30-July 3, 2017

This exciting celebration will include arts, dance, food and musical performances from the Barenaked Ladies, Ron Sexsmith, Belly, Dvsn and Buffy Sainte Marie.Canada Day

Celebrate Canada’s Birthday and your love of delicious barbequed ribs at this festival. The event will also feature live music, midway games, pony rides and much more.

Admission is free and celebrations will be taking place from 10am to 10pm, including roaming performers, music and dance performances, games, children’s activities and much more.

While you are out and about, check out some of our favorite places to eat for brunch!

What Does Canada 150 Mean?

The year 2017 marks the 150 year point since Confederation. In 1867 the Dominion of Canada was created as per the British North America Act. This brought together the colonies of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick Canada Dayand the Province of Canada into one country – merging together English and French speaking Canada. The new Dominion of Canada was composed of four provinces, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Ontario and New Brunswick.

However, it could be argued that Canada as we know it is only turning 35 this year. It was in 1982 that Canada “patriated” the constitution, which allowed us to amend it without Britain’s approval. This was the event that enacted the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and it is when July 1st changed from “Dominion Day” to “Canada Day.”

But of course, this land is older than 150 and people lived in North America long before 1867. It was in 1142 that the Iroquois Confederacy was formed, which brought together five nations over the area which is now Canada, Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia and formed a “Great League of Peace.”

Even before that, the first evidence of human inhabitants in Canada has been dated back to 30,000 BCE – when people crossed over the Siberian land bridge as the Ice Age ended. A village discovered in British Columbia is one of the oldest human settlements in North America and pre-dates the pyramids.

Indigenous people have been living on this land for thousands and thousands of years and the ownership of the land is a contentious issue still not resolved, which is why many choose to celebrate Canada Day alternatively.

No matter how you measure it, these days the modern nation of Canada is a cultural melting pot that celebrates diversity and is home to a mosaic of different ethnicities and traditions.  What does it mean to be Canadian? It’s more than just beaver and maple syrup and snow shovels and hockey: it’s our identity of kindness, politeness, inclusion, acceptance and understanding – which is certainly something to celebrate. Happy Canada Day!

Downtown Toronto, Family Vacations in Toronto, Fitness and Health, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel

Outdoor Toronto Swimming Pools To Enjoy

June 23, 2017

Toronto Swimming PoolsPack your towel, sunscreen, a good book and your favourite swimsuit and spend the afternoon soaking up the rays and splashing around at one of these great Toronto swimming pools. They are the perfect place to chill out on a hot day.

If you are not from Canada you might find it strange that we have so many outdoor pools even though we can only use them for a portion of the year. However, it’s the long cold winters that really make Canadians appreciate and enjoy the summer months so much more.

Alex Duff Christie Pits – Toronto Swimming Pools

This swimming pool is popular with both families and young hipsters and it features a 25m pool, a kid’s pool and an enormous hot tub. Also, you can enjoy the thrill of hurling yourself down the two storey waterslide to splash into the pool below. There is also a diving board iboard in the big pool, so you can dive and cannonball again and again.

Gus Ryder Sunnyside

This 25 metre swimming pool has stunning views of the downtown toronto apartmentswaterfront and skyline. Plus, if your goal is to get in shape they offer offer Aquafit lessons, so that you can burn some calories

Toronto Swimming Pools

while you cool down. The surroundings of this lovely park include lots of sand and trees, so if you use your imagination you could almost pretend you are at a tropical resort.

Alexandra Park

This chilled out 2.7 hectare park offers more than just a swimming pool. It also has a picnic area, a ball diamond, a volleyball court, a community garden and much more. On a warm day it is often packed, so it is a great place to socialise and make new friends – or maybe even find someone cute to go out for ice cream with!

Monarch Park

Slide down the two storey watOutdoor Swimming Poolser slide, plunge off the diving board or chill out in the wading pool – there is a lot of room to play at this great swimming pool. There is also a playground, so it is a great place to bring the kids on a sunny day. Your young ones can cool down in the wading pool without worrying about getting splashed by the bigger kids.

Greenwood Park Outdoor Pool

This is another park that is great for kids, as it has a shallow pool for little ones and a big pool for the older kids. The 35 m pool is approximately 2 m at the deep end and there is a great raised seating area where you can chill out. It is a lovely spot for a summer picnic, but you will need to bring your own lunch as there is nowhere to buy food.

These are just a few of the best outdoor Toronto swimming pools that you can enjoy this summer. Where is your favourite summer Toronto swimming spot? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Downtown Toronto, Family Vacations in Toronto, Lifestyle talk, Toronto Entertainment, Toronto Family Travel

A Toronto Music Lovers Guide

June 10, 2017

Toronto Music LoversNo matter what type of tunes you love, you’ll find great live gigs every night of the week and cool and quirky record stores you can lose yourself for hours browsing in. Here are a few of the spots Toronto Music Lovers adore:

For Toronto Music Lovers  – Ric’s Recollections

This Mississauga record shop has been in business for over 20 years and it’s impressive selection makes it worth the 15 minute drive out of downtown Toronto. Ric’s has over 20,000 titles in blues, jazz, rock, country, pop, R&B and much more. You’ll also find all of the gear and accessories you need to keep your records running great such as brushes, vinyl cleaning fluid, cartridges, etc. The staff at Ric’s are serious about records – before they sell any LPs they play them to test for sound quality and meticulously clean them.

The Bovine Sex Club

This joint on Queen Street West is the ideal place for Toronto Music Lovers to catch some live and local music. It has been one of the “it” spots on the scene since it Toronto Music Loversopened in 1991 and the music showcased there is a mix of retro 80s, cutting edge rock, metal, glam, punk and Britpop. Countless bands who have performed here over the years have gone on to achieve international success, such as Monster Truck and Alexisonfire. You can check out the Open Mic on Mondays, where you just might see up and coming artists trying out some of their new stuff.

Rock n’ Horse Saloon

If you love to stamp your feet to country music, you’ll have a blast at the Rock n’ Horse Saloon. Located in the Entertainment District, it is known for welcoming hospitality, down home country cookin, line dancing lessons, an ornery mechanical bull and parties where you can kick up your heels all night long.

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Toronto Music LoversThis Queen Street West record shop features one of the best selections for new hot tunes in the city. There is a focus on indie rock and pop, but you will find a little bit of everything. It is also a great place to buy tickets to cool indie shows around the city. The staff are friendly and music savvy, so if you ask them they can probably recommend something you will love.

The Danforth Music Hall

One of the best things about seeing a performance at the legendary 1,400 seat Danforth Music Hall is that the floor has a slight incline. That means that there isn’t a bad seat in the house and everyone gets a great view of the band. This beautiful music hall is one of the oldest live music venues in Toronto and it is a classic place to see a show.

What are your favourite music spots in Toronto? Let us know in the comments!