|
Shopping, Shopping, & More ShoppingToronto, CanadaBy Linda Aksomitis
One of the main attractions for visitors is Toronto's Eaton Centre--Canada's best-known shopping destination, with 285 retailers. The day I visited blue sky gleamed through the glass dome overhead, the melodies of Christmas carols echoed through the stores, and a giant Christmas tree trimmed with red bows and gleaming ornaments created a festive atmosphere that was impossible to resist. A focal point in downtown Toronto, the Toronto Eaton Centre represents the ''dream'' of one of Toronto's 19th century businessmen: Timothy Eaton, who opened his first Toronto store in 1869. Eaton founded two retail practices that were ground-breaking at the time: first, all goods had one price (no haggling) with no credit given, and second, all purchases came with a money-back guarantee (a practice expressed in what would become the long-standing store slogan of "Goods Satisfactory or Money Refunded"). Eaton, however, is likely best remember by generations of Canadians for the
Eaton's catalogue, which he started in 1884. By World War II the T. Eaton
Company employed 70,000 people, and Eaton had revolutionized the retail
industry. For downtown Toronto, today's six-storey glass ceiling structure is an
unmistakable modern landmark.
PATH also provides access to downtown Toronto attractions such as: the Hockey Hall of Fame, Roy Thomson Hall, Air Canada Centre, Rogers Centre, and the CN Tower. With 125 access points, either on the street or in the linked buildings, it was easy to slip on and off the PATH. The Toronto Coach Terminal at Dundas and Bay Streets is the furthest northern point, while the Toronto Convention Centre' at 255 Front Street West is the furthest south. PATH does not follow the grid patterns of the streets above, but makes its own way under the city. I was surprised to learn the first underground path in Toronto originated in 1900, when the T Eaton Co. used tunnels to join its main store at 178 Yonge St. and its bargain annex. More tunnels followed, and by 1917 there were five in the downtown core. With the opening of Union Station in 1927, an underground tunnel was built to connect it to the Royal York Hotel (now known as the Fairmont Royal York). The real growth of PATH began in the 1970s when a tunnel was built to connect the Richmond-Adelaide and Sheraton Centres.
From my room on the twelfth floor I was pleased to see the impressive towers of Toronto's new City Hall. Below me skaters enjoyed the warm evening on an outdoor rink, and Christmas lights twinkled on the trees in the park. I threw open the drapes, pulled out my laptop, and settled down to check email while enjoying the view. My Sheraton Sweet-Sleeper bed was superb--and the pillows perfect. When I finally crawled into bed I fell asleep almost instantly, which is the mark of a good hotel for me. The next day I headed off to the airport, arms full of Christmas gifts, glad I'd had the opportunity to spend time in downtown Toronto. Photo credits to Linda Aksomitis For More Info: City of Toronto Toronto Eaton Centre: Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel:
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=271 |
|
TM
Toronto, Ontario is Canada's number one tourist destination, whether it's for
business or pleasure. One of the world's most culturally diverse cities, with
residents who speak over 100 languages and originate from 170 countries of
origin, downtown Toronto is a mecca for visitors. Some like me, are off to
business meetings; while others have tickets to a sports event at the SkyDome or
just want a getaway with fine dining, great entertainment, and shopping in North
America's fifth largest city.
Old City Hall, a National Historic Site built in 1899, keeps the Eaton Centre
from being a perfect square, as originally planned. This impressive building,
with gargoyles, turrets, and grotesque stone carvings, all in the Romanesque
Revival style, preserves history in the downtown core for future generations.
Inside, the painted murals (first floor) by George A. Reid and the stained
glass window produced by Robert McCausland symbolizing the Union of Commerce and
Industry, are just a few of its distinctive features.
Since
it was the last week of November, I had prepared for a taste of winter and snow,
however I had a pleasant surprise as it was shirt-sleeve weather. That didn't
detour me from checking out PATH, however, downtown Toronto's 16-mile
underground network of shops and services. According to Guinness World Records,
PATH is the largest underground shopping complex, with approximately 1200 shops
and services, so there was lots to check out. Always a bargain hunter, I was
pleased to find a wide range of prices-and shopkeepers who had time to answer my
questions and provide me with whatever assistance I needed.
Indeed,
I'd chosen the Sheraton Centre as my hotel during my visit. My biggest surprise
was the hotel's main attraction, a waterfall that tumbled over rock steps to a
lush 2.5 acre tropical garden, which captured my attention immediately.