10 Things You Didn’t Know About Toronto

By Ilan Joseph, Broker, ABR®, e-PRO®, AMP® | TopTorontoAgent.ca
February 10, 2013 | © All rights reserved
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Toronto: some fun things you didn't know about our world class city.

1. Toronto was originally called the ‘Town of York’ until 1834.
2. The Toronto Zoo is the third largest in the world and is home to more than 5000 animals.
3. In 1904, the Great Toronto Fire completely destroyed the downtown core. The inferno caused $10 million in damage (over 300 million in today’s dollars) and 5,000 people lost their jobs.
4. Toronto residents hold more university diploma than anywhere else in the world, based on percentage of population. OECD – 2003
5. Toronto is home to the world’s largest continuous underground pedestrian system. The “PATH” stretches 28 kilometres and connects over 1200 shops and restaurants, 50 office buildings, five subway stations, Union Station, 6 major hotels and a number of entertainment and sports venues under city's financial core.
6. Perhaps the most surprising to it's residents is the fact that Toronto’s public transit system is the second largest in North America and enjoys the highest per capita ridership rate on the continent.
7. Toronto is host to Caribana, the largest single-day parade and largest Caribbean festival in North America. The parade attracts well over one million attendees from all over the world.
8. Toronto is truly one-of-a-kind with the only, real castle in all of North America!  Casa Loma is complete with its royal suites, hidden passages, an 800-foot tunnel, towers, stables, and a beautiful 5-acre estate garden. It’s open to the public year round. FYI: Lake Ontario’s shoreline used to run all the way to the Castle.
9. Toronto’s trendy, Yorkville neighbourhood may be all the rage today, but in the 1800 it was a cemetery for those unable to afford a church burial. Although the cemetery was removed in the 1870s, human remains are still found on virtually every new Yorkville construction project.
10. Let’s say “cheers” to our great city, which in the 60’s (the 1860’s) was the largest producer of alcohol in North America. Although our world class city no longer holds that distinction, the Distillery District contains many buildings from that era. To this day, Toronto continues to have a thriving brewery industry.

  If you have any questions about Toronto, its vibrant neighbourhoods or its residents, feel free to contact me.    

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    Ilan Joseph is a Real Estate Broker with Sutton Group and is co-founder of a 10-person award-winning Toronto, Thornhill and Vaughan real estate team. You can find him on LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and Google+. For over 10 years, Ilan has provided more than 1550 buyers and sellers valued advice and service, enabling them to reach their real estate goals. He’s kind of like the Bruce Willis of real estate.