"Toronto will be a fine town when it is finished," quipped Irish playwright Brendan Behan in the mid-20th century. Fast forward to 2009, and Canada's largest city remains a work in progress. Visitors will notice that it's still perpetually under construction as they tuck under scaffolding and crane their necks up at new skyscrapers unfurling toward the heavens all over this sprawling metropolis.
Some of these projects have the imprimatur of world-famous architects, such as the Sony Centre, the performing arts venue where a 49-story residential tower designed by Daniel Libeskind will dwarf the historic stage where Mikhail Baryshnikov defected to the West (the architect's plans for the center will also reshape the stage itself). Libeskind also designed the new crystal galleries at the Royal Ontario Museum, a project that is still controversial among locals. The city's long-awaited opera house (designed by Jack Diamond) opened a couple of years ago to rave reviews. The Art Gallery of Ontario is finishing up its own Frank Gehry-designed renovations. Donald Trump has discovered Toronto and is building a luxury tower (of course), and Ritz-Carlton suddenly realized that the city is a prime spot for a towering new hotel (Toronto was long overdue for a Ritz).
Ironically, while Torontonians seem eager to show off what's shiny and new in town, many of the most popular attractions have been there for decades. The city's extensive green spaces, which include High Park, Trinity-Bellwoods, Queen's Park, Sunnybrook, and Edwards Gardens, are inspired retreats from the concrete city. For an unforgettable experience, take the short ferry ride to the Toronto Islands and picnic there in full view of the jutting skyline. The writer and urban-planning guru Jane Jacobs -- an American who chose to make Toronto her home -- liked to say "Eyes on the street," and that's exactly where Toronto thrives. The city is still a patchwork of village-like neighborhoods, and its strength -- from Parkdale to the Annex, from Little Italy to Little India, and from Chinatown to Rosedale -- is its rich diversity. Sipping a cappuccino on a Little Italy patio, strolling through Cabbagetown's narrow streets, and exploring historic Kensington Market (especially on a summer Sunday, when it's closed to cars) are among Toronto's finest pleasures. Successive waves of immigration have shaped the city, and you'll experience this rich heritage best on foot, exploring Toronto's ethnic neighborhoods.
