MaRS Centre popular choice for record “Doors Open” crowd

Toronto, July 16, 2007 – The MaRS Centre was a popular destination for the second year running as part of 2007 Doors Open Toronto.

According to figures released yesterday by the City of Toronto, more than 2,100 visitors explored the MaRS heritage building in late May.

Overall, more than 220,000 visits to 150 buildings that define the best of Toronto’s historic, contemporary and ‘green’ architecture were logged on this year’s Doors Open Toronto weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 26 & 27, surpassing last year’s total visitation of 205,000 by more than 15,000. Topping the list again this year were City Hall and Old City Hall, where 10,000 and 9586 visitors respectively were welcomed over two days.

Among the most popular new venues on this year’s roster, the TTC Bay Lower station attracted 3500 visitors during the three-hour period it was open. The Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts drew 6500 on Sunday only.

While high-profile official ‘green’ and sustainable buildings like the Toronto Botanical Garden (4000), Steam Whistle Brewing (2800), SAS (1807), Bloorview Kids Rehab (1000) and St. Gabriel’s Passionist Parish (1000) attracted respectable crowds, smaller venues like the Eco-suite at Tridel’s Element Condominium (1014), Levitt Goodman House (1000) and the HOK office (350; one-day only) also drew the curious and inquisitive. Attendance at venues well beyond downtown, such as the Thomas L. Wells Public School (417; one-day only), Metro Label (351), and the Ravina Project (307) proved that the ‘green’ theme drew audiences from all corners of the city and beyond. Don Valley Brick Works attracted 5000 visitors of all ages (more than double last year’s attendance) who learned about Evergreen’s plans to transform this historic site into the greenest facility in North America.

The 9th annual Doors Open Toronto will take place on Saturday and Sunday, May 24 & 25, 2008 with a special focus on Toronto’s Sacred Spaces, Sacred Circles. Visit www.toronto.ca/doorsopen in 2008 for program information. Doors Open Toronto is a Signature Event of Toronto Culture and Live With Culture.

An initiative of Toronto Culture, Live With Culture is a celebration of Toronto’s extraordinary arts and cultural communities. Doors Open Toronto is one of a series of signature events that forms the core of the City-initiated programming. Visit www.livewithculture.ca, the ultimate guide to Toronto’s culture scene.

Doors Open Media Contact:

Jane French, Project Manager
Doors Open Toronto, Toronto Culture
416-338-0496 or jfrench@toronto.ca

About MaRS
MaRS Discovery District (www.marsdd.com) is a large scale, mission driven innovation centre located in Toronto and networked across Ontario, focused on building Canada’s next generation of technology companies. MaRS works closely with entrepreneurs to grow and scale their ventures into global market leaders in life sciences and health care, information, communications and digital media technologies, cleantech, advanced materials and engineering, as well as innovative social purpose business.
For more information, contact:
Linda Quattrin
Director Communications
MaRS Discovery District
416.673.8104
lquattrin@marsdd.com