Local Attractions

The Second City Toronto actors celebrate their new location at 1 York St. Photo: Arthur Mola

Second City fans, rejoice: Canada’s most storied comedy institution is now on the Waterfront at 1 York St. And its new facility is a shiny space with three bars, three stages, glimmering lights and food plates from Oliver & Bonacini — a far cry from their early days at The Old Fire Hall!

The massive 28,700-foot-venue also boasts a big bar area and nine studio spaces for adult/teen classes, which include acting, writing, improv for anxiety and improv for autism. Even online classes are available.

Find it all at secondcity.com/toronto or call (416) 343-0011 for tickets, which range from $29 to $101 for sketch/comedy shows.

“The old place had a thick smell of blood, sweat, tears, fear and joy,” quips Carly Heffernan, creative director of The Second City Toronto. “And the new smell is bright, shiny and exciting. It might be paint fumes. We did just open.”

Get a whiff of the excitement and kick off the new year with a laugh.

Second City fans are ready for a night of comedy. Photo: Arthur Mola

One of the spectacular tanks with sturgeons in the Aquarium.

The great new Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada opened recently to high praise from the public and the Ontario Government, who partly funded the new downtown attraction. More than 13,000 aquatic animals and 450 species are on display in the attractive, low-slung building that extends east of the CN Tower on Bremner Avenue. It took two years to build and cost $130 million.

Mayor Rob Ford said, “This is a beautiful aquarium, and it stimulates our economy.” Around 600 jobs are expected to be created and more than $50 million generated yearly in revenue. Among the attractions are interactive displays that offer learning for both children and adults as they watch the gorgeous creatures — both small and large — swim close by them in dramatic tank environments.

Tickets are $30 for adults, $20 for youth and $10 for children, so it adds up to a fairly expensive family outing though unique and exciting. It is in line with attending other attractions that are clustered in our neighbourhood — the CN Tower, Rogers Centre, the Toronto Railway Museum and Air Canada Centre. With the Aquarium so close to the Waterfront, which already attracts millions of visitors to hugely popular festivals, boat tours and concerts, there is no doubt that we live in a great cultural and economic hotspot of Toronto.

On opening day, the gleaming white Aquarium stood out against thunder clouds over the Financial District.

Local Attractions

See Second City in Our Neighbourhood!

Aquarium Opens Near Waterfront