The Kingsway - Islington : In The News

The Hollywood Reporter writes on the resurgence of Toronto's film and TV production industry. While the industry slumped in 2008--due to the rise of the Canadian dollar and film tax credits in southern U.S. states--Toronto once again reigns as Hollywood's premier production destination. To celebrate Toronto's revived production industry a gathering has been scheduled for June 23 at the new Islington Ave William F. White Centre to be hosted by Hollywood director Norman Jewison and "Chicago" producer Don Carmody.

"Big stories and little stories; there's so much going on here right now," Jewison said as Toronto plays host to big-budget shoots like Columbia's remake of the 1990 Arnold Schwarzenegger action movie Total Recall and ABC/Global's Rookie Blue."

"Canada's biggest city successfully fended off challenges like the Canadian dollar's rise against the U.S. greenback, and stiff competition from film tax credits in southern U.S. states, to return as a production destination for Hollywood."

"Also attending the William F. White bash are local politicians like James Moore, the federal heritage minister, and Ontario cultural minister Michael Chan, whose generous film tax credits have been key to enticing Hollywood production back to Toronto after a 2008 slump.The new William F. White Centre on Islington Avenue is also part of a soundstage expansion westwards in Toronto away from the city's waterfront, where old studio space was shuttered during the economic recession."

"Our celebration responds directly to the renewed spirit and revitalization of Toronto's production industry," Paul Bronfman, chairman and CEO of Comweb Group and William F. White International, said ahead of the June 23 Toronto tribute."

read full story here
original source Hollywood Reporter

The Globe & Mail writes on the UofT Scarborough's (UTSC) dramatic makeover in preparation for the 2015 Pan AM Games in Toronto. The renovations plans include an  $170-million aquatic center, a hotel and convention centre, a performing arts centre, new residences and academic buildings and a pedestrian throughfare. As reported by the Globe & Mail, far from only serving the athletic "extravaganza" the new additions have the potential to give UTSC a new identity and "to do for southeast Scarborough what Ryerson is doing for Yonge Street and George Brown College is expected to do for Toronto's waterfront: Improve the neighbourhood."

"When Franco Vaccarino became principal of the University of Toronto Scarborough three years ago, he kept hearing a back-handed compliment about his new campus."

"This place," people would say, "is a hidden gem."

"Shrouded by trees and invisible from the nearest major streets, UTSC is more like a covert campus. In his careful academic way, Prof. Vaccarino concedes the school needs to blow its own cover."

"I like the 'gem' part," Prof. Vaccarino said. "I'm not so sure about the 'hidden' part."

"Now UTSC is on its way to becoming a much more visible treasure, thanks to an international sporting extravaganza bigger than the Winter Olympics.The 2015 Pan Am Games and a new $170-million aquatic centre for UTSC are propelling an extreme campus makeover that could include a hotel and convention centre, a performing arts centre, a new pedestrian thoroughfare lined with restaurants and caf�s, and new residences and academic buildings.By transforming 50 hectares north of the existing campus, the expansion could do for southeast Scarborough what Ryerson is doing for Yonge Street and George Brown College is expected to do for Toronto's waterfront: Improve the neighbourhood. The spillover effect is especially important at UTSC, where the poor � and poorly served � pockets of Kingston-Galloway and Malvern are a few kilometres away."

"There's a lot of pride in the area, but there's very few opportunities to express the pride," said Andrew Arifuzzaman, UTSC's chief strategy officer. "I think the Pan Am Games facility actually puts the area on the world stage."

read full story here
original source Globe & Mail