Toronto: Sports for All Seasons

Skydome photo courtesy of
Tourism Toronto

Toronto is a mecca for sports fans throughout the year. This has been a major league town for many years, starting with the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team – one of the NHL’s original six teams. There is a Hockey Hall of Fame in the area of Front-Bay streets. The American League’s Toronto Blue Jays are two-time World Series winners who play at the all-weather Skydome.

The Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts play against other Canadian pro football teams and November’s Grey Cup (east versus West) is often played in Toronto.

The newest pro sports-team addition to the roster is the Toronto Raptors NBA basketball team who play at the new Air Canada Centre, located at Bay and Lakeshore. The Raptors’ season debut is at the end of October.

Tickets to hockey and basketball games are the most difficult to get, but if not too particular, there are often last-minute seats available. Each of the sports teams has its own web site but for overall sports and recreation information in Toronto, check out:


www.toronto.com/Toronto/Sympatico/Sports_Leisure/

This site has many links as well to semi-professional and amateur teams and recreational sites throughout the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). In winter, the outdoor ice rink at City Hall Square is reserved for recreational skating and lots of fun. Toronto has many cycling paths and some pay-as-you-play golf courses. The University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues football team plays at Varsity Stadium in the Bloor-St. George area.

For fitness buffs, Toronto has many inter-linked walking and hiking paths which follow streams and rivers through public parks and are very quiet and scenic. Some of these have rollerblading lanes if that’s your passion. There are also indoor roller blade arenas, tennis courts and Rock Climbing to try. So, whether you’re in the mood for a spectator sport or something more active, there is no shortage of options to keep you satisfied.