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Toronto (May 4, 2016) – For one day only – Saturday, May 28, 2016 – Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Billy Bishop Airport) will welcome the public to learn more about the airport as part of the 17th annual Doors Open Toronto, presented by Great Gulf. This is the first year Billy Bishop Airport has participated in the city-wide event, which will feature more than 130 architecturally, historically, culturally and socially significant buildings across Toronto.
Under this year’s Doors Open Toronto theme of “Re-used, Re-visited and Revised,” Billy Bishop Airport will showcase its rich 75+-year history of providing aviation users and travellers with a convenient, customer-oriented international gateway to the world. Billy Bishop Airport will “open its doors” on
May 28 only from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last tour being offered at 4:45 p.m. Staff and partners will be on site to answer questions and visitors will have access to:
- Billy Bishop Airport’s award-winning, underwater pedestrian tunnel as well as the mainland pavilion and island atrium;
- The airport’s fire hall and maintenance facility, which will include the opportunity for kids of all ages to explore the airport’s state-of-the-art safety vehicles;
- A staging area to view the airport’s runway operations and aircraft;
- Flash, the falcon, a raptor which plays a role in the airport’s wildlife management program;
- Ornge aircraft and facilities that provides Medevac emergency services;
- A historic photography exhibit in the island atrium depicting images of the airport; and,
- Airport partners and tenants, such as Porter Airlines, Nieuport Aviation, who will host displays, showcasing the full range of services that the airport offers.
“Billy Bishop Airport has been focused on providing Torontonians and visitors alike with a convenient and world-class international gateway to Canada’s largest city,” said Gene Cabral, Executive Vice President of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and PortsToronto, which owns and operates the airport. “Doors Open Toronto provides Torontonians with an opportunity to explore and celebrate the city’s rich history and we look forward to welcoming the community to our airport to showcase what we do and why this airport is an important part of what makes Toronto a world-class city.”
Since it opened in 1939, Billy Bishop Airport has served as an important commercial aviation centre, a training ground for both the Royal Canadian and Royal Norwegian Air Forces during World War I, a hub for General Aviation and Medevac services, and as a key driver of Toronto’s economy. The airport is now the ninth-busiest airport in Canada serving 2.5 million passengers each year travelling to and from more than 20 destinations in Canada and the United States.
About Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
With flights to more than 20 destinations in Canada and the United States and connections to 80 locations around the world, Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport provides travellers coming into and out of Canada's largest city with a convenient travel option located less than three kilometres from Toronto’s downtown core. In 2015, the airport served 2.5 million passengers, making it the ninth-busiest airport in Canada and the sixth-busiest Canadian airport serving the United States. Billy Bishop Airport was recently named one of the best airports in North America by both Airport Council International and Skytrax.
About PortsToronto (http://www.portstoronto.com)
For more than 100 years PortsToronto, (formerly the Toronto Port Authority), has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomes more than two million passengers each year; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Terminals 51 and 52, which provide transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $8 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.
About Doors Open Toronto
Since its inception in 2000, Doors Open Toronto has attracted more than two million visits to nearly 700 unique locations across the city. It is Canada's largest Doors Open event and one of the three largest Doors Open events in the world. Doors Open Toronto is dedicated to celebrating built heritage, architecture and design. It is presented by Great Gulf and produced by the City of Toronto in partnership with the broader community. Look for information and updates at
http://www.toronto.ca/doorsopen, Facebook at facebook.com/doorsopenTO, Twitter at @Doors_OpenTO and Instagram at @doors_opento. Event hashtag is: #DOT16.
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Media Contact:
Erin Mikaluk, Senior Manager, Communications & Media Relations
PortsToronto
Tel: (416) 863-2065
Cell: (647) 298-0544
E-mail:
emikaluk@portstoronto.com