Category: Community

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“ What’s behind that door?”

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Doors Open Markham features seven NEW sites

Have you ever wondered, “ What’s behind that door?” Doors Open Markham provides visitors with exclusive access to 19 locations that are not generally open to the public. This is a free one-day event to tour cultural and historical sites that reflect our community’s past, and experience the diverse cultures that contribute to Markham’s unique charm.

“This is a chance to explore Markham’s hidden gems, learn about our community’s history and cultural heritage … the possibilities are endless!” says Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti. “There is something for everyone: Markham Fire Station is a favourite for kids of all ages, architectural enthusiasts will be wowed by the Wong Dai Sin Temple and if you haven’t yet, be sure to visit the Aaniin Community Centre and Library, Markham’s newest facility!”

“One day + 19 fascinating locations + FREE admission = Doors Open Markham,” says Doors Open Committee Chair Kenneth Ng. “Visit first-time sites and past favourites, for their architecture, their heritage, or the interesting things going on. The Doors Open Markham Committee looks forward to seeing you there!” Continue reading ““ What’s behind that door?””

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Student art revitalizes Brampton Transit hub

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A 16-foot long mural created by Sheridan College students was unveiled yesterday at Brampton Transit’s Gateway Terminal to help revitalize the space.

 Located at 501 Main Street South, the Brampton Gateway Terminal is a hub for students – particularly those from Sheridan College – making this project a natural collaboration. With the idea stemming from Brampton Transit employees who work at the terminal and wanted to beautify the space, the City commissioned several of the school’s Honours Bachelor of Illustration students to create a mural that represents Brampton Transit and its role in the community.

 Sheridan included this project in its summer illustration program.  Four students created the final artwork:  Alanna Campbell, Erina Chida, Isabella Fassler and Miri Molev. The mural project was led by Sheridan Illustration faculty Ted Zourntos and Julia Breckenreid, along with the support of Elijah Williams, Manager, Centre for Indigenous Learning and Support, who guided the students in the identification of appropriate indigenous symbols to include in the mural. Continue reading “Student art revitalizes Brampton Transit hub”

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Gold Burgers and Chinese Lanterns Bring the Shine to 140th CNE

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By N. Balani

Over the top food creations are a major attraction at The Ex.  “Every year we have this little competition that goes on between the various chefs and concessions on site,” says the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE or The EX) CEO Virginia Ludy. “It never ceases to amaze me what they come up with.”

This year, after much deliberation, the big winner is the 24k gold-foil wrapped burger by Bacon Nation in the food building, which is fit for a King or Queen! Of course it comes with a hefty price tag at $100 for the larger version. If that does not suit your pocket then there is a smaller version at $24.95. Each is covered in edible 24-karat gold foil and is certainly a status symbol to be seen on social media delicately nibbling away at it!

Other food novelties include kimchi hotdogs and the very popular Big Pickle Tornado – a hotdog in a tortilla garnished with a pickle, cheese sauce and bacon. More intrepid foodies can go for the chocolate banana steakclair- a giant éclair stuffed with steak, banana, whipped cream, cheese and chocolate sauce.

The EX marks the beginning of the end of summer and is the quintessential outing for most Canadian families. It is all about the crowning creations of food, the rides and mid-way for the kids, the music concerts, the dog-show and craft stalls. Continue reading “Gold Burgers and Chinese Lanterns Bring the Shine to 140th CNE”

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Nirmala Armstrong: Councillor, Contributor, Leader, Lawyer

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Regional Councillor Nirmala Armstrong is a popular, well-respected person not only in the City of Markham, but the entire GTA and beyond. In addition to being the first South Asian woman to become Regional Councillor, she is also a highly regarded lawyer who has been a sole practitioner for 20 years and was also a lecturer in the Faculty of Family Law for the Ontario Bar Admission at the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Ever since being elected as a Regional Councillor for the City of Markham in 2014, Nirmala Armstrong has worked tirelessly within the community to serve the members. She has been a recipient of several awards, including the ‘Inspiring Women Award from ANGEENA International Non-Profit Organization, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medals for outstanding contributions to the community at large.

The initiatives and accomplishments of Nirmala Armstrong are far too many to describe, so suffice it to say that she has worked on projects like ending ‘Youth Homelessness’, raising awareness about ‘Domestic Violence Against Women’, promoting participation of women in sports etc. Continue reading “Nirmala Armstrong: Councillor, Contributor, Leader, Lawyer”

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2018 CNE BRINGS LARGER-THAN-LIFE ATTRACTIONS AND SUPERSIZED ENTERTAINMENT

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NEW: Indoor Lantern Festival, TELUS Asian Market, Giant Garden Gnomes, Star-Studded Concert Series, and the US Air Force Thunderbirds return to the Canadian International Air Show for their only performance outside of the USA this year

– August 17 to September 3 –

Toronto’s iconic summer celebration, the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), kicks off August 17 to
September 3 with all-new and more diverse programming than ever before. In celebration of the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism, the CNE is home to one of the world’s largest indoor lantern festivals featuring 17 illuminated large-scale art installations on display daily inside the Enercare Centre, as well as an outdoor TELUS Asian Market transforming Princes’ Blvd. into a bustling and lively marketplace for artisanal crafts and authentic street foods from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3.

Returning to its destination beside the Princess Margaret Fountain is the eight-feet tall CNE sign. A new popular ‘selfie’ photo opportunity at The Ex is the Nook of Gnomes inside Heritage Court, where visitors can find unexpected encounters with six- and 12-feet giant gnome statues decorated in greenery. Innovation is also a strong theme this year with the return of the CNE Innovation Garage and the Emerging Innovators Pitch Competition; a new Genius Lab Playground and Nintendo Kids Tech Zone; more play-to-win tournaments at Gaming Garage; and an exciting new robot competition where high school teams showcase their robotic creations for top honours. Continue reading “2018 CNE BRINGS LARGER-THAN-LIFE ATTRACTIONS AND SUPERSIZED ENTERTAINMENT”

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Panorama India to mark India’s Independence Day by showcasing India’s culture and heritage

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INDIA DAY FESTIVAL AND GRAND PARADE EXPECTED TO DRAW OVER 50,000 PEOPLE AT CITY HALL

  More than 50,000 people are expected to converge at Nathan Philips Square to celebrate the 19th Annual India Day Festival and Grand Parade on Sunday, August 19, 2018.   Organized by Panorama India, with the support of Consulate General of India, the all-day event to celebrate India’s culture and heritage will present music and dance performances, a kids zone and an international bazaar with 100 kiosks exhibiting fashion, jewellery, handicrafts and an array of food.  The King of Bhangra Malkit Singh, Indo-Canadian singer Parichay and Indian Actor Pukhraj Bhalla will be on hand to perform for the massive crowds.

The event kicks off with the National Anthem at 1pm followed by the Grand Parade, marshalled by Bollywood actor Jimmy Sheirgill.  According to organizers, the grand parade will have 20 floats representing the various States of India put together by the diverse number of cultural groups in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The parade will begin at Nathan Phillips Square, journey west to University Avenue, turning North to Dundas, East to Yonge Street, South to Queen Street and culminating back at City Hall.

Consul General of India in Toronto, Amb. Dinesh Bhatia will preside over the India Day event with participation from several political dignitaries from all levels of government. Continue reading “Panorama India to mark India’s Independence Day by showcasing India’s culture and heritage”

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Muggles, Hogwarts and Quidditch -The Potted Potter Toronto Experience!

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By N. Balani

The Potted Potter experience began way back in 2005 in England when Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner were asked to do a 5-minute street show style presentation on the first 5 Harry Potter books for fans waiting for the release of the sixth book at midnight.

They never imagined that more than a decade later they would still be performing an extended version of that magical show all over the world! This outstanding show has toured from England to Australia to Hong Kong to Dubai and now is in its fourth tour of Toronto and will go on to other cities in the USA.

This two-man parody on the world of Harry Potter will keep you rolling in laughter whether you are 6 or 66 or even the age of Lord Voldermort! The show involves a Harry Potter expert (James Percy) and a person who is definitely not a Potter expert (Brendan Murphy) trying to present a 70 minute summary of the entire 7 tomes of the Potter saga. To enjoy the slap-stick humour of this show you do not even have to know the difference between a HufflePuff and a horcrux or the names of all the creatures from the Book of Magical Creatures. The plot is simple and so is the stage set (low key wigs and hats), but the comedy is rich and a rare chance to see improvisation theatre at its very best. Continue reading “Muggles, Hogwarts and Quidditch -The Potted Potter Toronto Experience!”

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CARABRAM 2018: Cultures, costumes, cuisines!

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Carabram, Brampton’s Multicultural Festival has expanded. This year they included a central site at South Fletcher’s Sportsplex, to showcase additional cultures, music and food as well as an International Bazaar. In addition, The World of Food Pavilion was part of the central site as well an International Market Bazaar with artisans and commercial vendors from Arabia, Latin America, Pakistan, Hawaii, Ukraine and Nepal.

A small stage was set up to present music, dance and songs, as well as demonstrations including Ted Talk style presentation. The Main stage, beside World of Food, continued to showcase top entertainment from around the world.

Carabram, Canada’s oldest cultural festival was on July 13, 14, and 15 at eight venues across the city. In addition to the new South Fletcher’s site, there were pavilions located throughout the city. Canada returned to the UNIFOR Local 1285 Hall,

Caribbean and China were at Chris Gibson Recreation Centre. The rhythm of the islands, the pulsating beats of the drums and the steel band made the audiences sway to the reggae music and whine to the calypso singers. At the China Pavilion, entertainment   included Lion Dance , Kung Fu (Wushu), Qipao fashion show, GuZheng (Chinese Zither), Tai Chi and Taekwondo. Continue reading “CARABRAM 2018: Cultures, costumes, cuisines!”

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#BollywoodMonster Mashup ready for monstrous audience in Mississauga

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Bollywood fans get hyped! The season of #BollywoodMonster Mashup, presented by TD Bank Group is well underway after the the festival’s successful kickoff event, the #BollywoodMonster Teaser Party on Friday, July 6 at the FLY Nightclub.

The celebrations are set to continue with the #BollywoodMonster Family Day and Finale on July 21, #BollywoodMonster Concert on July 20 and #BollywoodMonster VIP & Media Cocktail Reception on July 19, which are all part of the largest South Asian festival in Canada’s eighth year.

Aaman Trikha, brought to you by TELUS, headlines the #BollywoodMonster Finale, which kicks off at 6 PM on Saturday, July 21 at Mississauga Celebration Square. Trikha is known as the voice of Akshay Kumar in Hookah Bar (Khiladi 786) and Salman Khan in Prem Leela (Prem Ratan Dhan Payo) with a number of other Bollywood hits under his belt. The #BollywoodMonster Orchestra will also return to the festival, blowing people’s minds by featuring top 40 hits from George Michael, Black Eyed Peas, and Gloria Estefan, mashed up with Bollywood hits from films such as Ram Balram, Don and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. Singer, songwriter and composer Himmy and the Bollywood Rock Band, dance duo Giggle Queens, and dance group Shiamak Showkids will also take the stage throughout the evening.

Families with kids of all ages can enjoy the #BollywoodMonster Family Day festivities, starting at 2 PM on July 21. Continue reading “#BollywoodMonster Mashup ready for monstrous audience in Mississauga”

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ROM to Host Exclusive Exhibition of Photographs by Raghubir Singh

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The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) will be the final North American and exclusive Canadian venue for Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs. Organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the cooperation of Succession Raghubir Singh in Paris, this retrospective presents the visionary works of late photographer Raghubir Singh (1942-1999), who pioneered the use of colour film to document the rapidly changing social, political, and cultural scenes of India from the late 1960s to the 1990s. The exhibition will be on display at the ROM from July 21 to October 21, 2018, following its run at The Met Breuer in New York City and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

“As home to one of the world’s largest collections of South Asian art and culture, we are pleased to host this retrospective on the pioneering work of photographer Raghubir Singh,“ says Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO.“Singh’s illuminating portraits of India, taken from within the culture, have had a major influence on shaping our understanding of the richness and complexity of South Asian society and its unique place in the modern world.”

Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs traces the full trajectory of Singh’s career from his early work as a photojournalist in the late 1960s through to his last unpublished projects of the late 1990s. The exhibition features more than 80 photographs and other objects on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Succession Raghubir Singh. Continue reading “ROM to Host Exclusive Exhibition of Photographs by Raghubir Singh”