The busy Queen Elizabeth Way may have been named after the Queen Mother, but her daughter is just as much an integral part of our society.
Queen Elizabeth II is turning 90 on Thursday and to celebrate, we are looking at 9 ways she has made her mark on the GTA.
1. Queen Elizabeth II is considered the most well-travelled monarch and Canada – a place she and the Queen Mother have referred to as ‘home’ – is her most visited country. She has been to the GTA seven times.
2. The Peace Garden at Nathan Phillips Square was dedicated to the Queen. It’s meant to stand as a “commitment of Torontonians to the principle of world peace.”
3. During one visit, she released 100 tagged bass into Grenadier Pond in High Park as part of a conservation effort.
4. There are nine schools in Ontario alone named after her – including one in Mississauga.
5. We eagerly tune in to watch the Princess Elizabeth Stakes Canadian thoroughbred horse race at Woodbine racetrack.
6. We play in the Queen Elizabeth II rose garden at Grange Park.
7. She helped Torontonians celebrate the city’s 150th birthday in 1984 by paying a personal visit.
8. She made friends in the Italian community when she visited Corso Italia in 1984 and was greeted by about 20,000 people who came out to greet her.
9. Toronto was a destination on her Golden Jubilee tour in 2002.
