| f my favourite spots in Toronto is the Toronto Islands, | | | | One of the team members, a lady by the name of |
| that lovely patch of land right in front of downtown | | | | Pam, had recently participated in an initiative called |
| Toronto, separated by just a sliver of water. So close, | | | | UpKili: an event where 30 breast cancer survivors and |
| yet so far from the city's hustle and bustle. One of the | | | | their friends climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds |
| biggest events on the Islands is the Toronto | | | | for Breast Cancer Research. In total more than |
| Dragonboat Festival, a family event organized by the | | | | US$120,000 was raised. Pam told me that she ended |
| Toronto Chinese Business Association. In addition to | | | | up having an accident during the climb and had to be |
| being a great entertainment event, the Dragonboat | | | | rescued and taken down by a team of sherpas. |
| Festival is also a big fundraiser for the Canadian | | | | Nevertheless this was one of the most exciting events |
| Breast Cancer Foundation, so it’s not just fun, | | | | in her life time, being part of this unique initiative for this |
| it’s also for a good cause. | | | | great cause. And despite her injury she ended up |
| So two days ago I headed off down to the | | | | taking part in a safari even after the climb was |
| waterfront and took the ferry across to Centre Island. | | | | finished. I was really happy to have connected with this |
| At 10 am when I left things were still fairly quiet and the | | | | group of courageous women who had overcome so |
| line-ups hadn’t started yet. People with bicycles, | | | | much and are now taking their inspiring message to |
| strollers, coolers on wheels, all equipped for a full day | | | | audiences across the world. |
| on the Island, were making the trek across the bay to | | | | The official opening ceremony was going to be held at |
| enjoy the excitement of the Dragonboat Race and to | | | | noon so I raced back into the main festival area. A |
| bask in the serenity of this island sanctuary. | | | | group of politicians and dignitaries was assembled on |
| The ride on the ferry affords absolutely the best view | | | | the stage and after a number of speeches and |
| of Toronto’s skyline and at $6 return it is one | | | | welcoming remarks by the President of the Toronto |
| of the most affordable sight-seeing options in Toronto. | | | | Chinese Business Association, the ribbon cutting |
| All the skyscrapers, the CN Tower, the round shell of | | | | ceremony was held. A performance of the Lion |
| the Skydome (now called the Rogers Centre) and the | | | | Dance and the Eye-Dotting Ceremony of the Lions |
| outline of the historic Royal York Hotel come into | | | | provided an authentic Chinese cultural flavour to this |
| focus when you look back at the city. | | | | event. This was followed up by the Waist Drum |
| Toronto’s skyline is one of the most | | | | Dance, organized and performed by the Chinese |
| recognizable images in the world. | | | | Professional Women Association of Canada. |
| After a fifteen minute ride I set foot at the ferry dock | | | | I then strolled the grounds and by this time the food |
| on Centre Island and started walking towards the | | | | court was quite busy. Every special event has its |
| so-called Alan A. Lamport Regatta Course, a stretch | | | | special characters and just after the opening |
| of water frequently used for rowing events of | | | | ceremony I saw this group of people strolling |
| different kinds. People had already set themselves up | | | | determinedly across the lawn, obviously a dragon boat |
| all over the lawn, ready for a picnic. Onlookers were | | | | team that had just finished their race. Their leader was |
| following the races. A food court was set up where | | | | pulling an imitation version of a multi-functional dragon |
| various vendors sold different types of Oriental | | | | boat that was spewing smoke, blowing soap bubbles |
| delicacies and the Multicultural Village provided cultural | | | | and blaring Michael Jackson dance tunes through the |
| displays, arts and crafts demonstrations, as well as | | | | built-in stereo system. The group was marching at a |
| various activities for children. One of the stands had an | | | | pretty fast clip and I had a hard time trying to keep up |
| amazing assortment of folded paper crafts including | | | | with them and taking pictures at the same time. Finally |
| some beautiful decorative dragonboats. The lady at | | | | they settled in the shade by the water and I asked |
| the stand told me it takes her a whole day to craft | | | | one of the team members what this was all about. He |
| some of these masterpieces. | | | | explained that his team was called "Kindred Spirits" and |
| A real dragon boat actually is a long and narrow boat, | | | | that they represented the Kinsmen in Bolton. They had |
| powered by paddlers, and the boat is usually adorned | | | | indeed finished their last race of the day and were |
| by decorative Chinese dragon heads and tails. Usually | | | | now ready to relax and celebrate, and their special |
| a dragon boat will have a crew of about 22 people, | | | | miniature dragon boat was a symbol of their |
| with one drummer or caller facing the paddlers, and | | | | determination to have a great party. |
| one steerer at the rear of the boat. Dragon boats are | | | | The colourful characters kept coming. I ran into two |
| thought to have come into existence more than 2500 | | | | bagpipers from the Ontario Provincial Police |
| years ago in south central China and have a long | | | | Commissioner’s Own “Pipes and |
| history in Chinese rituals and celebrations. | | | | Drums”, a group of uniformed and civilian |
| The races had already started at about 8 am | | | | volunteers, who make appearances as ambassadors |
| Saturday morning. Dragon boat racers were coming | | | | for the O.P.P. all throughout Ontario. These two |
| down the water channel, 6 boats at a time, in the | | | | gentlemen were just enjoying a pizza when I came up |
| qualifying heats for the finals. This year there were | | | | to them and asked them about their upcoming |
| about 6,000 paddlers competing over two days. About | | | | performance. They said they would be performing at |
| 200 teams participated in more than 100 races over | | | | about 1 pm, “somewhere in the shade”. |
| this past weekend and teams came from all walks of | | | | Both of them were dressed up in full Scottish regalia, |
| life: banks, community groups, colleges, universities and | | | | kilt and all, wearing the colours of the Ontario tartan. |
| other educational institutions, hospitals, technology and | | | | Of course I also had to ask them the key question that |
| pharmaceutical companies and many more. | | | | is burning on everybody’s lips when they |
| I strolled past the grandstand and past Centreville, | | | | encounter a Scottish bagpiper. The officer kindly |
| Toronto Islands’ amusement park, over the | | | | responded and said that the answer totally depends |
| bridge to the other side of the race course with the | | | | on the question: |
| intent to connect with some dragon boat teams. The | | | | - If the question is “What is worn under the |
| first team I ran into was a group of high school | | | | kilt?”, the answer is “nothing is worn |
| principals and vice principals that get together every | | | | under the kilt, everything is in great working |
| year to participate in the race and raise some funds | | | | order”. |
| for breast cancer. These educators were a very | | | | - If the question is “What are you wearing |
| welcoming and enthusiastic bunch, and started chatting | | | | under the kilt?”, the appropriate answer is |
| with me. Their coach Glen gave me further | | | | “socks and shoes”. |
| background about their training routine. He explained | | | | That meant my curiosity remained unsatisfied, but I got |
| that around February the whole team goes out to | | | | a chuckle out of the answers which no doubt must |
| public swimming pools and starts stationary paddling. | | | | have been given dozens of times before to deflect |
| Then around April they actually get into the water near | | | | nosy queries. I only had about another hour on the |
| Ontario Place and train twice a week. Some teams | | | | island before I had to head back to the city, so I put on |
| train as many as five or even eight times a week. | | | | my inline skates and started gliding southwards through |
| Glen and his friends indicated that dragonboating is a | | | | the gardens on Toronto Island which feature a |
| supreme stress buster, providing welcome relief from | | | | fountain, several flower beds and reflecting ponds. |
| the pressures of the classroom. | | | | South of there are locker rooms, the Island Bicycle |
| One of his team members indicated that I should | | | | Rental building as well as the Island Pier. West of this |
| definitely catch one of the most interesting teams in | | | | area is Manitou Beach, a sandy haven for avid sun |
| the race: a team of breast cancer survivors. So I | | | | worshippers. Further west from there is |
| started hunting in search of this team and I walked into | | | | Hanlan’s Point, Toronto’s only clothing |
| the “Athlete’s Village” which had | | | | optional beach. |
| a variety of tents set up for the convenience of the | | | | I had to get back to the mainland, so I started |
| athletes. | | | | rollerblading in the other direction, eastwards towards |
| Finally I found the team, "Dragons Abreast", a group of | | | | Ward’s Island. Along the way I found numerous |
| women ranging in age between 35 and 75, who had all | | | | spots with canals, inlets and sailboats set against the |
| survived breast cancer. All were dressed in pink | | | | backdrop of the city, indeed some of the best places |
| t-shirts to draw attention to the cause of breast | | | | to take in Toronto’s skyline in perfect serenity. |
| cancer. I started talking to the group and found out that | | | | Ward’s Island itself houses a community of |
| some of the group’s members have travelled | | | | permanent residents, many of them artists. |
| to various destinations all across the world to promote | | | | I ran into one of these talented folks, who was fabric |
| the cause of breast cancer awareness. Some of | | | | painting on t-shirts in the middle of the lawn. Christopher |
| them have recently travelled to Capetown, South | | | | Pinheiro is a Trinidadian-born multi-disciplinarian artist. His |
| Africa, and this year a number of them are | | | | description on the Toronto Islands website lists him as |
| participating in an international dragonboat race in | | | | “actor, dancer, model, masquerader, soup-chef |
| Singapore. | | | | and textstylist”. We had a brief chat about his |
| Dianne, their media coordinator, explained that they | | | | fabric art as he was just painting a red maple leaf |
| race to promote awareness among younger women | | | | which would later be adorned by yellow and blue |
| to participate in early breast cancer detection | | | | sections. Christopher is obviously an important member |
| programs. She added that in the past many women | | | | of the Toronto Islands artist community. |
| were told to avoid strenuous upper body exercise | | | | At 2:15 I caught the ferry back to the mainland from |
| after breast cancer surgery. The paddlers at Dragons | | | | Wards Island together with probably another 20 or 30 |
| Abreast on the other hand firmly believe that the | | | | travellers. Arrival on the other side was a different |
| exercise involved in dragonboating actually has | | | | story: the ferry docks and the public area outside the |
| significant health benefits, both physical and | | | | ferry buildings were completely full with hundreds of |
| psychological. | | | | people, lining up all the way out to Front Street. |