Billy Bishop Airport to "Open Its Doors" This Saturday for Doors Open Toronto

TORONTO, May 25, 2017 /CNW/ - On Saturday, May 27, 2017, media are invited to tour Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (Billy Bishop Airport) as part of Doors Open Toronto 2017. This is the second year Billy Bishop Airport will participate in the city-wide event, which last year saw more than 10,000 people visit the airport.

This year's Doors Open Toronto theme "Fifteen Decades of Canadian Architecture" is part of the larger citywide "TO Canada with Love" celebration, which is being held in honour of Canada's 150th birthday. As part of this celebration, Billy Bishop Airport will showcase more than 75 years of providing aviation services to the city of Toronto, including serving as a training base for both the Royal Canadian and Royal Norwegian air forces during WWII.

WHAT:	Billy Bishop Airport welcomes media to tour the airport as part of the 18^th annual Doors Open Toronto, presented by Great Gulf. Airport staff and partners will be onsite to answer questions and provide visitors with a unique behind-the-scenes glimpse of the airport, including:
	Billy Bishop Airport's award-winning underwater pedestrian tunnel, as well as the mainland pavilion and island atrium which play host to a historical exhibit and sculptures relating to the airport's namesake and his role in World War I; The airport's fire hall and maintenance facility, which will provide 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, the historic Terminal A building, new Ground Run-up Enclosure, and aircraft; The opportunity to be one of the first to meet Billy Bishop Airport's new mascot; The team of falcons who play an important role in the airport's wildlife management program; Ornge aircraft and facilities that provides Medevac emergency services; A historical photography exhibit in the island atrium depicting images of the airport and surrounding waterfront; and, Airport partners and tenants, such as Porter Airlines and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), who will host displays, showcasing the full range of services that the airport provides.
The Billy Bishop Airport self-guided tour map can be found here.
WHO:	Gene Cabral, Executive Vice President of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and PortsToronto
WHEN:	Saturday, May 27, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
	Note: Billy Bishop Airport is only participating in Doors Open Toronto on Saturday
WHERE:	Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, 2 Eireann Quay, Toronto, ON
	Information on getting to Billy Bishop Airport and parking can be found here.
PHOTO OP:	Media are invited to tour Billy Bishop Airport as part of Doors Open Toronto, conduct interviews and take photos and/or video.
IMPORTANT: Access to behind-the-scenes areas will only be granted until 5:00 p.m. Last entry will be granted at 4:00 p.m.

About Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport
Billy Bishop Airport is Canada's ninth-busiest airport and welcomed 2.7 million business and leisure travellers in 2016. The airport is also Canada's sixth-busiest airport with passenger service into the United States. Offering service to more than 20 cities in Canada and the U.S., with connection opportunities to more than 80 international destinations via our airlines' networks, Billy Bishop Airport is an important international gateway and a key driver to Toronto's economy, accounting for more than $2.1 billion in economic output each year and supporting 6,500 jobs, including 1,960 directly associated with the airport operations.  

About PortsToronto (http://www.portstoronto.com)  
For more than 100 years PortsToronto 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 welcomed more than 2.7 million passengers in 2016; 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 $9 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 over 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 and on social media: Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/doorsopenTO, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/Doors_OpenTO and Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/doors_opento. The event hashtag is #DOT17. 

SOURCE PortsToronto

Media Contacts: PortsToronto, Sarah Sutton, Senior Manager, Communications and Media Relations, Cell: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]

Related Links

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