How you can pay your respects in Toronto to Queen Elizabeth II
After seven decades on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest reigning monarch, died Thursday at Balmoral Castle. She was 96.
In Toronto, the city swiftly responded to her death by lowering all flags where possible to half-mast and dimming the Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square until the date of the state funeral.
Mayor John Tory said, in a statement on Sept. 8, most have known no other Queen and she was the one constant and reassuring presence in our own country and on the world stage - a beacon of eloquence, stability and commitment to duty - over so many decades."
Other Toronto landmarks like the CN Tower and Mirvish theatres dimmed their lights the night of the Queen's passing.
There are various ways to commemorate the Queen in Toronto if you wish to pay your respects.
City of Toronto
You can send a message of condolence through the National Electronic Condolence Book or in person at Toronto City Hall and the city's civic centres starting the afternoon of Sept. 9, Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Written and email messages can also be sent.
CN Tower
The CN Tower will fly its Canadian flag at half-mast from now until sunset on the day of the memorial service for the Queen. It will dim the lights every night for five minutes at the top of each hour for the duration of the official mourning period, which will continue until the day of her memorial service.
Casa Loma
Casa Loma is working with the Queen's Own Rifles for a tribute on Sept. 17 that the public can attend.
A spokesperson for Casa Loma said, Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall, now Queen Consort Camilla is their colonel-in-chief."
The flag will also be at half-mast for the mourning period.
Toronto Symphony Orchestra
On Thursday, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra released a recording of its performance of Nimrod" from Enigma Variations" by English composer Edward Elgar, in tribute to the Queen.
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, said in a statement, it fondly remembers performing for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at a gala performance in Roy Thomson Hall on Oct. 1, 1984." The recording can be listened to here.
Royal Ontario Museum
At this time, the Royal Ontario Museum's flag is at half-mast and when visitors come to the museum they will see the display case honouring the Queen's Jubilee will be wrapped in black ribbon.
Toronto Public Library
The Toronto Public Library has shared a blog about the Queen's reign, featuring photographs from the digital collections (which have more than 500 photos of the Queen) of her childhood, marriage, ascension to the throne, motherhood and royal engagements.
The library has also offered an extensive reading list about the Queen which can be accessed for free via the library.
Clarrie Feinstein is a Toronto-based staff reporter for the Star. Reach Clarrie via email: clarriefeinstein@torstar.ca