WHO LOVE CARS...
Celebrate Father's Day with Yorkville's exotic collection of beautiful beasts
I am not at all sure who the Bloor-Yorkville Business Improvement Area people know at City Hall.
But to get Toronto's Mink Mile (OK, Mink 1.65 Kilometre), the stretch of Bloor Street between Avenue Road and Bay Street, shut down for a day for the 9th Annual Yorkville Exotic Car Show — well, somebody has to know somebody.
That day is tomorrow, Father's Day, and the beneficiary is Prostate Cancer Canada. Fittingly so, because prostate cancer obviously only affects men, and men are, at least biologically speaking, the only people who can become fathers.
Women, equally obviously, should get behind this effort, because they all have dads, too.
Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer among Canadian men, and is almost 100 per cent treatable if discovered in its earliest stages.
Phil Downe, the founder and chairman of the show, notes that to date, the event has raised over $300,000 towards fighting this scourge.
The Yorkville Exotic Car Show has particular significance to me, for at least four reasons.
First, I am a father — four kids, who are wonderful, thanks mainly to their mom ...
Second, I am in that age range, over the age of about 60 (yes, I know, hard to believe), which has to be most concerned about this disease.
Personally, I am on what my doctor calls “active surveillance — no symptoms or other issues to worry about so far, but it's a way of circumventing the ridiculous situation that prostate cancer tests are otherwise not covered by OHIP.
Why? You will have to ask your MPP. I mean, berate your MPP. You might want to check out a short YouTube video titled “Eric McCormack wants you to double your impact this #PlaidforDad!” from the Canadian TV and stage star.
Third, the Toronto Star is the official media sponsor of this event. The fourth reason? I love to stare at these beautiful beasts, too.
Grand Touring Automobiles has loaned me a gorgeous Aston Martin Vantage for the event, which will be in the Aston Martin corral.
It will be joined by, perhaps, the most eclectic collection of cars you can imagine.
Over 100 cars will be on display, including more Aston Martins and other exotics like Acura NSX, Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren.
Special features this year include a celebration of Ferrari's 70th anniversary, with the “LaFerrari,” the company's first gasoline-electric hybrid, as the star of that show.
Plus, a 110th birthday party for Morgan, with a collection of these rare and unique automobiles.
The key to this show is: if you are a car fancier, you will find something there that interests you.
The event runs rain or shine. Let's all do our non-rain dance ...
And, the price is right — as in free, although you will be encouraged to toss a few loonies into the proffered pots for Prostate Cancer Canada.
I hope to see you and thousands of our fellow car freaks there.
Although it is a car show, parking in that area is rough, so unless you are driving your Bugatti to the event, you might consider taking the TTC.
For more information, visit YorkvilleExotics.com.