State Of The Map 2015/Call for venues/Toronto, Canada
SotM 2015 - Toronto
The SotM Toronto Team invites the World to Toronto to join us in a celebration of the growth, diversity and works of the OpenStreetMap community.
SotM 2015 - Toronto vision
State of the Map 2015 - Toronto will be a celebration of the OpenStreetMap community. The SotM Toronto Team is committed to sharing an accessible event that demonstrates and celebrates the diversity of the OpenStreetMap community, its contributors and consumers.
Our multi-track conference will include technical presentations for audiences from beginner to expert, and present use cases ranging from social to special interest to commercial. State of the Map 2015 Toronto will include all of your favourite aspects of recent conferences such as talks, lightning talks, workshops and tutorials, and small group breakouts.
Learning, sharing, mapping.
We are committed to providing the very best in soft benefits to our attendees. We'll provide options for cultural experiences that are uniquely Canadian or Torontonian. There will be ample opportunity for networking, ad-hoc conversations, renewing old friendships and creating new ones.
Why Toronto?
Toronto welcomes you. We are thrilled to have the support and encouragement of Tourism Toronto, the official tourism body of the Toronto city government, in preparing this bid. The City of Toronto cares that State of the Map will come to Toronto.
Toronto has:
- over 1,000 flights arriving from around the World every day
- more than 9,000+ restaurants featuring cuisines as diverse as the city
- more than 200+ attractions including the CN Tower, one of the world's tallest free-standing structures
- spectacular day trips to one of the natural wonders of the World, Niagara Falls
- a diverse cosmopolitan population speaking more than 180 languages and dialects
- theatre, cinema, symphony, and live music scenes
- fashion, museums, cuisine, and neighbourhoods galore
The SotM Toronto team have personal histories of welcoming visiting mappers into their homes when they come to Toronto. Now we get to do the same on a larger scale. Visiting OpenStreetMap dignitaries have included previous and current OpenStreetMap Foundation Board members, executives of companies who have sponsored previous State of the Map events, OpenStreetMap contributors from across North America and Europe.
Now it's your turn to learn about Toronto hospitality: we welcome all mappers to visit Toronto in 2015 at State of the Map 2015 - Toronto.
Who is the SotM Toronto Team?
The SotM Toronto Team includes some of the longest-serving OpenStreetMap contributors in North America, as well as some of the newest. Our OpenStreetMap interests range from community to commercial to "I must Map All The Things!"
The team is diverse in age, from our 20s to our 50s. We are diverse in origin, some born within Canada and some from without. We are diverse in profession, including engineers, instructors, marketers, home makers, lawyers, and academics.
We are Caitlyn, Emily, Ellen, Megan, Richard, Stewart, and we expect more of the local OpenStreetMap community to participate as we proceed.
Among the team we have experience in:
- creating and organizing conferences,
- creating and promoting OpenStreetMap events,
- marketing,
- sponsorship development and fund-raising for the OpenStreetMap Foundation and other causes,
- communication with local and international OpenStreetMap communities.
- OpenStreetMap advocacy with government, business and non-profits.
We are the State of the Map Organizing Dream Team. We will achieve!
When?
We have selected provisional dates of Friday, 14 August 2015 through Sunday, 16 August 2015 to align with:
- no known conflicting holidays.
- good timing from Toronto venue availability perspective.
- ideal timing for guest sight-seeing and tourism.
- within the time range specified in the CfV, August to October.
The SotM Toronto team is flexible and while this date is recommended for the above reasons, other dates are possible.
Where?
Downtown Toronto provides many potential venues, many interesting amenities, and excellent transportation options.
Venue selection
The SotM Toronto team has a firm offer on hold with a specific venue. This offer is within the budget guidelines. Details of the offer and exact name of the provisional venue have been sent to the OSMF Board and SotmWG under separate cover. We are in discussion with alternative venues as well.
The provisional offer covers venue, audio / visual equipment and catering as requested in the CfV.
All venues considered to date share the following benefits:
- varied guest accommodation within walking distance, from back-pack hostels to super-luxury hotels.
- good to excellent public transit.
- located within the Toronto Bike Share service region (similar to London Boris Bikes).
- wheelchair accessible.
- varied attractions and amenities in the immediate vicinity.
The provisional venue has offered on-site accommodatations for our attendees at a very good rate.
Transportation
Toronto is a major transportation hub. There are many options for getting to Toronto, and for getting around Toronto once here.
Air
Toronto Pearson International Airport is the main airport in Toronto, located in the adjacent city of Mississauga. Toronto Transit Commission bus route 192 connects Pearson Airport terminals 1 and 3 to Kipling subway station and costs $3.00 or 1 TTC token (including transfers). An airport rail line (UP Express) will be completed in 2015 and will cost $27.50 one way, $19 with a Presto card or $15.20 to Dundas West subway station with a Presto card.
Toronto Billy Bishop Airport, is a regional airport with service to several Canadian and US cities including NYC-Newark, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago Midway, Montréal, Ottawa, Halifax, Loncton and Québec City. Many commuter transit options exist including rental bicycle, public transit, free shuttle, or even walking to the venue for some attendees.
Rail
GO trains offer rail connections within the daily commuter region.
VIA Rail serves numerous Canadian cities with connections to downtown Toronto.
Amtrak US Rail serves Toronto from New York City and other originating cities on the Maple Leaf train.
Surface
Toronto is served by long distance bus carriers, including Greyhound and MegaBus.
Public transit in Toronto is accesses via the Toronto Transit Commission, or TTC. A single fixed-price fare is currently CAD$3.00 exact change. TTC tokens cost $2.70 when bought in bulk. Discount daily passes, family passes and weekend passes are also available. TTC operates subways, streetcars, and buses across Toronto.
Wheeltrans provides specialty wheelchair capable vehicles, and some TTC surface vehicles are fitted with bike racks.
Toronto is served by several taxi firms, licensed by the city.
Bike Share Toronto is a rental bike program with bike stations throughout the downtown core.
Toronto is very walkable including major underground pathways including the PATH, an underground network of 30km of shopping, services and entertainment, for ease of accessduring inclement weather.
Attendee care
The SotM Toronto team is committed to providing a wonderful conference experience for the broadest possible OpenStreetMap community and your travelling companions.
Friends and Family Track
Make State of the Map part of a larger vacation! Bring the family. Friends and family track attendees are welcome to join us for all of the social aspects of State of the Map.
While you are attending the conference that holds your interest, your travelling companions can enjoy the many surrounding sight-seeing options. Before or after the conference, explore Canada's Awesome Natural Beauty by camping in a provincial or national park; tour the agricultural region by bicycle and hop between boutiques and B&Bs; relax at a lakeside cottage and enjoy the late summer stars at night.
Wheelchair accessibility
Our provisional venue, provisional accommodations and alternate venues are all wheelchair accessible.
Bilingual Canada
We are committed to providing content by and for speakers of both of Canada's official languages, français and English.
Simultaneous interpretation
We are committed to providing simultaneous translation to American Sign Language for attendees.
Daycare
Daycare options will be provided.
Anti-harrassment statement
The SotM Toronto team is committed to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of colour, ethnic origin, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of event participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for our events. Participants violating these rules may be expelled from the event at the discretion of the organizers without further warning.