Geomatics - Toronto Field Study
On May 21, 2015, the Geomatics class visited Toronto for a day of sightseeing and field studies. We began in Kensington Market with a quick walking tour. We then proceeded to the University of Toronto Map Library for a lecture/presentation on GIS and geospatial technologies at the university. The presentation centred around the uses of GIS for various disciplines at the university, legalities of GIS information and spatial data, the movement towards open data, etc. There was a special emphasis on historical data and scanning of old maps. Students saw many examples of how the city has been tracked and changed over time. A special thanks goes to Head Map Librarian Marcel Fortin who gave an excellent presentation to our students. Students became aware of the services that were offered, educational opportunities within the university, and were able to see first hand a functioning university library. After this presentation, students walked past Queen’s Park to the Eaton Centre for lunch. After lunch, we met up at Yonge-Dundas Square where students learned some of the recent history of the public area. We then hopped on to the subway and headed for Union Station. Students then made their way to the waterfront stopping to discuss the current situation with the Gardiner Expressway. We hopped on the ferry and headed for Toronto Island where we rented quad bikes and explored the western part of the island. Students had a blast racing around the island while mapping our journey.
