May 29, 2015
Mayor John Tory, Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell (Councillor Ward 28 Toronto Centre-Rosedale) and City staff welcomed Their Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima on their state visit to Canada today. On behalf of the City of Toronto, Mayor Tory accepted the gift from the Netherlands of seven, orange Tulpi-chairs designed by Dutch designer, Marco Manders, to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands by the Canadian Army in the Second World War.
The bright orange, tulip-shaped outdoor chairs were unveiled on Centre Island where they will provide a look out over the city’s waterfront and skyline to symbolize the strong bond between Canada and the Netherlands.
"I am honoured and proud to accept on behalf of the City of Toronto such beautiful and creative additions to Centre Island,” said Mayor John Tory. "The Tulpi chairs will act as a symbol of our two nations' ongoing friendship and the history we both share. I would like to thank Their Majesties and the people of the Netherlands for this kind gesture.”
"This year, we not only celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the Canadian liberation of the Netherlands, we also celebrate the special friendship between our countries. Over the years, tulips have become the symbol of this unique bond between Canada and the Netherlands. We are honoured to present the City of Toronto with these seven modern tulip chairs, one for every decade of freedom we have enjoyed since the liberation by Canadian troops," said Bert Koenders, Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The all-season chairs look like they've been planted into the ground and add a punch of colour to the landscape. One side of the chair unfolds as a tulip petal would and functions as a seat. The seat automatically folds up when not in use, so it doesn't collect dirt, waste or rainwater. The chairs are located just off the Centre Island ferry dock, under the flag poles along the waterfront.
Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit
http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.
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