May, 2018

To all of our TTC members and new members for 2018 – welcome!
Spring is officially here and it’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly five months since the last Annual Dinner. 2018 continues to be a fast-paced year for the TTC. Our events are selling out quickly, membership exceeds 1300 for the first time in history and the overall enthusiasm continues moving at a record pace.

I would like to thank our Board of Directors and Event Committees, who plan and direct the best events in our industry. I have heard endless comments from our membership, and guests, about how this club exceeds expectations time and time again. Our volunteer board truly brings to life our events and gatherings, and we appreciate all of their continued efforts.
Our first event of the year was our annual Winter Getaway at Craigleith Ski Club. Members enjoyed the opportunity to either relax at the IWA Spa in their special Japanese KamBam Sauna, ski, snowboard or hike up the mountain with trailblazer and 2nd Vice President Cynthia Nagamatsu and her hardy group of adventurers.

Our Pop Up Event at Amsterdam Brewery was a big hit for those who attended in early March. Introduced in 2017, this event has grown to over 85 in attendance. The Club has decided to make this a bi-yearly gathering, giving all the chance to mingle in a social setting with the TTC Board and it has been extremely well-received by our membership. Thank you to Committee Chair Liam O’Briain for organizing the evening.

Transportation Night “Speakeasy” at the Palais Royale, held on April 26th, was a resounding success! With a sell-out crowd of over 300 guests, we had a throwback party to the days of the Gin-Joints, fabulous entertainment and food so good it was “Criminal”. The event was sponsored by CP and we truly felt like we were back in the roaring 20’s. IN Transit Personnel sponsored our Charity Casino and it was a big hit. CN sponsored the entertainment, the Saxy Grooves Band, who were phenomenal. I would like to extend a big thank you to our Gold Sponsors – without your generous support this amazing event would not have been possible. And of course, our event committee Chair Cynthia Nagamatsu and her team did an outstanding job!

Around the corner is our Spring Golf Tournament, being held on May 17th at ClubLink Country Club, as well as our annual Ladies’ Lunch – Women in Transportation, which is scheduled for June 12th; also at the fabulous Palais Royal. Both events traditionally sell out so get your tickets early. This year our Ladies’ Lunch speaker is Mogul and Dragon Michelle Romanow. We have added additional seating but it’s important you secure your tickets as soon as possible or risk missing out on what promises to be an incredible afternoon.

Our fall lineup starts with the Power of Education Tournament, back in Collingwood by popular demand on September 13th; followed by Race Night at Woodbine on October 3rd; and last but not least, our signature event – The Annual Dinner. This year’s event is being held earlier than usual, on November 29th at the MTCC, so make sure to take note. We have a surprise Guest Speaker lined up – visit our website to see if you can “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”. Extra seating has been allotted for this event and promises to be yet another sold out event. Remember to book your hotel rooms early. Once again, we have a block reserved at the Intercontinental Hotel. Visit https:/book.passkey.com/goTTC2018 to take advantage of this special offer. Please note there are several conventions in Toronto that week so make sure to book your accommodations early.

This is also an important time of year for students getting acceptances to University and College and planning the next stage of their lives. The Toronto Transportation Club supports these dreams by offering financial assistance through its scholarship program. Please visit our website to get information on eligibility and the application process at torontotransportationclub.com.

Mike Fontaine
President, The Toronto Transportation Club