The Scotiabank marathon ditches the Gardiner in favour of hitting more downtown neighbourhoods

Toronto’s omnipresent anxiety about being a “world class city” has trickled all the way down to the route of the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon this October. In a bid to make the race a destination marathon, director Alan Brookes has cut out the factories and concrete of the the Gardiner Expressway in favour of a route that will now include Church-Wellesley, Bloor-Yorkville, U of T, Kensington Market and Alexandra Park (and will, like last year, also go through St. Lawrence Market, Swansea and the Beach). Brookes says the new route brings the race close to providing a “New York experience,” with larger crowds and a scenic course that shows visiting runners more of the city. Plus, it should thrill anyone who has to drive on the Gardiner. [Toronto Star]