News

Prince Charles had the pick of the city, and for a while at least, several Toronto landmarks were under consideration for one of his two "priority" royal visits today.

The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which he opens this morning with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, was an obvious choice, considering its name and history of visits by the Royal Family.

But the Evergreen Brick Works?

"The Brick Works is really an odd choice," said Geoff Cape, founding executive director of Evergreen, a non-profit environmental organization. "It really is a dirt-under-the-fingernails authentic project that has ... international relevance."

Mr. Cape said it all began with a phone call in the summer from Kevin MacLeod, Canada's Usher of the Black Rod, whose duties include the co-ordination of royal visits.

Mr. MacLeod and a delegation of about a dozen people, including representatives from Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's office, visited in late July.

On Sept. 9, Clive Alderton, Prince Charles's deputy private secretary, arrived from Britain for a tour. Mr. Cape said that as he was leaving, Mr. Alderton told him it was the only project he'd seen to actually integrate urban agriculture, sustainability and the preservation of heritage architecture - three issues close to Prince Charles's heart.

The $55-million conversion of the old Don Valley Brick Works into an environmental discovery centre is also close to the heart of Mr. Flaherty, who gave the charity $20-million in federal money at the outset of its fundraising campaign. He will join the Prince for today's tour.

Mr. Cape said Charles may have first heard about the project from the Prince's friend Tom Symons, the founding president of Trent University and an adviser to Evergreen.

Located in the Don Valley ravine near Bayview Avenue and Pottery Road, the Brick Works will officially open next year as an environmentally sustainable "village" with a native plant nursery and garden centre, geology and heritage exhibits, meeting space and a year-round marché. It is already home to Toronto's largest weekend farmers market.

Nothing in Charles's visit has been left to chance: the itinerary is planned by the minute.