10 Things Toronto Used To Be Known For Before The Rob Ford Crack Scandal

Whether you live in Toronto or halfway across the world, chances are you're familiar with the bombshell Toronto Mayor Rob Ford dropped Tuesday afternoon.

In a media scrum outside his office in Toronto City Hall, Ford admitted to smoking crack cocaine once in a "drunken stupor", the biggest development in a six-month scandal following the city's embattled mayor. Ford's revelation has since grabbed international headlines and made him and Toronto an easy target of ridicule for comedians.

Meanwhile, some Torontonians remain faithful to the mayor, some have lost faith, some have called for his resignation, while others, like Conrad Black, have even described him as an "embarrassing guest at a family Christmas party".

It would seem that Toronto now joins an exclusive club of cities governed by mayors who've smoked crack. For some, that might be a source of shame or disappointment. But before Toronto because the centre of a massive crack scandal, its call to fame were its sports teams, towers and diverse food scene.

So, the next time someone asks what's Toronto known for, here's some options you can use instead of home to a crack smoking mayor.

C.N. Tower EdgeWalk

The Associated Press

For the brave and the bold, the C.N. Tower EdgeWalk lets guests walk 360 degrees around Toronto's tallest free-standing structure and gives you bragging rights for completing the "highest external walk of a building". With an elevation of 356 m above street level and walks until the end of November, it just proves you don't need a crack pipe to get high in Toronto.

The Toronto Zoo

The Canadian Press

Pandas! Pandas! Pandas!

Ripley's Aquarium Of Canada

The Canadian Press

Working at Toronto's City Hall may be like swimming with sharks of a different variety but at Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, the sharks here are kept in a tank. Before the crack scandal enveloped the city, Canada's largest indoor aquarium made headlines for their interactive exhibits and colourful jellyfish display.

Our Homeboy Drake Can Still Throw A Concert

Getty

Started from the bottom and now we're here.

How 'Bout Them Leafs?

The Associated Press

Members of Leafs Nation, much like Ford Nation, have had their ups and downs. But after making the playoffs last year prior to a eight-year drought, the boys in blue are playing well and they're off to a solid start with a three-way tie for first in the Eastern Conference. But this is the NHL, and unlike Mayor Ford, who's still in power to 2014, first place today may be 10th place next year.

How 'Bout Them Raptors?

Getty

*See Toronto Maple Leafs

Crazy Good Food Options

Getty

Your town may have something called "Little Caesars". So does Toronto. But it also has a Little Italy, a Little India, Little Portugal, two Chinatowns and this place called "The Danforth". What we're getting at here is that when it comes to food, Toronto has a something for everyone. It's pretty much the Mandarin of international flavours.

The St. Lawrence Market

Getty

Or as you may also know it as: The best food market in the world.

The Leslieville Spit

Flickr: KIRIL STRAX

It's often overlooked, but the Leslieville Spit (a.k.a: Tommy Thompson Park), is a nice escape for visitors and locals in need of a break from the Toronto's bustle for gorgeous wildlife. It's a man-made peninsula stretching 5 km into Lake Ontario from Leslie Street and made of sand, silt and years of refuse. In some ways, it embodies Toronto: a gritty, dirty place that can still be beautiful.

Last, But Not Least: The Santa Claus Parade