We were blessed with marvelous warm, sunny weather on October 20-21. Although the major part of attendees came from the southern Ontario area, we were delighted to welcome ARLIS members from as far away as Ottawa and Buffalo, N.Y.

Our group examines a display at Hart House

We started out at the Fine Arts Library, University of Toronto, where we were treated to a magnificent catered lunch by the Department of Fine Arts. Our group then proceeded to Hart House for a tour of their outstanding collections of Canadian art. With a bit of unexpected time on our hands, part of the group made a whirlwind tour of the Osborne Collection of Children's Literature, where they were warmly accommodated.

We were back at University College for coffee, followed by tours of the newly-opened University Arts Centre, where we saw fine works from the gallery's permanent collection in addition to the then-current exhibition on the Dreyfus Affair and editorial cartoons.

Those members who chose to attend the optional dinner at Young Thailand restaurant and the opening of Talley's Folly at the Alumnae Theatre had a wonderful time.

Chapter members in the quad of University College

Outside St. Anne's Anglican Church with Peter Coffman

The next morning, we again assembled in the warm October sun outside of St. Anne's Anglican Church, where we met our tour guide, architectural historian and AGO staff member Peter Coffman. Peter held us rapt with his account of the building and decoration of this unusual Byzantine-style structure, while we gazed up at murals by Group of Seven members on the pendentives of the sunlit dome.

After a colourful streetcar ride along Dundas Street West, we gathered at OCAD for a workshop on "Starting a Friends Group" presented by the U of T's Gayle Garlock, administrator of the Friends of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Gayle's ample knowledge, humour, and responsiveness to the group made this a pleasant and very useful session.

At the Business Meeting, which followed, we elected the 2001 Chapter Executive. Some exciting possibilities for future meetings were discussed... stay tuned!

Group photo in the Hart House Library