World Cup Highs, Headaches & How Muskoka Felt it Too
By Chris Occhiuzzi
Some headed south for the action. Others escaped north to avoid it. Either way, the World Cup made its mark on Muskoka.
Sky-high ticket prices, increased downtown Toronto traffic, cultures coming together, excitement – and some decent on-the-field action as well.
The FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, was definitely a mixed bag of treats and tricks for those living and working in the Greater Toronto Area. Indeed, many we spoke to made a great escape north to Muskoka to spend the month at their cottages.
Working Remotely, Watching from the Dock
"I arranged to work remotely for the whole month," says James. "I love football, but I wasn't about to spend the equivalent of a family vacation just to see one game. So, I had family and friends come over to the cottage to watch the games and enjoyed the best of both worlds in Muskoka."
He wasn't the only one, as that was a common theme. Several businesses in the GTA allowed employees to work from home for the whole tournament, while others allowed remote work just on the days each of the seven matches were hosted at BMO Field - called Toronto Stadium for the tournament.
"Between the remote work on the game days and some vacation time, I spent a lot of time at the cottage," says Daniel. "I planned it out to avoid as much of the downtown traffic as possible. It was just brutal getting around."
The Traffic Was Not an Exaggeration
That was an understatement. One day, it took commuters living in the Lake Shore Boulevard and Fleet Street areas almost two hours for what was regularly a 30-to-40-minute trip to work. TTC streetcars, subways, and buses were jam-packed, and some people complained of not being able to get on at times, despite being the ones who live and pay taxes in the area and were simply trying to get to and from work.
Julie was one of the people this happened to on three separate occasions. Her feelings remain mixed on Toronto being a host city.
"It was very frustrating for me, as someone who was helping foot the bill with my taxes, to be delayed going to work twice and coming home after a long day the other time," she laments. "But I was able to still enjoy some of the activities, especially the Canada House and giant inflatable field at Harbourfront. Every game Canada played, there was a lot of excitement in the area."
And therein lies the mixed bag.
Muskokans in the Stands
There were plenty of good vibes to go around. The Germany-Ivory Coast match saw a handful of Muskokans attend, and some were even part of the several thousand fans marching along Fleet Street to the match - an awesome sight for anyone in the area, or who saw it on social media.
These were among the many who embraced the action and energy, while those who couldn't make it into the stadium visited the FIFA FanFest events at Fort York throughout the tournament. This scribe took his daughter and mother to one of the matchdays and had a thoroughly enjoyable day.
One of the most thrilling days in Toronto was the first-ever World Cup match on Canadian soil, featuring the host nation against Bosnia-Herzegovina. The energetic event ended 1-1, but it was Canada's first-ever point in three World Cup appearances - not an insignificant accomplishment.
At least 10 Muskoka residents and cottagers we know were in attendance at that game.
“Some hosted watch parties. Some joined the crowds. And at least one Muskokan came home a football fan.”
From Ted Lasso to the Front Row
Another match where several Muskokans took to the stands was Ghana against Panama, including Muskoka Lakes Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Norah Fountain.
Norah, along with a few other Chamber members and local politicians, was offered tickets to the match through a mutual connection. Not a fan of soccer - or football, as the case may be - at that point, she first thought about giving them away.
"When they offered me a ticket, I thought, well, that's kind of cool, but frankly, other than Ted Lasso, I don't know very much about football," recalls Norah. "Soccer wasn't a thing growing up in Muskoka in the '70s and even early '80s. Now lots of kids are playing soccer, which is great, right?"
But a close friend of hers was a big soccer fan, so she decided to take the tickets and bring him. It was an experience that not only created amazing memories but also made her a fan of the sport.
"I was so close to the actual pitch," says Norah. "That was amazing. Just being there, even waiting for the game to start, everybody was just joyous… I speak enough Spanish and I love Latin America, and of course I'm going to cheer for Panama."
Though Panama ended up losing the match close to the final whistle, the entire event enamoured Norah with the fans and soccer as a whole. Even when the rain started, it didn't dampen the mood in the stands.
"They're dancing and they're singing and everything, and it was just so multicultural," she explains, noting that even before the match, the atmosphere in Toronto was wonderful. "It was just all the way through the city. It was just like, people were nice . . . And yeah, things were expensive. The water was expensive and stuff, but it was great to see the different groups, and people were playing drums, and there were lots of things going on."
Getting Home Before Midnight
A big concern Norah had going to the game was that it was a weeknight and she had to be in Muskoka in the morning - which meant making the drive home after the game. She had heard plenty of stories about how disorganized the whole travel situation would be.
However, Norah was impressed from the outset, from the smoothness of arriving at the stadium and getting to her seats to being able to get on a GO Train back to where she had parked before heading north.
"It was so well organized, and everything that everybody had said just wasn't true. We were super well organized," she says. "Even though the game ended late, I was back in Muskoka before midnight."
Toronto as an Extension of Muskoka
As someone who grew up in Muskoka and then lived in Toronto for several years - Norah says her Toronto place was her "cottage" because Torrance was home - she says the experience reminded her that a big city with amazing culture and events is not too far away.
"It's almost like an extension of Muskoka in a sense because it's so close," says Norah. "You know that you can go to Toronto for an overnight holiday and experience some amazing events, shows, or sports. It's a little bit like an extension of Muskoka and one of the great things that we have an opportunity to enjoy."
In the end, the World Cup in Toronto had a lot of benefits for those able to escape to the cottage, attend the matches in person, or simply embrace the excitement. And though the drawbacks for those unable to do any of the above were certainly evident, the overall experience must be deemed a success.