September 16, 2006

PODCAST CITY TOURS

Take a popular tour concept and adapt it for one of today's hottest technological phenomena, and you'll wind up with City Surf. The Toronto company, founded by 32-year-old Ali Karbassi, creates podcasts that narrate walking tours of historic Toronto neighbourhoods, similar to the audio guides that art gallery patrons have enjoyed for decades.

"If you go to a neighbourhood normally, you might end up just skimming the surface, so you'll miss the true feel of the area," says Mr. Karbassi, who offers the downloadable podcasts at www.city-surf.ca.

Load one into your iPod or similar device, and start walking. It's like having an expert in local colour right beside you. During your stroll, you'll hear information about historical and contemporary buildings, parks and other nearby landmarks.

So far, the one-year-old City Surf has created guides for St. Lawrence Market, Yorkville and the Annex. Each costs $10, and in the next few weeks Chinatown and Kensington Market will join the list, with the Church Street Gay Village to follow.

Quietly, in the background of each narration, music plays, chosen specifically to fit the local character of each area.

"When possible, we use music from that neighbourhood, like street musicians and stuff. To properly bring out the flavour, everything should come from that place," Mr. Karbassi says.

Each guide takes about three weeks to research, write and record.

Soon, Mr. Karbassi hopes to begin creating podcasts dedicated to specific themes, for instance tours of architecture that would lead you to historic buildings across the city.

One benefit of podcasts over standard guidebooks is that as you listen, your eyes can soak up local flavour. As well, Mr. Karbassi points out that Surf City can quickly edit its podcast if anything about a neighbourhood suddenly changes, like a building being torn down or a hot new business opening.

"We can update either the entire item, or just one relevant section of it, and have the new version on the site right away," Mr. Karbassi says.

Even better: No maps to fold up when you're done.