The Day

Location: Kipling bus terminal

Date photo taken: 28 April 2025

The new Kipling bus terminal on the western edge of Toronto is a light, airy building with glass walls and large open stairwells. It also features over 220 square meters (or 2400 square feet) of vitreous tile mosaics designed by the Winnipeg-based artist Simon Hughes. The designs around the building are all different, some more abstract or geometric, but all are tied together by the colour scheme and Hughes' overall concept. The detail above is from one of the most striking murals, which wraps around one of the stairwells and presents an ever-changing view of an almost-but-not-quite-familiar city as you work your way down the stairs and around the landings. I was attracted to the DONUTS which is why I took a picture of this particular section, and was tickled to later read in an interview with Hughes that it's one of many Easter eggs that he included in the cityscape. 

Artaic, the company who made the tiles, has a wonderful description of Hughes' concept on their website: The Day was inspired by Hughes’ imaginative vision of the city. Referencing a wide variety of symbols, architectural styles, and landscapes, the installation blends fantasy and reality. Using icy blue colorways reminiscent of Toronto’s cool temperatures, Hughes collaborated with Artaic to create an inverted color gradient. The mosaic artwork features dark tones at the top of the shapes that dissolve into a white background, creating the appearance of a city emerging from morning fog, haze, or a snow squall."

Asteroid

Location: North east corner of Bloor and Islington

Date photo taken: 16 July 2025

According to the affixed plaque, this 2020 piece, titled Asteroid, is by Jean-Pierre Morin and was commissioned by Bloor Islington Place. Morin is a Quebec artist known for his large public art pieces and while you are more likely to see his art in his home province, at least three of his pieces can now be found across the city. While the form of each is unique, there is similarity in his choice of bright aluminum for the sculptural form and corten steel for the plinth.

Labatt wall

 

Location: Queen's Quay Terminal

Date photo taken: 12 July 2025

On a hot, sunny visit to Toronto's waterfront recently I spent some time discovering the early history of Labatt. It wasn't intentional, but while cooling off in Queen's Quay Terminal I stumbled across this timeline. It runs along a wall outside the Labatt offices and it has some pretty cool early photos, labels and marketing pieces. If you want to learn more about this London, Ontario born brewing company find your way up to the quiet second floor of the Terminal via the escalators in the southern atrium. Or you can always just visit their website. 

Traffic Signal Box - Blue Jays

 

Location: Railside Road and Lawrence Avenue East

Date photo taken: 23 January 2021

Image #22 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

There's so much buzz about the Toronto Blue Jays right now that it seemed a good time to share this signal box. It was created by Tomas Del Balso as part of the 2016 Outside the Box painting program and was designed to "inspire the public with their own hometown bird and to remind the community that we truly have something special living in Toronto."

The Ned Hanlan

 

Location: Hanlan's Point

Date photo taken: 17 September 2021

This tugboat, now stationed near the ferry dock at Hanlan's Point, is a true piece of Toronto history. It was built for the Toronto Works Department in 1932 right here in Toronto. This piece of information shocked me. For some reason it never occurred to me that this city, despite being on a such a large body of water, would have a shipbuilding industry. 

The boat was retired from service in the 1960s and eventually moved to Exhibition Place before being relocated to Hanlan's Point in 2012. You may have noticed the name of the boat written on the side and assumed that it and Hanlan's Point are named for the same person, but you'd be wrong. The point is named for James Hanlan, an early settler on the Island. The tug was named after his son, an early Canadian sports hero who won seven straight world sculling championships in the 1880s.

Traffic Signal Box - Toronto Map Maze

 

Location: Eastern Avenue at Carlaw

Date photo taken: 9 January 2021

Image #21 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

If you find yourself near the corner of Eastern Avenue and Carlaw with some time on your hands, pop over to the north east corner and find this traffic signal box. On it artist Pam Lostracco has created a maze using Toronto's streets and rivers. The CN Tower is marked as the start and there are other destinations, many of them greenspaces, to discover as you work your way through the maze and around the box. A fun and different way to discover the city.

Hot Ash Only

 

Location: Ashbridges Bay park

Date photo taken: 5 May 2021

It might seem odd to see a "Hot Ash Only" sign on a bin in a park in Toronto but if you consider that 33 parks across the city have firepits anyone can use, it starts to make a lot of sense. Especially if you've been to one of those parks on a gorgeous summer day and seen how popular a venue they are for all sorts of gatherings, including barbecues. All those hot coals have to be disposed of safely, in a way that doesn't start trash bin fires or put small feet at risk of burns. That's where these bins come in.

While firepits are free to use for small gatherings, if you plan to have more than 25 people at your event, or just want to ensure your chosen pit is available when you want it, you need to book in advance and pay a booking fee. If you'd rather bring your own barbecue, that's allowed but perhaps surprisingly, you need to make a booking for that too. And don't think you can scavenge firewood for your cookout - only charcoal and briquettes are allowed, at least in the city provided pits.