Allan Gardens at Christmas

Location: Allan Gardens Conservatory
Date photo taken: 19 December 2012

Every December, the Conservatory at Allan Gardens hosts a Christmas Flower Show. Thousands of flowering plants, including over 30 varieties of poinsettia, are added to the already beautiful permanent collection of plants in these historic greenhouses. The Conservatory is free to enter, and is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. During the Christmas Flower Show, which runs until January 7, there are several evenings when hours are extended until 7 pm and the scene is enhanced by candlelight.

Giant Reindeer

Location: Outside Sears, Toronto Eaton Centre
Date photo taken: 22 November 2012

Giant reindeer have once again found their way in to the Toronto Eaton Centre. There are six of these aluminum critters throughout the mall, and standing at 6 and 8 metres tall and lit with LED lights, they make an impression. Designed by the UK-based company Fuzz Wire, they were first introduced last year and they generated lots of positive feedback for the Centre. Unlike this year's tree, which is receiving mixed reviews at best. If you hate the modern pink installation, blame the reindeer. According to the senior marketing director for the Toronto Eaton Centre, the reindeer were so well received last year that they wanted the tree to visually integrate with them.

Number 9 Audio Mural

Location: West facing wall, 222 Gerrard St. E.
Date photo taken: 25 October 2012
Image 2 in the Mural Series

Since 2004 this building has been the home of Number 9 recording studios. When in 2008 the Cabbagetown BIA offered a mural to a local business and they declined, Number 9 stepped in and offered up the side of their building. Owner George Rondina worked with the artist, Ryan Dineen, to design the mural. Obviously he wanted the theme to reflect his business, but the trumpet was included for more personal reasons – it was the instrument his father always wanted to learn to play.

As a side note, Number 9 Audio Group is releasing a Christmas CD with proceeds going to support the Children’s Wish Foundation. If you need a few fresh new songs for your seasonal collection, check it out.

Signal

Location: SE corner of Front and Parliament, behind the Toronto Public Library Administration Building (at time photo taken - has since been moved).

Date photo taken: 25 October 2012

This sculpture, by Peter Winchel Sager, was, until recently, resting quietly on the grass behind the library building at Front and Parliament. Set back from the road, close to the parking lot, it was easy to overlook. But it wasn't always this way. This fibreglass sculpture was originally erected in 1968 outside of the Parliament Street branch of the Toronto Public Library at Parliament and Gerrard, and at that time it was standing, not reclining as it does here. Since this picture was taken, the sculpture has been removed - perhaps it will appear at a library branch near you!

Thanks to Carol Barbour, Gallery and Exhibits Curator at the Toronto Reference Library for her research, and for supplying this image of Signal in its original location.

Photo courtesy of Toronto Public Library

Giant Goldfish

Location: Pond at Riverdale Farm
Date photo taken: 25 October 2012

When the ponds at Riverdale Farm were covered with green algae in the summer, I noticed that something underneath was coming to the surface and eating, or breathing, or something. I was intrigued. With cooler weather, the pond cleared, and one day while searching for movement, I saw this guy. I’m guessing it’s a released pet goldfish, grown large in the relative freedom of the pond.

St. James Cathedral Memorial Cross

Location: West side of St. James Cathedral, 106 King St. E.
Date photo taken: 3 November 2012
Image 1 in the Remembrance Series

This interesting structure on the west side of St. James Cathedral at the corner of King and Church streets is actually a memorial to the parishioners of St. James who gave their lives during World War I. It was erected in 1924 by the firm of Sproatt & Rolph, who were well known for their Late Gothic Revival structures. Click here for a photograph from the Toronto Public Library's collection showing Remembrance Day services at this memorial in 1924. 

Text of the carvings on the base: 
“This cross commemorates the glorious sacrifice of those who gave their lives in the great war 1914-1918 and appeals to those for whom they died to lay aside hatred and strife and to seek brotherhood and peace under the banner of Christ.
 
Frank Amor, Edward Burford, Francis A. Cookson, Beverley Crowther, S. Lorne Crowther, Bertram Denison, Edgar Denison, George T. Denison, John R. Fenton, Frederick J. Gooch, M. Lockhart Gordon, W.L. Lockhart Gordon, William H. Gregory, T. Leslie Harling, Melville Hastings, Elmes Henderson
 
W.D.P. Jarvis, A. Douglas Kirkpatrick, Norman Lawless, Henry V. LeMesurier, Arthur Lewis, Alfred Lightwood, William C. MacDonald, Duncan S. MacInnes, Charles F. McHenry, John R. Meredith, Arthur Minor, Alfred Moore, C. Gordon Mortimer, Charles A. Moss, Victor Nordheimer, Victor J. Northcott
 
Albert Riddlesworth, George G. Ryerson, John D.P. Scholfield, Fred W. Seden, James B. Stephenson, Samuel T. Stocker, Edmund R. Street, Clement Tyler, William Vernon, Trumbull Warren, James S.L. Welch, Harry Westerman, Fred Williams, Harold V. Wrong, J. Herbert Porter, Arthur McDonell"

Allan Gardens Temporary Mural

Location: Construction hoarding, south side of Allan Gardens. Detail from south side, along Gerrard St. E.
Date photo taken: 25 October 2012
Image 1 in the Mural Series

In January 2012, the south portion of Allan Gardens was fenced off to act as the main construction site for the city’s water main replacement project. As the site will remained fenced off until 2015, Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam pushed for the construction hoarding to be beautified. The result is the Nindinawemaaganidok / "All My Relations" Mural. Covering almost 220 meters, this wall is the work of 21 community artists and depicts local and national indigenous history. Funding for the project was provided by C&M McNally Engineering.

The artists: Natasha Naveau, Rosary Spence, Gwen Lane, Angela Malley, Judy Rheume, Gary M. Johnston, Amanda Murray, Rebecca Baird, Cotee Harper, Graham Curry, Briana Stone, Lyndsey Lickers-Nyle Johnston, Isaac Weber, Honey Smith, Shelby Rain McDonald, Paula Gonzalez-Ossa, Kalmplex, Adrion Corey Charles, Ron Razor and Steven Henderson.

Regent Park Sewer Cover

Location: Regent Street, north of Dundas
Date photo taken: 25 October 2012

How often do you look at the ground below your feet? Sometimes there's some pretty interesting stuff down there. Like this manhole cover, located in the middle of Regent Street in the newly developed Regent Park neighbourhood. Turns out, they're all over the streets there. Thank you Toronto Culture. In a project called Grounds for Art, they invited Torontonians to submit designs for the three types of utility hole covers that are needed on our streets: sanitary, storm sewer and water valve. This is the winning design for the sanitary covers, designed by Xin Xu.