Happy New Year!

Location: The Bay Queen Street
Date photo taken: 23 December 2015

Whether you get all decked out to ring in the new year or celebrate in your pjs, have a wonderful New Year's Eve and a healthy, happy and productive 2016.

Distillery District Christmas Tree

Location: Distillery District
Date photo taken: 23 December 2015

The Toronto Christmas Market in the Distillery may be over for another year, but many of the decorations, including the stunning Christmas tree, are still place. This massive tree is kept securely in place by a substantial metal and concrete base, a permanent fixture which extends over four feet into the ground and which most of the year sits quietly hidden, covered over by bricks.

Happy Holidays!!

Christmas at MetroCentre

Location: MetroCentre, 225 King St. W.

Date photo taken: 16 December 2015

Usually holiday displays for me are all about the lights, but for this display at MetroCentre, the lights are only part of it. I love how the elongated structure of the lights mirrors the decorative column which is normally the focal point of this space. Lovely.

Castlefield & Caledonia Design & Decor District

Location: Corner of Caledonia and Raitherm Roads
Date photo taken: 10 September 2015

The Castlefield & Caledonia Design & Decor District is not something I had heard of before stumbling into it and seeing these signs. The area is centered around the intersection of Caledonia Rd. and Castlefield Ave., which is slightly north west of Dufferin and Eglinton. As the name suggests, the area is populated with a wide range of design and decor businesses from rug and tile stores to designer outlets and general home stores. Back in 2007 the City of Toronto released a plan for the district which would help provide a framework for future development in the area. The vision for the neighbourhood was "to ensure the area retains the conditions that originally drew the design and décor businesses to the district" including low rents, large open buildings and an industrial look and feel. Some recommendations in the document included the retention of key industrial structures (the Bell communications tower and the gantry structure from an asphalt plant), improving access to the Beltline park, and the creation of gateway entrances and branded signage for the whole district.

Nelson Mandela Tributes

Location: Richmond St. E. just east of Church St.
Date photo taken: 1 December 2014

Harlem Restaurant on Richmond St. E. has turned the door to their patio space into a Memorial Wall. For years it boasted a tribute to Michael Jackson but it currently pays homage to the great Nelson Mandela who passed away in December 2013. The work was done by local artist Naia.

In 2014 the City of Toronto recognized the importance of Mandela's life and legacy by ceremonially dedicating a stretch of University Avenue to his memory. Now between Front St. W. and College St., University Avenue street signs also bear the name of Nelson Mandela Boulevard.

Donation Stations

Location: Outside Riverdale Farm, Winchester St.

Date photo taken: 20 October 2013

It's strange to see a parking meter in the middle of a park but some of Toronto's best loved green spaces now have them.This one is outside Riverdale Farm. There are two more in High Park and the Toronto Botanical Garden also has one. These parking meters have been specially programmed to accept donations and issue receipts. While kids love dropping coins in the machine, they also accept credit cards. The money is processed through the Toronto Parks and Trees Foundation, a charitable foundation dedicated to making the city's parks better. Money raised is passed along to the location at which it was collected. Donations can also be made online and can be targeted to support a specific park or project, to expanding Toronto's tree canopy, or be assigned to a general fund to support projects as needed. 

Mimico Creek, 1920

Location: Dundas St. W. at Cabot Court
Date photo taken: 30 October 2013
Image 18 in the Mural Series

This large mural is one of many in Toronto's "Village of Murals", located along Dundas St. W. between Kipling and Islington. It was painted by John Kuna in 2006 and it depicts typical fall activities along Mimico Creek in 1920. Mimico Creek is truly an urban waterway,originating in Brampton, then traveling through Mississauga and Toronto before emptying into Lake Ontario at beautiful Humber Bay Park. As might be expected, water quality is generally poor but the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is working to change that. They provide programs such as workshops and guided walks within the watershed to help community members see how small changes can make big differences within the local environment.

South African War Memorial

Location: University Avenue, just north of Queen St.
Date photo taken: 23 October 2015

This large monument in the centre of University Boulevard is a memorial to the Canadian soldiers that fought in the South African or Boer War, from 1899 - 1902. This conflict marked the first time that Canada officially sent troops to take part in a war overseas. More than 7000 volunteers heeded the call and of those, 267 died. Their names can be found in the Books of Remembrance.

The memorial itself was built by renowned Canadian sculptor Walter Allward. Born and raised in Toronto, Allward's greatest achievement was the creation of the Canadian War Memorial at Vimy Ridge, which took him 14 years to complete.

Echoes - What I Love About the City

Location: Lawrence Ave., on a bridge spanning the Highland Creek Ravine
Date photo taken: 13 October 2015

It takes quite awhile to walk the length of the bridge that spans the Highland Creek Ravine at Lawrence Ave. E. On this particular day the trees in the ravine were a spectacular sight, but even in the depths of winter the mural painted along the length of the south side of the bridge ensures you always have plenty to look at. For the most part, it's quite subtle. Much of the imagery is done in a dark grey, almost blending in with the concrete, but the bright orange accents bring it all to life. A Mural Routes project which involved many neighbourhood partners, the subject matter reflects the voices, ideas and dreams of those in the community.

Floating Pumpkins

Location: Sunken fountains, High Park
Date photo taken: 25 October 2015

This year marked the 20th anniversary of the High Park Pumpkin Float. It was the first time I've attended but seeing the crowds and the absolute joy of the kids as they watched their carved pumpkins being set afloat, I can see why it's lasted so long. It seems that not all the jack-o-lanterns enjoy the experience though.

Happy Halloween!

Red Squirrel

Location: near Scarborough Heights Park
Date photo taken: 9 September 2013

Meet the American red squirrel or Tamiasciurus hudsonicus. While more commonly referred to as simply a red squirrel, the American part is used to distinguish them from their Eurasian cousins, which look quite similar but are actually a different genus. They are part of a group of squirrels known as pine squirrels, and this particular fellow is eating away at a pine cone. They can be harder to spot than Toronto's ubiquitous grey squirrels, but if you want to see one, find yourself a stand of pine trees and wait. You'll often hear them before you see them - they are quite vocal and make a series of buzzing and popping sounds which are amazingly loud given their size.

Election 2015

Location: Caledonia Road

Date photo taken: 10 September 2015

The federal election is almost here. We've had a pretty long run up to it this year and I was hoping that during the campaign, my wanderings around the city would present me with an opportunity to capture all party signs in one tight neighbourhood cluster. Alas, no luck. Catching three party signs was the best I could do. This cluster is in Davenport where Andrew Cash for the NDP is the incumbent. Also pictured here are Julie Dzerowicz for the Liberals and Dan Stein for the Green Party. Not pictured is Conservative Carlos Oliveira. The election is next Monday - get out and vote!

Snagglepuss

Location: On the side of the building at 74 Denison Avenue

Date photo taken: 16 August 2013

A bit of fun this week with Snagglepuss. It's part of a longer mural featuring some other cartoon characters, done by artist Uber5000. While it's on the side of a house, which may seem surprising, the house sits next to a school and park. 

Elevated Wetlands

Location: Between Don Mills Rd. and the Don Valley Pkwy
Date photo taken: 20 September 2015

This picture captures two of a total of six large plastic planters situated in the Don Valley. While many people seem to think they look like teeth, I've always thought of them more as elephants, perhaps due to their size and they way they cluster together. They're actually called Elevated Wetlands and that's basically what they are. Part public art project, part PR experiment, these planters were commissioned by the Canadian Plastics Industry to engage the public and show off the uses of recycled plastic. Made from, you guessed it, plastic, these large planters contain a mix of different recycled plastic products instead of soil. Plants found within the Don Valley wetlands were then planted in them and are fed water from the Don River by way of solar-powered pumps. By the time the water filters through the chain of planters it is much cleaner than when it went in. For more details on the concept, creation and science of this work, check out the slideshow on artist Noel Harding's own site.

All Hail the Giant Acorn

Location: Joel Weeks Park, near Queen & Broadview
Date photo taken: 9 August 2015

This whimsical statue is one of three commissioned by the City for the relatively new Joel Weeks Park. The park itself has an urban river theme and the three sculptures in the park, collectively known as Echo, are meant to reflect the flora and fauna of the nearby Don Valley. The squirrels are meant to represent the forest element of valley, while the other characters, a beaver and a fox, represent the water and the shoreline. The concept was the winner of a national competition. The artist is Canadian Mary Anne Barkhouse.

Traffic Signal Box - Rachel Wilmshurst

Location: Bloor St. W. and Durie St.

Date photo taken: 12 September 2015
Image #5 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

This is another one of Toronto's traffic signal boxes which received a make-over in 2015. It sits on Bloor West in what was once the heart of Toronto's Ukrainian community. Artist Rachel Wilmshurst chose to pay tribute to that heritage with her design, which draws inspiration from traditional Ukrainian embroidery patterns. If you're around this weekend, why not experience Ukrainian arts, culture and spirit for yourself, by visiting the Toronto Ukrainian Festival. It runs from Friday evening to Sunday evening, on Bloor St. W. between Jane and Runnymede.

Central Tech Gnome

Location: Above the western entrance to Central Technical School, Bathurst & Harbord
Date photo taken: 11 July 2013
Image 3 in the Figures Series

This is one of a pair of figures that sit above the doors of TDSB's Central Technical School. This figure, working with a hammer and chisel, represents the technical education available at the school which today includes access to Ontario Youth Access Programs. These allow secondary school students to begin their apprenticeships in trades related to automotive, carpentry, cooking, electrical, plumbing and HVAC while completing their diplomas. The other figure, holding a book and representing the academic side of the school's programming, was featured on NeaTO in September 2013.

The Midway - Zipper

Location: The CNE Midway

Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

This week, another of my favourite Midway rides at the CNE. The Zipper is a classic that's been around since the late 1960s. It features three different movements: the central boom rotates and the cars, which are free spinning, move along and around the boom on a cable. Check out this YouTube video to see one of these rides in action. The passenger capsules have been remodeled and the overall ride toned down since it was first introduced due to a number of fatalities occurring when the doors of the cages released during operation. That's scary stuff!

Sand Sculpture 2015

Location: Garden Show, Enercare Centre, Canadian National Exhibition
Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

One of my regular stops during my yearly visit to the CNE is to check out the entries in the International Sand Sculpting Competition. This year, the Ex is hosting the Pairs Competition, and four teams from around the world are competing. Each team is transforming 20 tonnes of sand into a work of art and it was fascinating to watch the artists in action. Each one I watched was employing a different technique. Eva Sazuko McGrew from the U.S., pictured above, was sculpting this nose with a trowel. Her partner was using a stick and string to sketch out gears on the other side. The men on the Canadian team were using straws to blow away the sand they were pulling out to create fine fur detail. The work is probably complete by now, but the sculptures will remain until the end of the Ex. If you visit, be sure to vote for your favourite!

Cold As ICE

Location: Berkeley Street, just south of Front

Date photo taken: 11 Aug 2015
Image #4 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

Here is another of Toronto's traffic signal boxes, this one painted to beat the heat. It was painted last October by tattoo artist Random, aka Spencer Harrington. The rusted out edges are a nice touch. A very brief video of the work in progress is available on Random's Facebook page. 

Bird Banding

Location: Waterfront, near the base of Dan Leckie Way

Date photo taken: 30 April 2015

Toronto, with its waterfront and many naturalized park spaces, provides lots of great habitat for many species of birds. If you're the type to take notice of birds, you've probably also noticed that sometimes they can be seen sporting coloured and numbered bands on their legs, wings, or as in this picture, their necks. The North American Bird Banding Program has banded over 60 million birds since it started back in 1904. Information on banded birds helps scientists learn more about them, including their movement and behaviour. Did you realize that you can help with this work? Ordinary citizens are encouraged to record sightings of birds wearing tags and report them to the program. You'll be asked for information such as the colour and placement of the band, the number on the band, and where and when you saw the bird. In return, you will be sent a Certificate of Appreciation which will provide you with some information about the bird you saw. In this case, the banded goose is a female, about a year old, and it had been banded in the Toronto area just over a week before this picture was taken. Observing and reporting bird bands would make a great summer science project for kids of all ages, and it would help the Canadian Wildlife Service better understand the birds it tags.

Gibraltar Point Light House

Location: Toronto Island
Date photo taken: 22 May 2014

The Gibraltar Point Lighthouse, located where the Toronto Islands jut out into Lake Ontario, stands as the oldest surviving lighthouse on the Great Lakes. Completed in 1808, it remained an operating lighthouse until 1958 when it, like many others in recent decades, was decommissioned. At that time, responsibility for the lighthouse was passed to the city's parks department.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which maintains lighthouses across Canada as part of water safety, declared over 450 of these buildings as surplus to needs in recent years. Realizing the special significance that these structures hold for Canadians, the National Trust passed the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act in 2010 to help ensure that these icons remain a part of our cultural landscape.

Across Time and Space

Location: Pedestrian walkway running west from Bay St., just south of Dundas

Date photo taken: 17 Nov 2013

This composite image brings together two ends of a public art piece which adorns a pedestrian link between Bay Street and the relatively new Motion by Concert rental apartments. It beautifully fits the space, providing interest at both ends of this narrow lane. Two children sit and gaze at each other down the length of the alley. On the wall between them, the name of the piece: "Across time and space, two children of Toronto meet..."  The piece is the work of Canadian artist Ken Lum and it speaks to Toronto's identity as a city of immigrants, to the ways in which we interact and accept each other as fellow urban citizens, and to the passage of time. The work was commissioned as part of the City of Toronto's Percent for Public Art Program, and was completed in 2013.

David A. Balfour Park

Location: Access off of Mount Pleasant Rd., south of St. Clair Ave. E.

Date photo taken: 19 Sep 2013

Itching for the great outdoors but can't afford the time or expense of a cottage getaway? Why not spend some time exploring some of Toronto's parks? This descent into greenery is an access point for David A. Balfour Park, a 20.5 hectare park running roughly north to south along Yellow Creek, near Yonge and St. Clair. In addition to a number of wooded trails, the park also includes the large grassy expanse of the Rosehill Reservoir and if you follow the main trail to the south it leads you to Craigleigh Gardens, a gated garden space. The park is easily accessed by transit, and if you decide you want to keep on hiking, you can easily turn your stroll into a longer circuit by adding the Beltline Trail through Evergreen Brick Works, Moore Park Ravine and Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

Painting Murals at PANAMANIA

Location: Distillery District
Date photo taken: 11 July 2015

In case you hadn't noticed, the Pan Am Games are on and that means so is PANAMANIA, the 35 day arts and culture festival that surrounds the games. The Distillery District is one of the event hubs for the festival, hosting both free and ticketed events. Also on site are additional opportunities to eat and shop, thanks to an influx of these mini container units. This weekend, artists were at work painting murals on some of the containers. Here, Erica Balon, aka EGR, is adding the final touches to hers.

Born This Way Mural

Location: Humber River Recreational Trail, where it passes under the 401
Date photo taken: 22 May 2015
Image 17 in the Mural Series

This is one small section of a long, beautiful mural painted this May by Essencia Art Collective. As the title suggests, the mural seeks to address discrimination based on sexual orientation and it is yet another legacy of the Pan Am games being hosted here. Like the vuducatz work featured a few weeks ago, it's located on the Pam Am Path, where the Humber River Recreation Trail passes under the 401, just south of Pine Point Park.

Centennial sidewalk stamp

Location: Bright Street
Date photo taken: 23 February 2014

They're everywhere under our feet and if you watch for them, they can provide clues to how the area around you has developed. I'm talking about the contractors' stamps on the sidewalk. Most of the time they simply identify the company that laid that particular section of the sidewalk and when it was done. This allows the city to perform audits and to evaluate the quality of work by different contractors. Sometimes however there's something a little extra special. Like this stamp, which identifies a section of sidewalk laid by city staff in 1967, which incorporates Stuart Ash's iconic centennial logo. If you stop and think about it, this stamp tells you that this particular patch of sidewalk has been around and in use for almost 50 years!

Fire hydrant

Location: Glen Manor Dr. E.
Date photo taken: 1 May 2013

Fire hydrants are everywhere in the city. You see them everyday, but unless you're looking for a parking space, you never really notice them. If asked on the spot - and without the benefit of the above picture - could you even say what colour they are? This post was inspired by my recent trip to France. There, fire hydrants look quite different. They're red for one, but more than that, they have a sleek, streamlined look. While I appreciate the aesthetic, I'm partial to our more classic shape. In reading about our fire hydrants, I discovered this National Post piece that describes Toronto's system for colour-coding the caps of the hydrants and how it helps firefighters do their job. Who knew?

Bell Box - Viviana Astudillo

Location: Princess St., south of Front
Date photo taken: 16 September 2013
Image #9 in the Bellbox Series

This mural of Salmon is by Viviana Astudillo and is another in the series of painted Bell boxes across the city. It was painted in September 2013 as part of the Bell Box Murals Project. This summer, StreetARToronto's Outside the Box program is hoping to have local artists paint another 64 traffic signal boxes. Applications are closed and painting will take place between June 22 and 26 so keep your eyes peeled for artists at work.

Community Stewardship

Location: Riverdale Park East
Date photo taken: 13 May 2015

The Community Stewardship Program is a volunteer program run by the City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation department. This is a great program for anyone interested in learning more about Toronto's green spaces or who just wants to spend more time in the great outdoors. Participants have the opportunity to get their hands dirty for two hours each week in one of six naturalized park spaces within the city. These are spaces that feature "wild" areas rather than traditional mown and planted areas. They provide habitat for wildlife and often include water management features as well. No prior knowledge is necessary - the program provides lots of on-site training, a range of special workshops throughout the season and each team works with an experienced volunteer leader. Plus volunteers are invited to a year-end corn roast!

Pan Am Path Underpass Mural

Location: Humber River Recreational Trail, where it passes under the 401
Date photo taken: 29 May 2015

The Humber River Recreational Trail has gotten a lot more colourful over the past few weeks. That's thanks in part to the masses of flowers that are blooming along the route but also because a large portion of the trail has been incorporated into the Pan Am Path. From May to mid-August, a series of events is scheduled along this city-spanning path to engage citizens in both art and recreation. Over a nine day period in May, the western side of the underpass was painted with one long mural by a group of three artists, then the weekend of the 23 saw the east side tackled through a graffiti jam attended by a who's who of Toronto street artists. This mural is by vuducatz.

The Ward

The Ward: the life and loss of Toronto's first immigrant neighbourhood is a wonderful new book that is a must read for any student of history or of Toronto. Through a collection of over 60 bite-sized essays, the book tells the story of St. John's Ward, the densely populated downtown ward bordered by College and Queen, University and Yonge Streets, that was home to new immigrants and which eventually became a focus of civic concern. Contributors run the gamut from journalists, archivists and historians, to politicians, community workers, doctors and lawyers. The subjects covered are equally broad and some essay titles include "My Grandmother the Bootlegger", "Lawren Harris's Ward Period" and "Where the Rich Went for Vice". 

Last week Coach House Books held a launch party for The Ward. The event was held at Church of the Holy Trinity, the small gem of a church tucked in beside the Eaton Centre. The location was chosen because this institution played a significant role in the history of The Ward and is one of the few buildings from that period that remains.

Christie, Brown & Co. Stables

Location: Berkeley Street, north of Adelaide
Date photo taken: 7 May 2015

This nicely proportioned building on Berkeley Street was originally a stable built for Christie, Brown & Co. The company was founded in 1868 in Toronto by Mr. Christie (yes, the one who makes good cookies) and Alexander Brown. In 1872 they built a factory on Adelaide and expanded it four times over subsequent years. To help support the business, this stable building was built in 1906. The architects were Sproatt & Rolph who also designed such landmarks as Hart House and Upper Canada College and collaborated on others including the Royal York Hotel and Eaton's College Park,

A recent City of Toronto document describes the building as "a well-crafted example of a stable with Beaux Arts Stylistic elements". The document is a staff report recommending that the building be included on the City of Toronto Inventory of Heritage Properties, a recommendation that city council approved. This listing will help ensure that the structure will be preserved during any redevelopment of the site. Currently this site, along with adjoining properties on Parliament Street, are the proposed home of a new condo development, East United Condos.

For a detailed description of the building (including blueprints) and its significance, see the report prepared by Heritage Preservation Services.

Mute Swan

Location: in the water off Harbour Square Park
Date photo taken: 10 May 2014

On a recent walk out to the west end, I was amazed by the number of swans I saw in the Humber River. Swans are not an unusual sight in the city but it seems to me that their numbers are increasing, so I did a little reading. It turns out that their numbers are indeed going up and that the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) in partnership with the City of Toronto have been quietly working for years to control the population. Their efforts are only targeting this type of swan, the mute swan. According to an explanatory letter from the TRCA, mute swan populations are being controlled because "mute swans are not native to North America and their population has been steadily increasing over the last decade, as they appear to lack significant natural predators. They cause significant damage to natural habitats; they displace and disrupt native waterfowl and other wildlife species that are less common and more sensitive to disturbance; and they can be very aggressive toward people." That last part is important because swans are powerful creatures. While they may look serene, they can be very dangerous if approached, especially if they are near their nests or young.

Native trumpeter swans, extinct in Ontario until recently, can also be found in Toronto, although in small numbers. They are larger and have straight necks and black bills while mute swans are easily distinguished by their curved necks and orange bills. To read about the effort to reintroduce trumpeter swans to Ontario, and about where to find them in Toronto, check out Margaret Bream's article in the February Toronto Star. To read more about efforts to control mute swan populations, visit the High Park Nature Centre website.

Snapshot - Yonge Street

Location: West side of Yonge Street, north of Grosvenor

Date photo taken: 13 April 2015

Image 3 in the Snapshot Series

Businesses along this stretch include Holco Sales, Gallery Hi Art, 401 Games, Kenzo Japanese Noodle House, INS Market, St. Louis Wings and the now empty Sobey's Express at the corner of Breadalbane. The tall building under construction in the background is the 45 storey FIVE Condos tower at St. Joseph St. just west of Yonge. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, the tower incorporates the facade of the designated heritage building at its base.

Bloor-Perth Underpass Project

Location: Railway underpass on Bloor between Dundas W. and Perth

Date photo taken: 19 April 2015

As part of GO Transit's Georgetown South improvements, the rail underpass on Bloor Street has been transformed with colour. Metrolinx and the city's StreetARToronto program worked together on the project, coming up with a short-list of artists and then consulting with the community before choosing the winning concept. The winning proposal, by Angel Carrillo, suggested the involvement of a large number of street artists, all working with aerosol paints. The north wall would be transformed into a showcase gallery, with each section of the wall being assigned to a different artist. In a similar manner, the south wall will feature the 26 letters of the alphabet, each interpreted by someone different. The north wall was painted over the weekend of April 18 & 19th. The south wall will be completed over a weekend in May.

Earth Witch

Location: West Toronto Railpath, on construction hoarding by the Bloor GO Station
Date photo taken: 15 April 2015

This post is in honour of Earth Day. When I saw this mural, my first thought wasn't witch, it was Mother Nature. I'm not sure where my head was that day, but the feeling still sticks. Perhaps it's the flowing green hair. Or that look, as she plots what to send us next.

This stretch of the railpath features work by a number of Toronto street artists. This piece is by Shalak, a female artist who uses a lot of colour and likes to portray animals and strong women in her work. It's always a good day when I come across something by her I haven't seen before. If you want to learn more about the artist, I really enjoyed her interview article on Street Art Bio.

Lambs!

Location: Riverdale Farm
Date photo taken: 13 April 2015

It seems like spring is finally here. The beautiful sunny weather and warmer days have started to coax some colour back into gardens across the city, but flowers aren't all that spring traditionally brings. It's also the season for cute baby animals and the city run parks around town offer a chance to see them up close. Riverdale Farm has an adorable collection of Cotswold lambs that were born in mid-March. Not to be outdone, the High Park Zoo has a rambunctious bunch of Barbary sheep lambs. They have also just welcomed Khione, a Highland calf. If you haven't seen one before, baby Highlands are some of the cutest things out there. Check out the Friends of High Park Zoo Facebook page if you don't believe me. Or go see for yourself.

Jazz Raccoon

Location: Queen St. W. at St. Patrick

Date photo taken: 1 April 2015

Image #3 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

This jazz loving raccoon sits outside longtime live music venue The Rex. Not so long ago, this space hosted a smiling fuschia grizzly bear which artist Jeff Blackburn painted as part of the Outside the Box project back in 2013. Based on the number of images posted online of the box, the bear was incredibly popular. This might explain why, when the city totally upgraded the box with new equipment and a new shell, they asked Blackburn to create something new. He chose to channel the spirit of Miles Davis in a very Toronto way. Love it.

Blue Jays Way

Location: King and Blue Jays Way
Date photo taken: 12 May 2014

Back in 1993 the Toronto Blue Jays won their second World Series in a row. To honour that achievement the city renamed a street, or to be more specific, a part of a street, after the team. The Jays played in the SkyDome at the base of Peter Street. Wayne Gretzky's Restaurant, slightly further up Peter Street, petitioned the city to have the southern stretch of the street renamed. To accomplish the transition they even agreed to mount a plaque on the side of the restaurant commemorating Peter Russell, after whom the street was originally named.

On Monday April 6, the Blue Jays open their 39th season, although they won't be coming home to the Rogers Centre (how names do change!) until April 13th.

The Weather Gods

Location: 4905 Dufferin, just south of Steeles
Date photo taken: 10 June 2014

This towering sculpture on the grounds of the Environment Canada building on Dufferin Street was created by sculptor Ron Baird in the early 1970s. It consists of three figures and despite being rooted in the ground, it is far from being a static piece. If you look up, you'll see that the structure includes many moving parts which recall instruments used in monitoring wind speeds. It also uses air movements to generate sound through a series of pipes and tuned metal arrays.

According to the nearby plaque "...the sculptor never gives names or titles to any of his works, however he uses the following verse to describe this sculpture:

Three dark figures
making the weather
in folk, in myth, in legend
a threefold test.
Shiva, Vishnu, Brahmin.
Father, Son, Holy Ghost.
Triune, Triumvirate, Tribunal.
One is isolate
Two is divisive
Three is peace.
Three is torment.
Three is potent.
Power, power, power.
Air, Fire, Water.
Three dark figures,
Making the weather."

Is it friendly?

Location: Victor Avenue
Date photo taken: 14 March 2015

Seeing this hand reaching out from the grate in the sidewalk gave me a start at first, but I quickly decided it was a friendly hand. What you can't see is that it's reaching out toward another green hand extended from another grate further down the sidewalk. I feel like if I dropped my keys down that grate, whatever this hand is attached to would retrieve them for me.

A Guinness a day

Location: the side of McVeigh's at Church and Adelaide
Date photo taken: 3 February 2013

This mural is a recreation of one of Guinness' earliest beer ads. It features seven glasses of Guinness, one for each day of the week. The tagline which ran at the bottom of the ad was "Guinness is good for you". Print ads of the time advertised Guinness as a promoter of health, noting that "Guinness builds strong muscles. It feeds exhausted nerves. It enriches the blood. Doctors affirm that Guinness is a valuable restorative after Influenza and other weakening illnesses. Guinness is a valuable natural aid in cases of insomnia."

This mural was one of two that used to grace the Church Street wall of McVeigh's Irish Pub, a family-run Toronto institution for over 50 years. The bottom two floors of the building were refreshed with black paint last year and the murals were painted over. Large cut-outs of pints of Guinness still remind you that good health can be had, or at least toasted to, inside.

Polar Bear and Cubs

 

Location: South facade of 120 Bloor St. E., near the corner of Church St.

Date photo taken: 6 December 2014

This is one of two sculptural decorations on the south facade of the former Crown Life Building on Bloor St. just east of Yonge. This one was designed by portrait artist Cleeve Horne and carved by Italian born sculptor Louis Temporale. Like the other panel on the building it depicts a touching family scene from nature, but for some reason I've always felt that mamma bear just ate the last doughnut and didn't offer to share.

Cookie Outlet

Location: 5 Bermondsey Rd. near O'Connor Dr.

Date photo taken: 6 May 2014

I'm not sure what else there is to say about this. My days of exploration around the city often involve what I like to smilingly refer to as epic walks. At the end of 6 or 7 hours of walking, finding a good bar or restaurant is often key but one day last spring, reward took the form of discount cookies. Across the street from the old Peek Freans factory, this place offers all sorts of bulk delights, as long as you don't mind if your treats are a little off-sized or not perfectly round. I'm not one to mind! Om nom nom!

NeaTO: Bermondsey Street may be so named because of the association with Peek Freans. The cookie company originated in the Bermondsey area of London, and when they expanded operations to this newly opened business park, they may have been granted some say in naming the adjacent street.

Confederation Life Dragon

 

Location: Richmond Street facade of the old Confederation Life Building, near the Yonge St. corner

Date photo taken: 4 April 2013

 

The imposing structure at the north east corner of Yonge and Richmond was built by the Confederation Life Association in 1892 and served as their offices until 1955. The building was one of the tallest in Toronto at the time and was built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, similar to nearby Old City Hall. The beautiful red sandstone was sourced from the nearby Credit Valley quarries and the lower levels are highly ornamented. This dragon is just one of many figures that can be seen near street level. Not all have fared as well - the sandstone is soft and is prone to weathering, especially in our tough climate.

Share the Love

Location: Eastern Avenue east of Lewis St.
Date photo taken: 7 December 2014

The Love Invasion is definitely spreading in Toronto. In 2013, NeaTO presented Lovebot, an art project by Matthew del Degan that sought to bring love and smiles to Toronto through the placement of small concrete figures. Now the invasion continues.

Various sized poster and sticker versions of Lovebot have appeared all over the city. This one cheers you as go under the rail overpass on Eastern Avenue, east of the Don River. Del Degan has said that he hopes that people see his creation as a hero of sorts, one whose mission "is to lovingly disrupt the robotic routines of humans and remind them that there is love in their cities and kindness around every corner". It seems that this hero has been successful in attracting others to his cause. The current set of stickers is sold out, but have no fear, a new set are in development.

Link

Location: Harbord Street near Clinton
Date photo taken: 26 December 2014

Not much to say here except I love it. It was like meeting an old friend on the street.

Nature Man

Location: Croft St.
Date photo taken: 29 August 2013
Image 16 in the Mural Series

Croft Street is one of Toronto's hidden treasures. While there are a few homes here, it's technically a lane so it's pretty quiet in terms of traffic. It's also a very colourful place thanks to the many garages which have been covered with murals. This is a detail from one of my favourites, and I thought that this cold snap in the dead of winter was a great time to share it. It was painted back in 2006 by Viviana Astudillo as part of a larger anti-graffiti program targeting Croft St. She was still a teenager at the time.

Glenn

 

Location: Outside the Glenn Gould Studio, CBC Building, Front St.W.

Date photo taken: 27 March 2013

 

If you're not paying attention, it's easy to walk right by this statue, mistaking it for a living, breathing person taking a rest on the bench. The life size bronze sculpture of legendary Canadian pianist Glenn Gould was created by Ontario artist Ruth Abernethy. He appears appropriately bundled for our current weather, but those familiar with Gould's eccentricities will know that he often wore warm clothing even when the weather didn't warrant it. He was also a recluse who hated being touched, but today anyone can take a seat beside him, rest their hand on his knee, or rub his shoe for luck.

 

If you're a fan of Glenn Gould or want to learn more about him, you can download the Tiny Guide To Glenn Gould's Toronto which highlights some of Gould's favourite places in the city. It was produced by the Glenn Gould Foundation.