Allan Gardens Christmas Flower Show

Location: Allan Gardens Conservatory
Date photo taken: 12 December 2017

The beautiful Allan Gardens Conservatory, sitting in the middle of the park at Carlton and Sherbourne, is once again all dressed up for Christmas. The greenhouses are decked out with more than 30 varieties of poinsettias and there are countless seasonal surprises hidden among the greenery. It's free to visit and is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. On weekends until mid-January, you can also enjoy the scene by candlelight.

Santa Bear

Location: Elm Avenue
Date photo taken: 28 November 2017

I love it when houses and yards are decorated for the season, whether it be Halloween or Christmas. In addition to being a display of festive spirit, it's a chance for people to get creative. Which is one reason the increasingly popular use of inflatable decorations usually leaves me a bit cold. That said, this oversized plush-looking bear doing his best Santa impersonation made me smile. Whatever you choose to celebrate, all the best to you!

Stormtrooper

Location: University of Toronto Student Union Building, Hart House Circle
Date photo taken: 10 November 2017

Each year the dome of the Student Union Building in Hart House Circle is given a fresh, often whimsical new paint job. This is not a scheduled or even officially sanctioned bit of maintenance, but rather a clandestine operation carried out at night by a group of Engineering students referred to as the BFC. Their motto is Disrupto Ergo Sum and they engage in "seemingly random acts of happenstance, mystery, and s(h)neaky shenanigans". Past designs have included a Pokemon ball, a pumpkin, and R2-D2.

St. Lawrence Hall Ceiling Detail

Location: inside St. Lawrence Hall, 157 King St. E.
Date photo taken: 11 February 2017

St. Lawrence Hall, the impressive cupola-topped building on the south west corner of King and Jarvis, was built in 1850 to provide a space for Torontonians to gather for talks, concerts and other entertainments. It was the heart of the city. The importance of the building as a cultural venue began to wane even before the turn of the century however and despite hosting a range of diverse tenants, from the Irish Catholic Benevolent Union, who installed one of the first basketball courts in Canada, to the National Ballet, the state of the building gradually declined. By the time the City of Toronto undertook an extensive restoration of the building in 1967, as a Centennial project, the structure was in such bad shape that the entire east wing collapsed. Despite this major set-back, work continued and the Hall was officially reopened on December 28, 1967. The total cost of the project was $1,775,000. This ornate bit of ceiling is a recreation from that restoration and can be found in the beautiful Grand Meeting Hall on the third floor.

Shalak Attack Mural

Location: The side of 530 Richmond St., near Augusta
Date taken: 26 August 2015

Looking back through past posts I was surprised to discover that this is only the second time this blog has featured a mural by Canadian-Chilean artist Shalak Attack. With her vibrant colours and themes of spirit animals and strong and interesting female faces, she's easily one of my favourite artists working in Toronto. This mural was part of a collaborative effort by 4 artists in the lane way next to 530 Richmond Street West.

Toronto Necropolis

Location: Winchester St. between Sumach and Bayview
Date photo taken: 3 November 2017

Tucked into a quiet corner of Cabbagetown, the Toronto Necropolis is a deceptively large and beautiful cemetery. The entrance sits across the street from the bucolic Riverdale Farm, and from there the grounds stretch west toward the Don Valley, sloping down to Bayview. Wandering through it you will encounter lovely trees and shrubs, lots of birds and squirrels, and graves dating back to 1850. The "Resting Place of Pioneers" within the cemetery contains the re-interred remains of almost 1000 early residents of Muddy York who were originally buried in the Potter's Field at Yonge and Bloor. There are many other burials of note including William Lyon Mackenzie, Ned Hanlan, Thornton and Lucie Blackburn, Jack Layton and Canadian servicemen killed in action.

Slow Down Homie

Location: King Street W. and Tyndall Ave.

Date photo taken: 12 May 2014

Signs with pictures of turtles imploring drivers to "please drive slowly" can be found throughout the city. This one, in Parkdale, puts a unique spin on it.

This fall the City of Toronto has launched a new community safety program in the form of lawn signs encouraging drivers to slow down. The signs come in orange and blue and feature two different designs. Homeowners interested in obtaining a sign for their lawn should contact their local councillor. 

Simpson's Roll of Honour

Location: Main floor elevator lobby, Hudson's Bay Store, Queen and Bay

Date photo taken: 17 January 2017

The building that currently houses Hudson's Bay Company and Saks Fifth Avenue on Queen Street was built by the Robert Simpson Company. By 1890 the store employed 200 people and that number continued to grow along with the success of the business. When the Second World War began, a significant number of store employees joined the war effort. This roll of honour, located by the elevators on the main floor, pays tribute to the men who did not make it home. 

Text of the plaque:

Roll of honour

Members of the Toronto Simpson Staff who made the Supreme Sacrifice

World War 1939 - 1945

P/O D.R. Beardall, RCAF

F/O Peter E. Brinkworth, RCAF

LAC Gabriel Schoeler, RCAF

F/O Gilbert C. Hooey, D.F.C., RCAF

W/O Thos. W. Hare, RCAF

F/Sgt. Robert Doherty, RCAF

L.A.C. J.J. Lammerse, RCAF

S/Ldr. Ed. G. Gilmore, D.F.C., RCAF

F/Sgt. Roy D. Adgey, RCAF

P/O J. Elliott, RCAF

F/O K.B. Thomas, RCAF

P/O E.C. Ecclestone, RCAF

A.B. Ronald E. Grant, RCNVR

Pte. Roy Andrews, 48th Highlanders

P/O A.T. Hook, RCAF

F/O Aubrey F. Bond, RCAF

L/Cpl. C.L. Shappard, Can. Armoured Corps

Sgt. George Andrews, RCAF

S/Ldr. Wm. D. Suggitt, D.F.C., RCAF

Pte. R.G. Burke, Can. Recce. Regt.

L/Sgt. Gordon Glover, RCAF

P/O Mel L. Fullerton, RCAF

W/O W.K. Johnson, RCAF

F/Sgt. Graham F. Butson, RCAF

F/Sgt. Douglas Hann, RCAF

F/L W.E. Thomas, RCAF

F/O Wm. R. Merrall, RCAF

Sgt. Frank S. Squires, Cent. Ont. Regt.

F/O Gordon W. Besley, RCAF

Sgt. James R. Truscott, RCAF

Pte. Warren E. Eades, Royal Regt.

Pte. David J. Woods, Royal Regt.

F/O Francis O. Gilmore, RCAF

Lieut. Edward D. Glass, 48th Highlanders

Pte. R.W. Benson, Royal Regt.

P/O Wm. J. Doughty, RCAF

Gnr. Wm. Middleton, Can. Armored Corps

Pte. Charles R. Gray, Irish Regt.

F/O J.N. Kerry, RCAF

Cpl. Albert Holland, RCAMC

Pte. John Tataren, Black Watch

F/O John W. Wood, RCAF

Sglmn. Murray Smith, Chaudiere Regt.

F/Sgt. John A. Thomson, RCAF

F/L Robt. F. Galbraith, RCAF

F/L W.M. Jackson, RCAF

L/C Douglas J. Volkes, Irish Regt.

Forest Hill Lamp Post

Location: Elm Ridge Dr.

Date photo taken: 5 September 2016

Decorative lamps such as this one can be found along some of the streets in Forest Hill, which was, until 1967, an independent village within the City of Toronto. In this village, by-laws relating to housing construction required all homes to have their street-facing sides designed by an architect, and minimum construction costs were set and strictly enforced to ensure the building of quality homes. With such attention to detail, it's not surprising that the street lights are a little out of the ordinary. The continued presence of such unique lighting can in part be attributed to a decision by City Council in the early 1970s which stated that posts older than 20 years could not be taken down without council approval. According to an article in the Toronto Star, this was a reaction to a discovery that Hydro was taking down some of the more unique lamp posts in the city and selling them to collectors. 

Peeper

Location: The side of New Moon Variety, Harbord and Roxton

Date photo taken: 26 December 2014

I love this mural, but in the way I love Cabin in the Woods or The Thing. I find it really creepy. I think it's the way the eyes are so shadowed you can't see them. Or maybe it's something about the runic letters that cover the background. I present it to you as a Halloween treat. I hope you like it, but not too much, because sadly this wonderful piece has now been painted over. 

Note: I would love to credit the artist on this - if you know who they are, get in touch or leave a comment.

Copper Paneled Lobby

Location: Lobby of 55 Queen St. E.

Date photo taken: 15 February 2017

This elevator lobby on Queen Street East is decorated with hammered copper panels created by Laszlo Buday. Buday was born in Hungary but left following the uprising in 1956, eventually settling in Canada. He is perhaps best known for his work as a graphic designer, particularly his stint as art director for Canadian Architect magazine. He began working with copper in 1969. His process involves raising the designs by hammering on the back of the copper panels. When the initial designs are complete, the panels are reinforced with liquid aluminum and then areas of the display surface are selectively darkened and polished and finally sealed to prevent oxidation of the copper.

These panels were installed when the building was erected in 1973. Just down the street, another set of panels by Buday can be found in the lobby of 27 Queen St. E. 

Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church

Location: Golfview Ave. and Gerrard St. E.

Date photo taken: 20 February 2016

I find Toronto's places of worship fascinating. They range from grand cathedrals to small storefront operations and there are lots of them. Most churches are purpose built and have a pretty unique floor plan and yet they are susceptible to the same shifts in demographics that other buildings face. What happens to a church when the congregation moves on? This church provides an interesting example. 

This building is the second church on this site. The original Glenmount Methodist Church was a small one storey white building built around 1913. It was quickly replaced by this structure, and when the United Church was formed in 1925 from the union of Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational churches, it became Glenmount United. In 1984 it amalgamated with Rhodes United, also on Gerrard and very similar looking, and this building was sold to the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto. MCC is a welcoming congregation involved in LGBTQ rights and according to their website, this building was the first property owned in Canada by a lesbian and gay organization. In 1991 MCC moved on to another location and this building was sold to its current occupants, the Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church. This congregation first held services in Toronto in 1833 and counted among its members both free men and runaway slaves. It moved several times over the years and when their property near Queen and Soho sold to developers in 1991, they purchased this building where they continue to hold services.

Gordon Sinclair Lane

Location: runs between Sumach Street and Riverdale Park Road in Cabbagetown
Date photo taken: 25 October 2012

Toronto is criss-crossed with over 3000 lanes and just as neighbourhoods have their own identities, so too do their laneways. I love how this one looks in the fall, with the ivy and overhanging leaves turning brilliant colours. Several initiatives over the years have attempted to bring these spaces more into the community eye. The Name Your Lane project in 2006 encouraged people to turn these spaces into places. The Laneway Project takes it a step further, working to help communities activate and improve their lanes.

In 2008 the Cabbagetown Preservation Association sent a request to City Council to name 42 lanes in the area. Each name in some way reflected the history of the area. Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian media icon, was born on nearby Carlton Street. If you're interested in commemorating a person, event or thing through a lane name in your neighbourhood an application is available on the city's website, and the Laneway Project offers a how-to guide.

Hockey Heritage Mural - Summit Series

Location: Rail underpass on Davenport near Caledonia Park Rd.
Date photo taken: 10 September 2015

It was 45 years ago this week that Paul Henderson scored the winning goal in game eight to clinch the first Canada-USSR Summit Series. That moment, with Henderson celebrating and being embraced by teammate Yvan Cournoyer, was captured by Canadian Press photographer Frank Lennon. That image has been recreated on a railway underpass at Davenport and Calendonia Park as part of a hockey heritage mural. At over thirty metres wide it depicts personalities and moments from Canada's golden years of hockey, from 1951 to 1993. Created by the Davenport Arts Community, they endeavour to go beyond the creation of static murals, incorporating augmented reality and interactive animation into their designs, a process they call murography, allowing the viewer to interact through their smartphone. I wish I had known this when I visited the site. If you've interacted with the mural, please leave a comment below and share your experience.

Shoreline Beacon

Location: Lower Church Street

Date photo taken: 8 February 2016

This new art installation is tucked into a nook on Lower Church Street, just north of the Esplanade. Once upon a time, the natural shoreline of Lake Ontario would have been in approximately this location, before the City extended itself about a kilometer through the use of landfill. This piece, by artist Paul Raff, helps passersby rediscover this part of Toronto's history. The limestone base evokes the natural shoreline, and the projection on the wall explains the rest:

"For 10,000 years this was the location of Lake Ontario’s shoreline. This brick wall stands where water and land met, with a vista horizon." 

Little Free Library

Location: 123 Woodfield Road
Date photo taken: 12 April 2015

This is a Little Free Library sitting in the front yard of 123 Woodfield Road. Normally on this blog if I post something that is sitting in a person's yard, I don't publish the address. In this case however the whole point of these boxes is for the community to use them. The idea is simple, and it's spelled out on the little sign on the roof: Take a Book. Return a Book. From the first box built by a man in Wisconsin for his own yard in 2009, the idea has snowballed. As of 2016, there were over 50,000 Little Free Libraries in over 70 countries, including over 100 in Toronto. If you're interested in hosting your own free library, you can buy one pre-made or download plans to build your own from the Little Free Library website. If you just want to browse someone else's collection, they also have a map to help you find the one nearest you.

Note: I think this library may have grown since I took this picture. Can anyone confirm if it's now two-storeys tall?

Zoo Woods

Location: St. George south of Harbord

Date photo taken: 6 May 2016

Walking along St. George Street, thru the heart of the University of Toronto's downtown campus, you pass this small, wild looking patch of green. This is Zoo Woods, a project undertaken in 1994 by the Zoology Landscape Committee to recreate the Beech-Maple forest environment that once predominated in this part of southern Ontario. Many of the plants here were rescued from the Altona Forest, a remnant of the beech-maple forest within the GTA which was cleared in 1994 to build a subdivision. With increased interest in fostering native species and increasing biodiversity within urban areas, learning spaces like this one can play an important role. To see what the space looked like prior to the project, or to download a map of the woods, check out the Zoo Woods webpage.

Bike Rack - Live

Location: Mowat Avenue and Liberty Street, Liberty Village

Date photo taken: 22 August 2015

Here's another decorative bike rack, this one from Liberty Village. It's courtesy of Bike Here!, a program launched in 2011 by the Liberty Village BIA to promote cycling in the neighbourhood. As part of the program, a competition was held to create bike racks that would double as public art. Twelve designs were selected for their artistic merit, their link to the community and their functionality. This is one of three winning racks designed by Karen Lau.

Butter Sculpture - Tyrion Lannister

Location: The Farm, Canadian National Exhibition

Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

Each year at this time I like to post an image or two taken during my annual visit to the CNE. Yes, I go every year. I love the Midway at night, the music, and all of the weird stuff that is packed into every day. Like butter sculpting. This is a regular event held each year in the Farm building. Artists are invited to create a master work in butter, based on the year's theme. They do their work in a special chilled enclosure to ensure that the butter doesn't get too soft to work with. As I can't make it this year, I present instead this work in progress from 2015 by Maria Cupani. If you're curious about the final version, check out this Flickr image.

Rosetta McClain Gardens

Location: 5 Glen Everest Rd, near Kingston Road and Birchmount

Date photo taken: 9 September 2013

The Rosetta McClain Gardens are a special place, designed to provide a feast for the senses. The raised beds are planted with flowers, herbs and ornamental plants, chosen as much for their fragrance as their colour and texture. At the center of the garden, a large fountain fashioned from a boulder adds a soothing soundtrack. While active pursuits such as sports and cycling are not permitted in the park, there are trails for walking. The edge of the park sits on the bluff, high above the lake, offering great views of the water, and if you're lucky, glimpses of cliff swallows and other birds.

Weston Mill Stone

Location: Weston Road, just south of the 401

Date photo taken: 22 May 2015

Image 6 in the Remnants Series

Geographic features often play a key role in deciding where people will settle. For the former Village of Weston, the sudden drop in elevation along the Humber River provided the impetus. The fast flowing water was ideal for powering mills, and shortly after the area was surveyed, the first mill was built along the banks. Over the years that mill would be expanded and others built in the area, until Weston became a thriving milling centre. This mill stone was placed in this small grassy patch in 1957 as a reminder of the early days of industry in this neigbourhood.

Regal Kitty

Location: Saint Enoch Square, just west of Massey Hall

Date photo taken: 5 November 2013

Happy International Cat Day! This regal kitty is part of a mural painted in the laneway running midway between Yonge and Victoria, adjacent to Massey Hall. In June 2011 the Downtown Yonge BIA published its Public Realm Strategy which identified a number of projects that would improve appearance and usability of public spaces within the area, and increase traffic in underused areas. O'Keefe Lane and Saint Enoch Square, which run north and south from Shuter Street respectively, were one such project, and this mural was one of the results. The mural was a joint project by EGR and Elicser, and I believe this cat is the work of EGR.

Carp

Location: Railway underpass on Queen St. E. near Degrassi

Date photo taken: 5 January 2017

If this panel looks familiar, it may be that you are remembering the cute little fox featured a few weeks ago. Both are part of the Frames of Life mural. I'm drawn to this panel because it's not often that you come across realistic representations of fish around the city, which seems unfair. It is much more likely that someone living in Toronto will encounter a real live fish than they will a moose after all. The City of Toronto website has a page dedicated to fishing in the city which includes a list of some of the best places to fish, such as the Toronto Islands, Grenadier Pond in High Park and the Rouge and Humber River marshes. It's legal to fish on public land anywhere along the lake, but if you're between 18 and 64, you need to have a provincially issued fishing licence. Want to give it a try but don't have any equipment? No problem! Tackle Share is a program started by The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters that allows new anglers to borrow a rod, reel and tackle to try out the sport. There are currently 5 locations in Toronto where Tackle Share is available, including the Ralph Thornton Centre, which is just down the street from this mural. 

Bike Racks - Finch Hydro Corridor

Location: Finch Hydro Corridor, McNicoll Ave. and McCowan Rd.
Date photo taken: 5 September 2013

Back in July 2009 the city received national and provincial funding to develop multi-use trails within hydro and rail corridors across Toronto. Seven projects were identified, including this one, along the Finch Hydro Corridor. As part of the ongoing infrastructure improvements, a public art competition was held to design new bike stands. Marianne Lovink and Scott Eunson won with these organically inspired Bike Plants.

Blue Flag

Location: Toronto Islands

Date photo taken: 7 August 2015

Ever been to the beach and noticed a blue flag flying? If you have, it means that you can feel safe going for a dip. The Blue Flag program is an international certification administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education. In order to be awarded a blue flag, a beach has to meet strict criteria in four different areas: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and overall safety. Receiving a flag isn't the end of the process either. Water quality must be regularly tested and independent audits are done to ensure that standards remain high. During the season (June to Labour Day) Toronto tests water quality at its supervised beaches daily and results are posted on the Toronto Public Health website. A handy map on the site indicates which beaches are currently safe to swim at and which ones have Blue Flag certification. 

Clockwork Bees

Location: Queen St. E. at Saulter

Date photo taken: 5 January 2017

This gorgeous bee is one small element in a vibrant mural gracing a wall in the Riverside neighbourhood east of the Don Valley. The mural by artist Nick Sweetman blends two themes: bees and clocks. The bees represent the green spaces throughout the Riverside neighbourhood and the growing practice of bee-keeping in this area. The clocks and gears are a tribute to Albert Edelstein who worked as a clockmaker and jeweller and was one of the initiators of the Riverside Business Improvement Area. Disparate as these two themes may seem, their blending is explained as follows:  "...the Gears in the mural represent small things working together to make big things happen - like bees in a hive, or a community in a neighbourhood..."

For me, the moment I saw this mural, I was reminded of a book called Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. You’ll have to read it to find out why. Don’t worry, you’ll love it! 

Republic of Rathnelly

Location: Rathnelly Avenue and Poplar Plains Crescent

Date photo taken: 25 September 2013

Back in 1967 Canada celebrated its centennial. The various levels of government, private corporations and organizations of all descriptions marked the occasion with special projects. Citizens too were encouraged to celebrate this milestone and projects big and small were publicized in the newspaper. One neighbourhood in Toronto decided to celebrate by seceding from Canada. On June 10, 1967 residents of Rathnelly took to the streets, erected barricades, declared themselves an independent republic within the borders of Canada and had themselves a grand party. While it was all in fun, resident Alan Thomas explained at the time that they had "planned it as a reminder that there was a slender thread of rebellion in Canada's history". The shenanigans went beyond a single day in 1967 however. In 1969, looking for funding for the erection of a playground, representatives of the Republic wrote to Prime Minister Trudeau asking for a foreign aid grant. More recently, in 2012, street signs like the one above were distributed throughout the neighbourhood. The coat of arms features neighbourhood markers including train tracks and a rough sketch showing the five blocks that make up the area, as well as the Expo symbol and six martini glasses, presumably a nod to the year and spirit of its founding.

Kiss and Tell

Location: Alleyway just west of Church, at Wellesley

Date photo taken: 11 May 2016

Running down the west side of an alley near the corner of Church and Wellesley are the silhouettes of a number of couples kissing. They are powerful, colourful and at once both simple and intricate. The work, by artist Natalie Wood, was inspired by the groundbreaking educational campaign "Kissing Doesn't Kill" from the late 1980s. She adds another layer of meaning by crafting the figures using a collage of book and publication covers with significant meaning to herself and other members of the local LGBTQ community. If you want to learn more about this mural project, there's a great video with Wood on the Queerstory website.

Patrician Grill

Location: 219 King St. E. near Sherbourne

Date photo taken: 16 September 2013

The Patrician Grill is exactly what you'd expect, based on the sign. It's a diner serving up comfort food standards like burgers and meatloaf and it's been doing it since the 1950s. Family owned and operated, first by husband and wife team Louie and Helen Papas, and now by the next generation, it remains true to its roots. Stubbornly so. As one story goes, when a note was slipped under the door criticizing them for not having fruit on the menu, the specials board soon read "Fruit-free since 1967". Reviewers on sites from Google to Trip Advisor agree though that good food is exactly what you'll find inside. 

Bike Rack - Blue Coil

Location: Hanlan's Point, Toronto Islands

Date photo taken: 21 May 2015

In June 2016 the city adopted a 10 year cycling network plan geared to improving cycling infrastructure in the city. One small piece of this is bike parking, or bike racks. While the majority of racks installed by the city are of standard post-and-ring design, they are looking at different options. In the meantime, there are lots of examples of interesting racks out there. Here is one from the Toronto Islands, near the entrance to Hanlan's Point beach. 

Yonge Street Planter

Location: Yonge Street, near Summerhill

Date photo taken: 19 September 2013

I love plants and I often take note of trees, gardens and other arrangements as I'm out walking. On Yonge Street in the area around the Summerhill TTC station, a lot of sidewalk real estate is given over to planter boxes. According to Toronto's Street Use By-Law, the city's Business Improvement Areas are allowed to encroach on public space to install certain enhancements, which include things such as public art, historical markers, street furniture and planter boxes. Beautiful!

Moving House

Location: Howard Street, near Bloor and Parliament
Date photo taken: 9 May 2016
Image 5 in the Remnants Series

A few weeks ago this blog featured Campbell House and described how it was relocated rather than demolished back in 1972. Here is a modern version of the same story.  A large multi-tower development is set to transform the land between Bloor and Howard streets, west of Parliament, which happens to be where this building stood, one of the few remaining survivors of an upscale residential neighbourhood that has since been radically transformed. The house was built in 1887 for William Whitehead and was once surrounded by other equally grand homes. The first blow came when many of the homes were demolished to extend Bloor Street, which also cut the neighbourhood off from the ravine and its Rosedale neighbours. The exodus to the suburbs after World War II sent the area into further decline and many of the homes were converted into rooming houses. The final blow to the original neighbourhood came shortly after when the majority of the homes were acquired and demolished to build the St. James Town development.

In a move to preserve the remaining history in the area Lanterra Developments hired ERA Architects, who specialize in heritage projects, to come up with a plan. The result was the restoration of several properties on nearby Glen Road, and the shifting of this house to sit closer to them. For a more detailed account of the work and some great pictures, check out the Globe and Mail article from last December.

Beer in Toronto - Muddy York Brewing Co.

Location: 22 Cranfield Rd.

Date photo taken: 21 March 2017

Toronto is home to over 60 craft breweries which means that it's a good place to be if you're a beer fan. Distribution across the city is markedly uneven however and if you live in East York, your options are limited. Luckily, one of the choices is Muddy York Brewing Co. It's a small batch brewery located in an industrial park between O'Connor Drive and the Don Valley. One thing that sets them apart is that while they offer a range of different types of beers, their mainstays are more traditional styles often overlooked by other brewers. Personal favourites of mine in this category include Muddy York Porter and Major Small Best Bitter. Opened in 2013, they've slowly been expanding their operations and now their location includes a retail bottle shop. Perfect for stocking up for the long weekend!

Mother and Child

Location: Baycrest Health Sciences Centre grounds, Bathurst St. and Baycrest Ave.

Date photo taken: 27 August 2015

This sculpture, entitled Mother and Child, sits in the green space in front of the Bathurst Street entrance to the Baycrest Health Sciences Centre. It is one of a surprising number of artworks owned by Baycrest and displayed throughout the facility and grounds. According to their website "Baycrest’s unique art environment encourages cognitive and social engagement, factors known to promote brain health and healthy aging." To facilitate enjoyment of their collection and to spark conversation, they offer a number of Art Walk booklets modeled after the Museum of Modern Arts’ Meet me at MoMA program. This piece, created in cast aluminum by artist Aharon Bezalel in 2010, was donated to Baycrest in 2011.

Campbell House

Location: Northwest corner of Queen and University

Date photo taken: 6 May 2016

This stately Georgian-style building sitting in park-like grounds at the corner of Queen and University is a fraud. The building itself is genuine. Built in 1822 for Chief Justice William Campbell, it's the oldest surviving building from the Town of York. And that's the clue. This building originally stood near the corner of Frederick and Adelaide, or Duke Street as it was called at the time. In the 1970s, the building's owner decided to demolish the house to expand their parking area, but the Advocates' Society stepped in and purchased the building, on condition that they would move it. They worked with the city planning office to find a suitable location and in 1972 the house made its slow way across Adelaide to its new home. Today Campbell House functions as a museum, event space and unique theatre venue, and while the grounds are maintained by the city as a park, the building itself is operated by the Sir William Campbell Foundation.

Images of the building in its original location and during the move down Adelaide are available online through the City of Toronto Archives, using keyword Campbell House. For ease of viewing, limit your results to scanned photographs only.

Dinosaurs

Location: St. James Avenue near Ontario Street
Date photo taken: 26 October 2012

This polka dot dinosaur never fails to make me smile. It can be found on the south side of a parking ramp enclosure in the middle of St. James Town.

Enercare Centre Living Wall

Location: Enercare Centre, Canadian National Exhibition grounds

Date photo taken: 24 August 2015

This beautiful wall of greenery isn't your typical indoor display of carefully designed synthetic plants. All of the plants on this wall are real and together they work to clean the air inside the Enercare Centre. The Living Wall Biofilter is a system designed to increase indoor air quality and eliminate the need for pumping fresh air in from outside, which saves on heating and cooling costs. It's not the actual plants that clean the air, they just look nice. It's the microbes on and around their roots that do the actual work. Together they make for a wall that is both pretty and pretty cool. The system was designed at the University of Guelph's Controlled Environment System Research Facility and financed in part by the Canadian and European Space Agencies. 

Tembo

Location: Commerce Court courtyard

Date photo taken: 30 December 2016

This is Tembo, Mother of Elephants. She is striding purposefully to water, in this case a fountain, leading her two small charges, unseen in this photo. This life sized bronze began as a 20 cm tall model created by Toronto artist Derrick Stephan Hudson which was then 3D scanned and scaled up to create this imposing creature. It is the second cast, with the original residing in the Windsor Sculpture Park where in 2014 it was voted the most popular piece in the park by Windsor Star readers.

Zanzibar Circus Tavern

Location: 359 Yonge St., just south of Gerrard

Date photo taken: 4 April 2013

Club Zanzibar is a bit of a relic. It's one of only 16 active "adult entertainment clubs" operating in the city of Toronto and one of only a few left in the downtown core. Back in 1978 the city changed its land use rules making it pretty much impossible to open a new strip club, but it allowed the 63 currently in existence to remain open. Over the years, that number has dwindled but the Zanzibar has remained. Its gold facade and neon lights are now an icon on the Yonge Street strip. The building wasn't always a strip club of course. Before Zanzibar it housed various businesses, such as a butcher's and a photography shop. Right before it was Zanzibar it was the Rosticceria Tavern. The Zanzibar Tavern first opened its doors in 1959 as a live music venue, part of the happening Yonge Street music scene. By the late 1960s it still featured live music but it was more of a dance club, complete with topless go-go dancers. In the 1970s it made the switch to strip club and the show hasn't stopped since.

Note: The TD Gallery at the Toronto Reference Library is currently hosting an exhibit that looks at the city's early attempts at moral reform. Vice & Virtue is on until April 30 and it's free.

Traffic Signal Box - Roaring Bear

Location: corner of Trinity Bellwoods Park, near Dundas St. W. and Montrose

Date photo taken: 9 June 2014

Image #8 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

Good morning bear! Not a morning person either? I can relate. This is the second traffic signal box decorated by Jeff Blackburn to be featured on NeaTO. He has been invited to paint two boxes each year of the Outside the Box program, bringing his total to 8 so far. 

The Artful City

Location: Community Gallery, Art Gallery of Ontario

Date photo taken: 29 January 2017

The Artful City is an exhibit in two parts, currently on display in the Community Gallery on the lower level of the Art Gallery of Ontario. The image here represents a portion of the wall map which marks the locations of over 700 pieces of public art in the city. On the opposite wall is a timeline which features one piece of art from each of the last 50 years. The aim of the project is to encourage discussion about public art in the city by graphically depicting the patterns of distribution and documenting changing styles over time. The exhibit is free to attend and is on until May 21st.

Time for a Pint

Location: Murphy's Law, Queen St. E. and Kingston Rd.

Date photo taken: 23 July 2016

Starting in the 1930s the Guinness beer company ran a series of ads based on zoo animals and their hapless keeper who couldn't seem to hold on to his beer. Images included an ostrich swallowing a Guinness, glass and all, and a sea lion balancing a pint on his nose. Most enduring of the animals however was the toucan. It went on to be featured in television ads in the 1970s and 80s and according to one business magazine, it became almost as synonymous with the brand as the harp on the label.  So even though this clock face doesn't specify the brewery, it won't be a surprise to many to see Guinness on tap at this bar. This campaign along with many others for Guinness was envisioned and executed by artist and illustrator John Gilroy.

Frames of Life - Fox

Location: Railway underpass on Queen St. E. near Degrassi

Date photo taken: 5 January 2017

This cute little fox is part of a beautification project undertaken back in the early 2000s in the South Riverdale neighbourhood, east of the Don Valley. A dark and gloomy railway underpass was converted with the help of a team of artists and lots of community support, into a tribute to the Don River and the life it once supported. Each of the 20 panels on the underpass was painted with a local species of bird, fish or mammal. These constitute the Frames of Life. All around these panels flows a lovely blue river, the River of Life. Many of the panels have sustained damage over the years and in 2017, thanks to a Canada 150 grant, this underpass will be getting a new mural. I look forward to the new project but will miss the familiar faces.

Thanks to Tony Prashad, creator, coordinator and river painter, for information on this project.

Snapshot - Front & Jarvis

Location: Northwest corner of Front and Jarvis
Date photo taken: 30 January 2017

This big open space at the corner of Front and Jarvis used to be the home of the North St. Lawrence Market and the mural that was featured last September. In the 2015 the market was relocated to a temporary structure a few blocks south on Jarvis and an archaeological assessment of the site was undertaken. This location was designated as an official market area back in 1803 and market buildings have existed on this site since 1820 so it's not surprising that the field survey found something. The amount of evidence found on site has prompted a stage 4 archaeological review which in this case means that the entire site will be excavated prior to construction beginning. If you've ever been curious about urban archaeology, you can watch some of the progress through the fence, plus the Market Gallery, located across the street in the St. Lawrence Market, is currently hosting an exhibit called "Unearthing Toronto's Oldest Marketplace". It's free to visit and on until March 18th.

Long Tailed Duck

Location: Lake Ontario, off Sherbourne Common

Date photo taken: 21 February 2016

If you find yourself at the shore of Lake Ontario this winter you may see some of these striking black and white ducks. This is a male, identified by the pink spot on his bill and by the long tail feathers for which the ducks are named. Normally they spend their time in the Arctic but they forage for food by diving so when temperatures start to dip and the water to freeze, they move out in search of open water. That takes some of them out to the coasts, but others travel south to winter on the Great Lakes. While their populations are still currently healthy, they were listed as a 'Common Bird in Steep Decline' on the 2014 State of the Birds Report.

The Reds

Location: Mattamy Athletic Centre, Carlton and Church

Date photo taken: 29 January 2017

Back in January 2010, the historic Maple Leaf Gardens building at the corner of Carlton and Church was gutted in preparation for its transformation. While the Loblaws store on the main floor was the first thing to open, the majority of the building would remain dedicated to sports, becoming the new athletic centre for Ryerson University. During the process, certain key elements of the building's history were retained and incorporated into the new development. Some, like the marquee on Carlton Street, are obvious. Others are more like Easter eggs, there for those who take the time to look. High up on the Carlton Street wall, above the main lobby and next to the elevator bank, is this row of original red stadium seats.

The Mattamy Athletic Centre is open to the public most days between 6 am and 10 pm. They also host free community skate days about once per month. The next one is being held on Family Day, from 1 to 4 pm.

Love Birds

Location: Humber River Recreational Trail, where it passes under the 401

Date photo taken: 22 May 2015

Happy Valentine's Day!

Back in 2015 as part of the lead up to the Pan Am Games, a section of the Humber River Recreation Trail was designated as part of the Pam Am Path system, and various events were held and improvements undertaken along the route. These birds are part of a much larger mural entitled Born This Way painted on the section of the trail that passes beneath the 401. 

Digital Origami Tiger

Location: Toronto Light Fest, Distillery District
Date photo taken: 27 January 2016

This glowing cat figure is one of two that makes up the installation Digital Origami Tigers, currently on display at the Toronto Light Fest in the Distillery. Originally created by LAVA to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Tiger in 2010 and displayed at the Custom House in Sydney, Australia, the cats were later adopted by the World Wildlife Fund to help in their campaign to raise awareness of the plight of these endangered animals. Instructions for making your own origami tiger can be downloaded from the WWF website.

The Toronto Light Fest is a free festival that brings over 20 light-based works from local and international artists to the Distillery District. It runs until March 12.