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.