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.