Owl and Raccoon

Location: East end of Carlton Street

Date photo taken: 30 January 2018

What happens when a tree dies in the city? While dead trees provide homes for birds and animals, when they are located along the street or in a park, they also represent a significant safety risk. For this reason, the city's Parks, Forestry and Recreation division will come and remove it. When an oak tree on the edge of Riverdale Park West died several years ago however someone came up with a twist on the idea. While the majority of the tree was removed, the bottom portion of the trunk was left intact. Jim Menken, a chainsaw artist, then worked his magic. Drawing inspiration from the shape and quirks of the tree, he populated the stump with some local wildlife. Apparently the original tree was so diseased it was hollow inside, so another stump had to be brought in from the city's wood lot, but it all worked out in the end.

Note: Over the past several years, due in large part to the emerald ash borer, the City has had to remove a lot of trees. Traditionally, these have been chipped and then disposed of. While researching this blog, I read about someone who thought this was a waste and did something about it. Sid Gendron now operates a sawmill that takes urban wood and turns it into wood products that local businesses can use. Read more about Sawmill Sid in this National Post article.

Kingsway Billiards

Location: 3056 Bloor St. W., near Royal York
Date photo taken: 9 January 2017

The Crooked Cue pool hall and restaurant has been in this Bloor Street West location since 1992 but the building has been dedicated to recreation since its first tenant opened its doors in the late 1940s. The Toronto Star ran a notice announcing the opening of the 16 lane Kingsway Bowling Academy on September 19, 1947. The Pappas family bought the building in the 1950s and eventually bowling gave way to billiards. The old school pool hall with its snack bar was renovated in 1992 when the next generation of the Pappas family took over, adding a full bar and restaurant. I'm not sure when during the building's history the neon sign was installed but I love it.

Flower Hearts

Location: Maclean Avenue
Date photo taken: 1 May 2013

I'm going to guess that these charming hearts are long gone but they sure brightened my day when I spotted them on the base of the street lamp posts along Maclean Avenue years ago. Happy Valentine's Day!

Echoes - I Am Looking For a Job And I Found It

Location: Lawrence Ave. E. bridge over Highland Creek
Date photo taken: 13 October 2015

This is a small snippet from the lengthy community-inspired mural that runs along the south side of the Lawrence Avenue bridge spanning Highland Creek Park. Made up of imagery and text reflecting the diverse members of the neighbouring communities, this Mural Routes project was completed in the summer of 2011 by local artists and a large group of volunteers. To see more, check out this earlier NeaTO post or watch the slideshow on Mural Routes' website.