Little Champion

Location: College and Dovercourt

Date photo taken: 6 June 2018

This triumphant figure is Little Champion, a sculpture by Dr. Harry Rosen. To date he has created 16 works and donated them to organizations in Montreal and Toronto. All feature this distinctive layered look. While this piece is done in bronze, it mimics the look of his work in stone, which is composed of thin layers of carefully ground and shaped stone. 

Bike Rack - O Ring Posts

Location: King and Toronto Streets

Date photo taken: 1 May 2018

The majority of bike racks across the City are of this standard post-and-ring design, created by city designers David Dennis and Eric Pederson. Early models even included their initials. 25 were installed as part of a pilot project in 1984. Prior to this most cyclists locked their bikes to parking meters. When the city began removing coin-operated parking meters in 1999, the city began installing these bike posts instead with about 3000 posts being installed over a 3 year period. By 2016 approximately 17,500 had been installed around the city. Pros of the design, according to the City's website, include that they are easily recognized, spatially efficient, inexpensive and robust. Cons include that they are kind of challenging for users, and older styles are not tamper-proof, leaving bikes more vulnerable to vandalism and theft. A new and improved design was introduced in 2008, and as more focus is given to cycling across the city, many more unique designs are showing up on private property and city land all across Toronto.

Antique Carousel

Location: Centreville, Centre Island

Date photo taken: 3 August 2018

Choosing which mount to ride on the carousel at Centreville is not an easy decision. While there are a few horses to be had for the purists among you, there are animals to suit everyone's fancy, from these sprightly rabbits, to charging pigs, trotting ostriches, and fierce tigers. There are 52 mounts in all, including 36 which jump and 2 chariots. The variety may be explained by the fact that the animals are hand-carved from wood, not made from molded plastic. It was created in Germantown, Pennsylvania by the G.A. Dentzel Steam & Horsepower Company around 1908. It was purchased for the park in 1964. After suffering major losses due to the extensive flooding on the island in 2017, Centreville owners agreed to sell the carousel to Carmel, Indiana, sparking outcries around the city. The deal fell through when Carmel council vote 5-2 against the purchase, and in October Toronto's city council passed a motion to amend the current license agreement at Centreville to ensure that the carousel remains in the park for future generations to enjoy.

Parcade

Location: King Street, between Church and Jarvis

Date photo taken: 30 July 2018

When it comes to the King Street Transit Pilot I am definitely in the "love it" camp. Except for having to remember to wait before walking once the light turns green, my walks to work are pretty stress free and lunch time is far more relaxing thanks to the groups of Muskoka chairs placed conveniently close to my office. Now add to this some fun new installations spaced along the route. Parcade is one of four designed by students at Ryerson University's SpaceLab. The planters provide some interactive fun, even if it's a bit more low-tech than their namesakes. 

There's Something on the Garage

Location: in laneway between Logan and Ferrier

Date photo taken: 13 February 2017

On August 3 1978, just in time for long-weekend trips to the lake, Piranha hit theatres. I vividly remember seeing this movie and refusing to go swimming for days afterward. These memories return whenever I see this garage, painted by cruz1 (Angel Carrillo) as part of a Wallnoize event back in May 2015. Wallnoize9 brought a number of artists to brighten the walls and garages surrounding the small parkettes running west from Pape Station. Themes were nature, animals, characters, and kid friendly.