Thing's End

 

Location: John Street, north of King

Date photo taken: 20 June 2019

This sinuous blue sculpture sitting outside the doors of the Festival Tower on John Street was installed in 2012 and is the work of Canadian artist James Carl. If you think it looks like a rubber band, you're spot on. Carl seems fascinated by the subject matter. For an earlier exhibition at the Justina M. Barnicke Gallery at the University of Toronto, he created a mass of more life-sized elastics out of polymer clay, and since this work has created at least three more large scale installations - a red one and a yellow one for another tower in Calgary, and a massive version installed in 2018 at the Airport Industrial Complex in Wuhan, China.

Ornamental Seating

 

Location: Scotia Plaza, concourse level

Date photo taken: 21 December 2021

Happy Holidays! May you find the time to stop, rest and recharge while surrounded by things that bring you joy.

Pizza Pizza

Location: Broadview & Danforth

Date photo taken: 3 June 2019

I just love the little pizza-tossing figures in this signage and I'm so happy that even though this location looks just like every other Pizza Pizza from the front, this eye-catching signage was retained on the side. The colour palette is different and the "i"s looked more like regular letters, but the script style here matches that on the sign which hung above the original location at Wellesley and Parliament, which opened in 1967. Here are some other fun facts from the archived version of the Pizza Pizza corporate history site: 

• In 1967 Pizza Pizza worked with a car upholsterer to create the world's first insulated pizza delivery bag.
• The famous 11-11 phone number was introduced in 1975 and worked into the catchy jingle in 1978.

 

Lightbox

Location: South east corner of Britain and Sherbourne

Date photo taken: 24 March 2021

In 2016 the Harris Institute commissioned the artist known as MEDIAH to create a new mural for their building at Sherbourne and Britain. The mural, which features their name, is colourful and pretty big, measuring over 7 metres in length. The problem is it's located in a fairly out-of-the-way spot, at the back of the building, accessible via a laneway. To remedy this lack of visibility, the company features an image of the mural on a large lightbox on a prominent corner of the building. 

Dovercourt Village

 

Location: Shanly Street at Salem Avenue

Date photo taken: 3 October 2013

Dovercourt Village is a small neighbourhood in the city, focused along Dovercourt Road and Hallam Street. It's part of the larger Dovercourt Park, which stretches north from Bloor to the railway tracks, between Ossington and Dufferin. Initially a suburb of the city, Dovercourt was annexed on January 2, 1888 although at this time, still relatively little had been built here. The train tracks, which were part of the Ontario & Quebec Railway line connecting Toronto and Perth, had been completed in 1884 but the city atlas from the same year shows precious little other development. By 1890 there were a few more buildings scattered about but not much had changed with the notable exception of the street names. Durham had become Shanly. Brighton Place, Hallam. Dover Court would lose its space and Lancaster would become Ossington. The turn of the century was a boom period for the city however and it didn't take long for development to come to Dovercourt. By 1910, the atlas shows almost every lot developed.

The 1985 on the sign likely refers to the establishment of the Dovercourt Village BIA.

Don Mills Montage

Location: Lawrence Avenue, west of Don Mills

Date photo taken: 14 July 2019

Charles P. Staffer, a Hungarian born architect and artist, immigrated to Canada in 1957. He worked for the T. Eaton Company, designing and creating murals and other artworks. For the new store opening at the expanding Don Mills Centre, he created two murals, one for inside, and one for the exterior. Both drew on the surrounding neighbourhood for inspiration and both have survived the ongoing evolution of the mall, first to a fully enclosed shopping centre and then to the open-air retail and entertainment complex that exists today. When Cadillac Fairview demolished the old mall in 2006 both murals were removed, restored and then reinstalled. This one can now be found on the north side, facing Lawrence.

TerraCycle Cigarette Waste Receptacle

 

Location: Atrium on Bay

Date photo taken: 29 January 2020

It always makes me mad when I see smokers casually toss away their spent cigarettes. What makes it okay to toss a butt when you wouldn't treat an empty coffee cup the same way? I get that they're small, and that many people think they degrade quickly (they don't), and with a burning end you can't exactly stick it in your pocket. And of course there are those for whom a a coffee cup is the same as a butt, but it can't be everyone or else we'd be drowning in trash. The City of Toronto lists cigarette butts as one of the top litter items in the city and notes they are particularly problematic because they contain toxic chemicals. Some reports indicate that cigarette butts are the most littered item in the world. Businesses and organizations that want to be part of the solution can order these cigarette waste receptacles from TerraCycle and encourage their use. While the boxes are $100 each and facilitate collection, any individual or organization can take part in the UNSMOKE recycling program for free. They just need to collect up their cigarette waste - all parts of extinguished cigarettes, cigarette filters, cigar stubs, outer plastic packaging, inner foil packaging, rolling paper and ash are accepted - request a prepaid mailing label, and call UPS for a pick-up. Participants even receive TerraCycle points per pound of material collected. Points can then be redeemed for cash payments to the non-profit organization or school of their choice or toward a selection of environmentally and socially-minded charitable gifts. Butts collected are shredded and separated into plastics, papers, and organics which are then recycled. 

CPR Memorial Tablet

Location: Union Station

Date photo taken: 11 November 2020

During the First World War more than 11,000 employees of the Canadian Pacific Railway enlisted in the war effort. Of those, 1,116 gave their lives. This large bronze plaque is one of 23 identical memorials created by the Canadian Pacific Railway to honour their sacrifice. It was designed by Archibald Pearce of the company’s Engineering Department and features the following inscription:

This tablet commemorates those in the service of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company who at the call of King and Country left all that was dear to them, endured hardship, faced danger and finally passed out of sight of men by the path of duty and self sacrifice, giving up their own lives that others might live in freedom. Let those who come after see to it that their names be not forgotten.

The names of the fallen, wounded and missing were not memorialized in bronze, but they were recorded in the pages of Canadian Railway and Marine World. 

Immigrant Family

 

Location: 18 Yonge Street

Date photo taken: 12 May 2021

American artist Tom Otterness is known for creating installations that bring humour and joy to public spaces. I myself can still remember the wonder I felt when I discovered his cartoonish characters festooning the New York subway. For his Toronto-based work, commissioned by Lanterra Developments for its property at 18 Yonge Street, the theme is a little less whimsical but heart-warming all the same. First envisioned as a group of tourists visiting the city, the sculpture morphed into this immigrant family grouping after a nudge from the developer. Toronto is, after all, a city of immigrants and the condo sits between Union Station and the port, both of which have been gateways for countless  newcomers. 

Creepy Babysitter

 

Location: Shuter Street

Date photo taken: 16 October 2021

Happy Halloween! 

Bell Box - Natasha Dichpan

 

Location: Logan between Gerrard and Dundas

Date photo taken: 16 October 2021

Image# 13 in the Bellbox Series

I just love this majestic looking fox. It's the work of artist Natasha Dichpan (@the_illust) and was painted as part of the Bell Box Murals Project in 2020.

24 Mercer

Location: 24 Mercer Street

Date photo taken: 15 April 2015

When I'm out walking, I often stop and snap pictures of buildings and streetscapes that appeal. More often than not, there's a heritage element that I admire. Such was the case with this picture. The building at 24 Mercer was designed by architect John Tully and constructed in 1857 as a two-storey private home. While originally the street was largely residential - the 1884 Goad's Atlas of the City of Toronto shows it just doors away from a public school - after the Great Fire of 1904, much of this area was taken over by industry. This building was purchased by the Toronto Hat Block Company to provide manufacturing space and at some point after this, the third storey, with the plainer windows and different brick style, was added. Mercer Street is now returning to its residential roots. To the east of this building (right in this picture) now stands The Mercer, a 33 storey condo building. To the west is a boutique hotel. 24 Mercer itself is slated to become Bungalow on Mercer, offering 12 loft-style units in a tall thin building, anchored by the original portion of the historic facade. 

Passages - Don River

Location: Lower Don Trail

Date photo taken: 20 September 2015

On the Lower Don Trail where it passes under Don Mills Road, something lies waiting beneath the bridge. Have no fear, it's not a troll but rather an art installation called Passages. It consists of pieces of bright red canoes which have been set into the concrete at odd angles. It both celebrates the history of the Don River as an important artery and recreational waterway, and invokes its former power. Installed in 2015, it is the work of Labspace Studios, a sustainable arts enterprise. 

Tempo

Location: St. Clair West station

Date photo taken: 25 September 2013

If you've ever found yourself in St. Clair West station, you might recognize this blast of colour. It's a small piece of Gordon Rayner's extensive mural which adorns the mezzanine level, one floor above the trains. When the Spadina line was built in the 1970s, the TTC selected a number of Ontario artists to produce art for each of the nine stations on the line. While some of the pieces have since been removed, the majority are still in place and stations on other lines, in particular the new Sheppard line, also feature large installations. With a little time and for the price of a TTC ride, you can take a tour of this spaced out gallery of Canadian art.

Attention - Coyotes

 

Location: Bloordale Park North

Date photo taken: 25 November 2021

With Stanley Park's coyotes in the news lately, I thought I would share some local coyote information. With all of our parks and ravines, it's not surprising that Toronto is home to coyotes but did you know that the City of Toronto offers an e-learning course called Coyotes in the Urban Landscape? There's also a webpage that sets out lots of tips and information on what to do and not do when you encounter a coyote. My favourite is definitely Be big and loud: Jump up and down, wave your arms, yell “Go away coyote!” It's not just a bit of fun - yelling "Go away coyote" alerts nearby pedestrians and pet owners that there's a coyote in the vicinity. Other take-aways include: do not approach them, never feed them,  and do not turn your back or run away from them.

Tulpi chairs

Location: Centre Island
Date photo taken: 3 August 2021

On the Toronto Islands, a number of tulips bloom year round on a small grassy area adjacent to the Centre Island ferry terminal. Oversized and bright orange, they are the creation of Dutch designer Marco Manders and they won top prize in the Street Furniture Design Category at the 2014 - 2015 A'Design Award and Competition. That's right, these blooms are actually chairs. The tulip shape and self-folding design ensures that the seat is protected from pooling water and bird droppings, and they can be rotated 360 degrees. The material is also highly durable and 100% recyclable. These particular chairs were gifted to Toronto by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands when they visited in 2015 so it makes sense that they are all orange, but if you wanted a little variety in your own personal Tulpi garden, they do come in a variety of colours, and even illuminated versions.

Speaking for the trees

 

Location: James Street

Date photo taken: 5 September 2021

For those of you not familiar with Dr. Seuss, this is the Lorax, an environmental spokesthing from the 1971 book of the same name. In that story, the Lorax spoke up to protect the trees. On a walk in Long Branch this weekend this Lorax, along with a multitude of more generic but informative lawn signs, alerted me to a similar battle currently going on in this west end neighbourhood. Residents are campaigning to save the Black Barn Maple which is under threat due to a development proposal. At 160 years old, this maple is one of the oldest surviving trees in this part of the city and it is still healthy and going strong. Residents hope to keep it that way but so far the City has not moved to protect the tree. I personally hope they will, or that the builder will get creative and find a way to work around the maple. Heritage trees can be a powerful symbol and any mature urban tree is a valuable asset. 

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." 

Capital

Location: Berkeley Street, south of Front

Date photo taken: 30 August 2020

It's CNE time again, which is how I often refer to this last few weeks of summer. Except of course that summer really continues for a few more weeks, and oh yes, the Ex has been cancelled for another year. Rather than digging out something from a past visit, I thought this week I would share a piece of CNE history that exists outside of the fair grounds. Back in 1928 the Electrical and Engineering Building was added to the Exhibition. Inside were featured modern wonders made possible by electricity. Outside were decorative columns and oversized figures created by Charles McKechnie, the same person responsible for the iconic winged figure atop the Princes' Gate. The building was demolished in 1972 but some of the decorative items were salvaged. Some can still be seen at the CNE, but somehow at least three ornamented capitals found their way to Toronto's Free Theatre (TFT). Perhaps it was just good timing. The theatre was founded in 1971 and it began performing out of the converted Consumer Gas building on Berkeley shortly after. In the 1980s TFT merged with CentreStage and Canadian Stage was born. The Berkeley Street Theatre is still a Canadian Stage venue and the capitals are still on the front lawn. 

Traffic Signal Box - Shoot the Shooter

Location: North east corner of Dundas and Sumach

Date photo taken: 20 June 2021

Image #17 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

Here's another striking mini mural thanks to StreetARToronto's Outside the Box program. This one was done in 2015 by Toronto artist Matt Cohen. For those of you unfamiliar with the neighbourhood, Dundas and Sumach is right in the heart of the former Regent Park housing development which has been the focus of intensive redevelopment since 2005. In the background of this photo you can see the colonnade of the new DuEast high rise condo development at 225 Sumach. If you visit the artist's blog, you'll notice that the background of the photo he took after completing the box looks much, much different. It's almost as if this photographer was placed here to capture the changes taking place in the neighbourhood.

NeaTO: The City of Toronto Archives has a massive photograph collection that documents much of the city, and it happens to have a picture of the north east corner of Dundas and Sumach from 1972, showing the low rise housing of Regent Park. 

Pioneer Village Station

 

Location: 2800 Steeles Avenue West
Date photo taken: 22 September 2018

This is one of two similar-looking buildings that act as entrances to the Pioneer Village TTC station. Designed by SGA/IBI Group Architects in joint venture with Alsop Architects, the TTC page dedicated to this stop describes them as "a pair of sculptural objects, robust and yet embodying playfulness and free flowing movement." They are certainly striking. A friend, on seeing this picture without the aid of their glasses, mistook the structure for a turret. That is forever how I will think of these buildings, and it seems somehow fitting. After all, they sit on opposite sides of Steeles, one in Toronto and one in Vaughan, protectors of their respective realms.

Eagle V.1

 

Location: The Esplanade at Yonge

Date photo taken: 12 May 2021

Through the Percent for Public Art Program, the City of Toronto encourages the inclusion of art in new developments across the city. Sometimes these art works are placed inside or add subtle interest to courtyards or passageways. That can be nice but I really love it when a work makes its presence felt. Eagle V.1 by sculptor Dean Drever definitely falls into this latter category. It's huge and it graces a thin portion of wall adjacent to Yonge Street. That means that there are great sightlines, but it also means that you can appreciate this piece from a variety of angles and distances (here it is seen from further away). I find that its character, or the effect on the viewer, changes depending on where you are. The eagle may be a protector of peace but it's also a mighty predator and standing this close, you can't help but feel a bit like prey.

Fabricated by Lafontaine Iron Werks Inc. from designs by Drever, the giant bird is made of aluminum, fibreglass, polyurea/polyurethane hybrid and lacquer, and painted to match the stonework of the building. It was installed in 2018. The artist's statement can be read here.

Tagging Trash

Location: Promenade next to Sugar Beach

Date photo taken: 23 June 2021

How often do you think about trash? Perhaps more now than you used to, but I'm going to guess that the average Torontonian still doesn't spend much time thinking deeply about garbage. It's probably a good thing then that someone is thinking about it. One such group is the U of T Trash Team. Among their projects is Fighting Floatables, which aims to understand the problem of trash in Toronto harbour. They perform visual audits as a first step and then deploy trash capture devices in the water to trap floating debris. Collected material is then subjected to both a simple daily quantification and a deep dive analysis. This year they've added another layer to this by releasing plastic bottles containing GPS trackers into Lake Ontario. The bottles act like any other trash in the water, and the GPS trackers help the team understand how trash moves around the waterfront. They've made the movement maps available online so you can see for yourself how the move bottles around. It's one more way they're striving to create an "engaged waste-literate community where citizens are actively working to protect people, wildlife and the planet through the intersection of science, policy, community engagement and innovation that promote waste reduction."

Artscape Bayside Lofts - Natia Lemay

 

Location: 30 Merchants' Wharf

Date photo taken: 16 June 2021

I feel like you never know what you're going to see when you visit the East Bayfront these days. Sure, lots of cute dogs being walked is a given. Also construction and views of the water, but surprises also abound. One day recently part of the promenade was decorated with candy coloured paper lanterns and huge pots of flowers. The same day I saw that I also noticed this streetside gallery. It's probably been there for awhile but I've never noticed it. It runs along the west side of the new development at 30 Merchants' Wharf, a building which houses 80 affordable housing units geared to artists and artist-run families. Known as Artscape Bayside Lofts, the units are part of the larger Hines-Tridel Aquavista development and are owned by the City of Toronto.

This particular exhibit is called "Family in Art" and all the works are by Natia Lemay. 

Toronto Hearts

Location: Yonge-Dundas Square

Date photo taken: 14 July 2021

Exploring the ravines is definitely one of the things I love about Toronto. Also Cafes and Patios, The Raptors and the Toronto Zoo. Apparently I'm not alone in loving these things. Members of the community were recently asked what they love about the city and their responses can now be found on hearts like this one, carefully spaced across Yonge-Dundas Square. In addition to calling out all the things we love about our city, these hearts also help us with physical distancing as the city starts to re-open. 

Tentacles

 

Location: Bremner Blvd.

Date photo taken: 1 July 2021

It made me smile when I spotted this on the pavement outside the Ripley's Aquarium. I think this is actually a film that's been applied to the ground, but it reminded me a bit of the sweet little chalk drawings that David Zinn creates. Unfortunately he lives in Michigan, but that's not that far - I live in hope that he'll visit Toronto one day. 

AIDS Memorial

Location: Barbara Hall Park, Church north of Wellesley

Date photo taken: 1 July 2021

Tucked in a beautiful green space behind The 519 Community Centre on Church Street stands Toronto's AIDS memorial. The thirteen pillars contain the names of people, most from the local community, who lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses. For me, the experience of walking along the path, noting as the number of plates needed per year swelled, was visceral. The memorial was designed by Patrick Fahn, but it was the work of Michael Lynch. He and a group of other gay men developed the idea of a permanent memorial, a place where friends and family could gather. By its existence, it "counters the silence, denial, isolation and rejection that are so often connected with AIDs" and it also provides a focal point for the annual AIDs Candlelight Vigil, usually held each year in June. Friends and family can submit names for the memorial to The 519.

Pucks

 

Location: Tim Horton's in Brookfield Place, Front & Yonge

Date photo taken: 3 December 2019

Despite the ongoing closure of the Hockey Hall of Fame, hockey fans can still browse some pretty interesting exhibits of hockey memorabilia, thanks to Tim Horton's. Opened in 2017, the franchise in Brookfield Place, which shares the atrium with the Hall of Fame entrance, was designed to function as a mini-museum. There are displays of pucks, sticks and helmets on the walls and near the entrance, and standing in what is normally the seating area in the atrium are large custom cases displaying jerseys and artifacts, one for each of the Canadian teams. They have even served a special Hall of Fame donut for Family Day. 

Cycling is Elemental

Location: Richmond Street, between Berkeley and Ontario
Date photo taken: 19 June 2021

Over the summer, the concrete dividers that keep cyclists on the Richmond Street cycle track separated from cars are getting some special treatment. Organized by StreetARToronto, more than 125 different artists have been commissioned to paint the 300+ concrete barriers, creating what StART describes as a bikeable art gallery. Two sections, comprising the stretch between Parliament and University, have been completed to date. This particular section is the work of Sam Roe. 

Typha

Location: Leslie Street at Lakeshore

Date photo taken: 26 February 2021

Typhus is a relatively new sculpture, installed in December 2020. Designed by artist Dean Baldwin with fabrication work and installation by Lafontaine Iron Werks, it stands at the edge of the Leslie Spit. I love everything about this piece. It's rough and wild and beautiful and cattails are a perfect tie to nearby Tommy Thompson Park, an area described as an accidental wilderness and now designated as an Environmentally Significant Area. There's more to it than that though. With the spit and park looking the way it does now, it's easy to forget that it is in fact man-made, the result of years of dumping construction materials and material dredged from the harbour. If you wander the beaches, you're likely to glimpse bits of rusted out rebar and other bits of scrap. Some people have created mini sculptures from them, and this inspired Baldwin. If you look closely, you'll notice that threaded throughout the sculpture are smoothed bits of brick and even some marine floats. Finally, many of the upright stalks you see are reclaimed track rails from Toronto's streetcar system, It's both an example of creative re-use and a nod to the Leslie Barns just next door. 

Just Hanging Out

 

Location: Sewells Road

Date photo taken: 13 March 2021

Image #12 in the Bellbox Series

This cute and colourful collection of critters is painted on a Bell Box in Scarborough. It was likely done as part of a Mural Routes project in 2014. I love the odd assembly of animals and the simple style, but I have to admit that part of my brain insists on pointing out that they're not social distancing. 

Bank of Nova Scotia Mosaic

Location: formerly in the ABM vestibule of the bank at Queen Street East at Church

Date photo taken: 27 March 2018

I wonder how many people entering the former Scotiabank branch at the corner of Queen and Church stopped to admire this mosaic? Dating to approximately 1929, it's a beautifully detailed rendition of the bank's seal, which is made up of elements which reflect the bank's Maritime roots and the industries on which the early wealth of the region was based. These include a merchant sailing vessel, a codfish, and a plow with a sheaf of grain. The shield is surrounded here by thistles representing Nova Scotia's Scottish heritage. When the bank vacated the building in 2018, this seal was removed to ensure its long term preservation.

Lilacs

Location: Riverside neighbourhood

Date photo taken: 24 May 2021

During COVID and especially during the most recent lockdown, my walks have been more about the need to get out and move and less about exploration. Covering the same local streets over and over again, things get pretty familiar. Thankfully, the city is now in bloom. These days I find myself taking pictures of flowers more often than murals. A huge thank you to all of the gardeners out there who plant and tend these beauties! Lately I've been pretty much walking from lilac bush to lilac bush, pausing to inhale deeply at each one. While I have a standard route designed to provide maximum lilac exposure, I deviated on the weekend and discovered this gorgeous specimen. I looked it up and it's called a Sensation lilac. I'd say that's pretty apt. Some other things I learned are that lilacs are not native to Canada - they're from Eastern Europe and Asia originally - and are in fact related to olive trees. They can live to over 100 and come in shades of purple, pink, white and yellow.

Treegators

Location: all over

Date photo taken: 9 July 2019

As I've mentioned in a previous post, the City of Toronto is working to expand the number of trees in our city. As part of this, they regularly plant new trees. Like all youngsters, new trees can be quite fragile and conditions during their first few years can have a big impact on how well they settle in and grow. In particular, adequate water is needed to help their roots establish themselves. That's where these neat green bags come in. Called Treegators, they allow for a long, slow release of water to the roots of the tree. This saves both time and water. The double-walled bag is filled in minutes allowing city staff to move on to other tasks, and the slow release over many hours, through small holes in the bottom of the bags, reduces water loss due to run-off and evaporation. The City zips them around all newly planted street trees.

Otter and Turtle

Location: alley south of 189 Booth

Date photo taken: 8 May, 2021

This otter and turtle form part of a long mural that covers the low wall around the south and west sides of the new building at 189B Booth Avenue in Riverdale. It was painted this spring by Philip Cote. He was commissioned by the Red Door Family Shelter to create something that would "educate, inspire and imbue healing energy to our clients, staff, volunteers, and supporters for years to come”. According to Carol Latchford, Executive Director of Red Door, they also plan to create “programming opportunities for children, and adults too, to learn and understand the stories associated with Philip’s mural.” The Red Door Shelter provides sanctuary to women, children and families in need, with 64% of their residents being children. In this new space, they will be able to provide each family with their own bedroom and washroom, a first for the organization. 

The Faces of 77 Elm

Location: 77 Elm Street

Date photo taken: 27 March 2021

It's funny. I've always liked the building at 77 Elm Street. Built in the early 1980s, it's rather stark and monolithic, but there is a playfulness there too. Take the detail above. Panels like this are arrayed along the ground floor, facing the street. To me they remind me of the moai of Easter Island, patiently standing, watching the city as it passes. I was surprised then to learn that the building is sometimes referred to as the Nightmare on Elm Street. One critic I read gave it a grade of D- and used phrases such as "arbitrary and inappropriate" and "the architectural equivalent of a black hole". 

Known as the Alan Brown Building, it provides rental housing specifically     for physicans, nurses and other professionals working at SickKids.

Bell Maintenance Hole Cover

 

Location: everywhere
Date photo taken: 25 November 2020

The streets and lots of Toronto are dotted with circular metal discs. While most of us walk and drive over them daily, rarely do we stop to take notice. That's a shame really as some of them are quite pretty. While Toronto, for the most part, may lack the stand-out designs found in some other cities, our covers still have a certain charm. I'm particularly partial to the Bell Canada ones, with their pattern of hexagons. The central logo also appeals to the history nut in me. Thanks to it and a cool timeline on the BCE website, I know that this particular cover was installed sometime between 1965 and 1976.

NeaTO: While most of the city's covers are standard issue, Toronto does have a few unique designs underfoot. The very first NeaTO post back in October 2012 featured one of them - the sewer access covers in Regent Park.

TinEye

 

Location: 233 Queen St. W., just west of Sherbourne
Date photo taken: 8 April 2021

I love this mural. It's colourful and fun and it makes me smile. It's also a corporate logo. TinEye, the company that occupies this building, is an image search and recognition company. Their robotic mascot was added to the front of the building last fall. If you're interested in design, or just want to know more about this friendly looking fellow, the TinEye blog has an article on what went into creating the logo.

Walking the dog

Location: Church and McGill Streets

Date photo taken: 10 April 2021

This is part of a decorative screen running down the length of the driveway behind a new condo development at 365 Church Street. It obscures the wall behind it, letting just the right amount of its rough charm shine through, and the figures add a touch of life to what might otherwise be a lonely lane. It was designed by NAK Design Group and built and installed by Eventscape in 2017.

Glowing Heart

 

Date photo taken: 7 April 2021

Location: all over

I've been feeling a lot of love on my nightly walks lately. These small but mighty heart lights have been popping up in windows all over my neighbourhood. They seemed to come out of nowhere. The first night I noticed them I counted 4 within 10 minutes. Now there are even more. I was very pleased to discover that their proliferation was not the result of a two-for-one sale on Amazon. The hearts are the work of Moss LED, a company based in Mississauga. They primarily create LED products for film and television, but during the pandemic they started making these Hero Hearts to show support and spread the love. According to their website, they now have 5 full time people creating these lovely lights. If you're the kind of person who likes to see behind the scenes, check out the Made in Canada post on the company's website for a walk-through of how the hearts are made. 

Deer

 

Location: Corner of Sherbourne and Linden

Date photo taken: 28 November 2017

This oddly oriented deer sculpture is part of the multi-piece installation by Toronto-based artist Eldon Garnet featured last May. According to the artist's statement, this work "is a commentary and a reflection on our urban interaction with nature. Not long ago, the wilderness was considered somewhat threatening and something we should fortify ourselves against. Today, our relationship with nature has turned into a nostalgic yearning to embrace something that no longer exists. " If you want to get up close and personal, this deer's mate is more accessibly placed adjacent to the property's fence. 

For the greener good

 

Location: Bruce Mackey Park

Date photo taken: 21 March 2021

If you've spent any time in Riverside lately, you've probably seen a tree or two wrapped in a green plastic ribbon. I don't know when they first started appearing, but I first encountered them shortly after St. Patrick's Day. I have to admit I was a bit irked. I assumed someone had decided to green up their neighbourhood for the day and was in no hurry to reverse the process. I am therefore thankful to whoever it was who had the foresight to attach plastic-covered information sheets to a smattering of the trees. The green ribbons are part of a campaign by local residents to raise awareness about the new Ontario Line and the effects that it will have on their neighbourhood. While much of the line will be underground, the portion running through this area will be built at level, adjacent to the existing rail corridor. This happens to be where most of the green space and recreational facilities are located, putting them at risk. Save Jimmie Simpson! is working to engage residents in the fight to have this portion of the line buried. Visit their site to learn more. They've also got some cute buttons for sale.

CNR Caboose

Location: Roundhouse Park

Date photo taken: 11 November 2020

This is Canadian National Caboose #79144 and it is one of many outdoor exhibits accessible to the public at the Toronto Railway Museum despite COVID closures. While the museum itself is closed, the adjoining Roundhouse Park is dotted with outdoor exhibits which include structures, such as the 1896 Don Station, as well as train cars like this one. 

This caboose actually started out life as a boxcar. Built in 1920, it hauled goods for years until wooden boxcars became obsolete. CN, rather than off -loading them, converted many, including this one, into cabooses. In the early days, the caboose provided a home away from home for those who worked on the train, but over time, the need for such accommodation lessened. Eventually it became more of an office on wheels. The cute little raised portion was where the conductor or brakeman could sit to keep an eye on the train.

If you want to support the Toronto Railway Museum, or just love trains, you might want to get yourself a ticket for "Royal Train Tours of Canada", the first in the museum's 2021 series of virtual lectures.

Spring Flowers

 

Location: Lawrence Ave. E. at Curlew

Date photo taken: 23 January 2021

Image #16 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

The official start of spring may still be a few weeks away but spring temperatures were definitely in evidence in the city today. Pretty soon real live tulips will be everywhere, but until then, this gorgeous sunny mini mural will stand in nicely. I assume it was done as part of StART's Outside the Box program but I can't find any info on the artist. If you know, please comment!

Water Dragon

Location: Construction hoarding at Lakeshore east of Coxwell
Date photo taken: 26 February 2021

The City is undertaking its largest ever storm water management program to help improve water quality in the Don River and the along the waterfront. The first phase involves the creation of a huge tunnel system for capturing and storing excess water during storms. The hoarding which was erected around the construction site on the western edge of the park known as Main Sewage Treatment Playground has provided a huge canvas and last October more than 90 artists were invited to create their vision of a water-themed work of art. This one is by Cesar AR, or Cesar Alonso, a Colombian born artist based in Toronto. 

Just Chilling with the Cat

Location: Atlantic Avenue, south of Liberty

Date photo taken: 11 November 2020

I feel like this is what many of us have been doing this February. Sitting around, enjoying way too much coffee, talking to the cat. 

This mural is by Jason Pinney and Jarus and it was commissioned back in 2016 by Liberty Street Cyclery which occupied the building at the time. It was sponsored by the City's StreetArt program. 

 

Commissioners Street Stack

 

Location: Lakeshore at McCleary Park

Date photo taken: 7 July 2020

Standing 137 metres tall, the stack at the former incinerator complex on Commissioners Street in the Port Lands is an impressive sight. Though not as tall as the Hearn's stack (which is poking out from behind in the photo above) the open vista provided by McCleary Park makes it easier to admire. Built in the early 1950s, it was the last incinerator facility to be built by the City and today the building is a listed heritage site. It ceased burning things in 1988 due in part to health concerns about released toxins and today functions as a transfer station for the City's Solid Waste Management Services division. It's also where you can go to drop off your household hazardous material and e-waste, although possibly not for long. The Port Lands are currently under redevelopment and the Port Lands Planning Framework re-envisions this complex as a community hub with a creative sector incubator. Fingers crossed! The stack itself recently underwent extensive rehabilitation so it's all set for whatever the future has in store.

Delivery with heart

Location: Distillery District

Date photo taken: 25 January 2021

Meet Geoffrey, your adorable zero emission local delivery robot. I've seen these cute little boxes roaming the sidewalks of the Distillery District, Corktown and the Canary District. With the help of real-life but remote pilots, who also handle communications, these mobile lock boxes currently pick up orders at twelve partner restaurants. Delivery fees currently range from $2.99 to $5.99.

Hydro House

 

Location: 746 Scarlett Road

Date photo taken: 26 May 2019

This house has a secret. While the neatly trimmed shrubs and tidy yard may fool casual onlookers, anyone taking a second look is bound to notice the Danger sign next to the heavy duty front door, or the security equipment mounted at the corner. This building houses not people, but one of the city's many electrical substations. Scattered throughout the city to ensure the flow of power, these substations are designed to blend in and they are well maintained to ensure that neighbours have nothing to complain about. And for safety reasons of course. Most are shells, built by Toronto Hydro specifically to house equipment and in that, this house is a little different. It was once a regular home, but was purchased by Toronto Hydro and gutted to serve its new purpose.

Rainbow Tunnel

Location: East Don Trail
Date photo taken: 23 January 2021

This rainbow tunnel is likely familiar to any who have driven up the Don Valley Parkway. It sits on the east side, just south of the Lawrence exit and it's been around since the very early 1970s. It was originally painted by a youth named BC Johnson as a memorial to a friend who died in a car crash on the nearby roadway. Every time the city painted it over, which happened often, he would return and repaint. Eventually the City embraced the mural and in 2013 it provided funding to Mural Routes to refresh the rainbow and to create a further mural on the inside of the tunnel. If you want to visit it in person it can be accessed from west of the Don Valley via Moccasin Trail Park, or from the east side via Milne Hollow and the East Don Trail.