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.