First World War uniform

 

Location: 426 University Avenue

Date photo taken: 8 November 2018

Did you know that Toronto has literally dozens of museums? As today is International Museum Day, I thought I'd feature an exhibit from one that is perhaps lesser known. This is an Artillery Dress Uniform on display at the Royal Canadian Military Institute Museum (RCMI) on University Avenue. RCMI is an independent member-supported organization but their museum is open to the public, by donation, and tours can be arranged on request. Their collection has over 12,000 artifacts and archival materials, including the seat from World War I flying ace Baron von Richthofen's plane, making it one of the largest museums of military history in Canada. 

Berry buddies

 

Location: Laneway north of Dundas, just west of McCaul

Date photo taken: 4 September 2018

I wanted something spring-like for this week and have opted for this mural by Sarah Cannon (@nightarcade). With the plucky mouse figure and its unlikely partner, it just makes me happy. It's yet another mural in the laneway transformed back in August 2018 by a WomxnPaintTO event.

Divine Femininity

Location: Laneway south of D'Arcy, east of Beverley
Date photo taken: 4 September 2018

In honour of International Women's Day next week, I'm sharing yet another fabulous mural from the Womxn Paint's laneway event back in 2018. This one is by Désiré Betty, and believe it or not, it was her first mural and her first time working with spray paint.

Garage Heart

Location: Cayley Lane

Date photo taken: 7 January 2023

This painted garage is definitely the highlight of Cayley Lane, which otherwise doesn't have much going on. Presented here in honour of Valentine's Day. 

 

Tahlequah

Location: Laneway south of D'Arcy, east of Beverley
Date photo taken: 4 September 2018

This mural, the second to be featured from Womxn Paint's 2018 laneway event, is by sisters Chief Lady Bird and Aura. It is a tribute to Tahlequah, an orca mother living off the Pacific coast of Canada, who mourned her dead calf by carrying it with her for 17 days.

The next #womxnpaintto mural jam is happening soon, this time in North Etobicoke. Watch for artists at work on Finch between Kipling and Islington on the weekend of July 12-14.

255 McCaul

Location: 255 McCaul Street

Date photo taken: 4 September 2018

255 McCaul is large building built by the Toronto Board of Education in 1931 to act as its supply warehouse. It was designed by C.E. Cyril Dyson, the Board’s Chief Architect and the man responsible for such iconic Toronto schools as Jarvis Collegiate and Northern Secondary. The building still serves education, acting now as the Exam Centre for the University of Toronto’s St. George Campus. Completely retrofitted in 2008, the building was the university’s first LEED Gold building. It uses roughly 60 percent less water and 30 per cent less electricity than a typical building, despite its age. It accomplishes this in part through two large cisterns in the basement which collect water for flushing toilets and a large solar array on the roof. The building’s green attitude is brought to life by the living wall in the lobby.

Lacey and Layla Portrait

Date photo taken: 4 September 2018
Location: Laneway north of Dundas, west of McCaul

In August, Womxn Paint hosted an event in the laneway that curves between D'Arcy and McCaul, just north of Dundas. They invited female identified artists to come out and transform the garages along the lane with art. The organization's goal is to empower women through art, and in the process, to diversify the public art experience throughout the city. This mural was done by Lacey Jane and Layla Folkman, a professional art duo based out of Montreal. Check out their Instagram feed for some images of the event in progress.

Canada Life Beacon

Location: University Avenue, north of Queen

Date photo taken: 31 January 2017

In 1951, the Canada Life Assurance Company added an almost 100 metre tall beacon tower to the top of its stately building on University Avenue. The purpose of the tower was not to signal airplanes, but to transmit the weather forecast. Anyone in the know could look to the tower and decode the light signals to determine what was on its way, and in this, little has changed. The lights might be energy efficient LEDs now, but calls are still placed to the Environment Canada Weather Centre at Pearson several times a day to keep the beacon's message up to date, and the signals themselves are the same. The box at the top of the tower tells what type of weather is coming: steady green for clear skies, steady red for clouds, flashing red for rain and flashing white for snow. The temperature can be discerned from the lights on the support tower. If they are running up, expect it to get warmer, down means cooler, and steady means no change. 

Campbell House

Location: Northwest corner of Queen and University

Date photo taken: 6 May 2016

This stately Georgian-style building sitting in park-like grounds at the corner of Queen and University is a fraud. The building itself is genuine. Built in 1822 for Chief Justice William Campbell, it's the oldest surviving building from the Town of York. And that's the clue. This building originally stood near the corner of Frederick and Adelaide, or Duke Street as it was called at the time. In the 1970s, the building's owner decided to demolish the house to expand their parking area, but the Advocates' Society stepped in and purchased the building, on condition that they would move it. They worked with the city planning office to find a suitable location and in 1972 the house made its slow way across Adelaide to its new home. Today Campbell House functions as a museum, event space and unique theatre venue, and while the grounds are maintained by the city as a park, the building itself is operated by the Sir William Campbell Foundation.

Images of the building in its original location and during the move down Adelaide are available online through the City of Toronto Archives.