Bell Box - The Golden Frogs

 

Location: Simpson Avenue

Date photo taken: 16 October 2021

Image #17 in the Bellbox Series

A colourful and super cute Bell Box to liven up this steamy August week. These frogs, the work of Colombian-born, Toronto-based artist Andrea Rodriguez, if real, would probably love this weather! 

Pay phone

Location: Logan and Gerrard

Date photo taken: 14 August 2019

When's the last time you used a pay phone? Or even noticed one? While their numbers have declined steeply over the last two decades, they are still out there. Many of the survivors have taken a beating. This one, though rough looking, still functions, and it's still 50 cents to make a call. That rate (or maximum tariff) is one of the few regulations that applies to pay phones. The other is the need to notify a community before the removal of its last pay phone. Other than that stipulation, there are no regulations relating to provision or placement of phones. While usage has declined with the advent of cell phones, many argue that pay phones do still provide a valuable service, especially for more vulnerable communities and income sensitive groups. Some things I hadn't considered: 

• Each call is pay-per-use so you only pay when you use it and there is no time limit, so being kept on hold or put in a queue doesn't eat up your minutes. 
• Pay phones provide free access to 1-800 numbers and toll-free calls, so again, you're not using up your minutes when you make this type of call.
• All you need is 50 cents or a prepaid phone card - no credit check or subscription required. Also no roaming plan if you happen to be a tourist. 
• Pay phones are anonymous which can be important, such in cases of domestic abuse where the abusing party may have access to service history.
• Pay phones are reliable. They aren't affected by poor cell service, which can be a factor especially in rural areas, and basic calling features work even during power outages.

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.

 

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.

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. 

Birds

Location: Gerrard Street East

Date photo taken: 20 February 2016

When I first walked by this house on Gerrard, I thought "How nice, two birds sunning themselves on this cold winter day". I was almost right. A second look revealed that the birds were actually small figurines. I can't decide if that's even more charming than the real thing.

Don Jail

Location: Gerrard and Broadview
Date photo taken: 6 April 2016

The recent renovation and cleaning of the Don Jail has returned the Italianate building to its original grandeur. When it opened in 1864 it was the largest jail in North America and represented a new attitude toward the treatment of inmates. Prison reform at the time called for prisoners to do more than sit in their cells. They were expected to take fresh air, to work and to be afforded opportunities for bettering themselves through access to education. Over the years conditions at the prison deteriorated, due in large part to overcrowding and changes in attitude. A new prison building was constructed on the site in the 1950s but conditions remained so poor in the original building that it was eventually closed in 1977. The newer building ceased to function in 2013 and has since been demolished.

The 1864 building has undergone cleaning and extensive restoration and now operates as the Administrative Building for the adjacent Bridgepoint Health Centre. It is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Numerous historical plaques have been placed throughout the building, allowing anyone interested to take their own self-guided tour. This information is also available on Bridgeport's website.

Visit the Toronto library's digital archive for pictures of the Don Jail over the years.