The Great Beaver Quest

 

Location: outside Fire Station 33, Front and Princess

Date photo taken: 21 May 2026

Are you ready for it? The beavers have their balls, and are in position. Let the Great Beaver Quest begin! In honour of FIFA World Cup coming to Toronto, Old Town Toronto and STEPs Public Art have placed 51 specially painted beavers around the neighbourhood, one for each country competing plus a few extras, and are challenging locals and visitors alike to find them. The more you find, the more you can win. Download the free Scavify app and join the quest to take part, or just enjoy the thrill of finding them as you explore the streets and visit the businesses of Old Town. 

This beaver represents New Zealand and was painted by Elizabeth Wise. 

Lantern of Love and Peace

 

Location: Nathan Phillips Square

Date photo taken: 14 December 2023

This year the Cavalcade of Lights in Nathan Phillips Square includes a number of softly glowing Chinese lanterns. Most are large spheres adorned with flower patterns, like the ones pictured here, but there is also a much larger, more intricate dragon boat. The lanterns were hand crafted by artisans from Zigong in China’s Sichuan province. They're presented at City Hall thanks to a partnership with Woodside Square Shopping Centre in Scarborough. Last year they hosted a large outdoor Lantern Festival and they've brought it back this year. While you can visit during the day, the lanterns are lit from 4:30 to 9 pm daily. 

Love letters to St. Lawrence

Location: Corner of Front and Frederick streets

Date photo taken: 16 February 2023

The  St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association marked its 40th anniversary on February 14, and to celebrate, it fully embraced the Valentine's Day vibe by putting up 10 oversized love letters around the  neighbourhood. Each describes a wonderful thing about this part of the city, like this one, posted outside the Young People's Theatre.

Community members, visitors and tourists were also invited to write their own letters, describing what they like best about this, the oldest part of the city. The goal was to generate 1000 letters which would then be hidden around the neighbourhood "to spread the love and share the gratitude so many have" for this area. The idea comes from Toronto writer and arts educator Lindsay Zier-Vogel, who first created the Love Lettering Project back in 2004. 

If you missed the letter-writing parties, you can still get in on the celebration. Just find one of the love letter posters, take a photo and post it to Instagram for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate. Full details are available on the Association's Facebook page.

Enjoying a good read

 

Location: Osler Street north of Dupont

Date photo taken: 7 December 2022

I have a fascination with little box libraries. I think they're a brilliant idea and I love that they exist. They encompass so many things I value. Books of course, but also re-use, neighbourliness and creativity. I love that the owner of this rustic-looking library thought to include windows, which frame images of people enjoying a good book. If you get up close enough, you can even read over their shoulder.

To find your closest library, you can check out the map on the Little Free Library website. Keep in mind that it only lists boxes which have officially registered with them, which costs money, so if you don't see one close by, don't despair. Get out and take a look - there may be an awesome unlisted box in a neighbour's yard near you.

The Big Social: AR Edition

 

Location: Natrel Pond, Harbourfront Centre, Queens Quay

Date photo taken: 6 October 2020

If the fine fall weather that is about to hit the city entices you outside and you find yourself in the vicinity of Harbourfront Centre, make your way to the Natrel Pond to experience THE BIG SOCIAL: AR Edition. Using your own tablet or phone you can access a series of dance presentations brought to life on the pond right in front of you, thanks to this augmented reality experience presented by Fall For Dance North. I had initially intended to use a screen capture for the image here but decided that would be a spoiler! The show is available from dawn til dusk until October 18th and it's a great way to enjoy Toronto's arts and culture scene while socially distancing.

St. Lawrence Market

Location: St. Lawrence Market, Front and Jarvis

Date photo taken: 10 September 2013

As you can see from the date above, this is an old picture. Those people walking around aren't wearing masks, but that's okay, back then they didn't need to. While more stringent restrictions were in place, those in the know were getting their favorite food stuffs via curbside pick up, but now the  Market is basically back to normal, operating Tuesday thru Saturday although with slightly restricted hours. This image was taken from the Market Gallery, the city-run gallery on the mezzanine level. As well as providing great views over the main floor of the hall, the upper levels also feature a public-facing exhibit space and storage for the City's art collection. At present the Gallery still has not re-opened.

Gingerbread House for Humanity

Location: Allen Lambert Galleria, Brookfield Place
Date photo taken: 3 December 2019

On December 7th, Habitat for Humanity will be hosting their annual Gingerbread Build. The tenants of Brookfield Place got in on the action a bit early, and have set the bar pretty high! This pretty pink house, casting a warm glow from within, especially caught my eye. Today was the last day for the display in the Allen Lambert Galleria, but winners will be announced on the 5th.

Families wishing to build their own house can pick up a kit containing a pre-assembled gingerbread house form, plus everything needed for decorating, all for $50. Proceeds go toward supporting Habitat for Humanity's programs.

Black Creek Pioneer Village

Location: Black Creek Pioneer Village, near Steeles and Jane

Date photo taken: 22 September 2018

School may be out for summer but there's still lots to see and do at Black Creek Pioneer Village. This site, run by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, is a careful recreation of an Ontario town from the 1860s complete with all the buildings you'd expect, costumed interpreters and heritage breed animals. If that's not enough to tempt you, how about a haunted walk? Or some axe throwing? Or maybe some goat yoga with the cutest kids around? These are some of the special programming available through their Nightlife program.

If you just can't make it out to the Village but want to travel in back in time, all of the buildings and animals are profiled on the Black Creek website. 

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. 

Centreville - Saugreen Lumber Company

Location: Centreville, Centre Island
Date photo taken: 12 July 2018

Centreville, the amusement park situated on Centre Island, has been delighting children since 1967. Built to resemble a turn-of-the-century Ontario town, the park started small with only 7 rides but food and game stands followed in 1970 and the park now features over 30 rides, mostly geared to young children. These floating cars are from one of the more exciting rides, The Saugreen Lumber Company log flume, which was introduced in 1972. Admission to the park is free, but tickets are required for the rides, or you can buy an All Day Ride Pass.

Sugar Beach

Location: At the foot of Lower Jarvis, south of Queens Quay
Date photo taken: 19 February 2017

Sugar Beach, located across the slip from the Redpath Sugar factory, is one of Toronto's newer and already most iconic parks. Half of the park is given over to a beach space complete with comfy chairs and 36 lovely pink umbrellas. The other half of the park is a plaza designed for hosting programmed and more spontaneous events. The two halves are bisected by the Waterfront Promenade. Even in the winter, Sugar Beach has its appeal. On a sunny day like this one, the water looks spectacular and the sand under the umbrellas glows pink. This weekend, the park will once again host Sugar Shack TO, a free event with live entertainment, a marketplace, a specialty bar and of course, some sweet treats.

Kingsway Billiards

Location: 3056 Bloor St. W., near Royal York
Date photo taken: 9 January 2017

The Crooked Cue pool hall and restaurant has been in this Bloor Street West location since 1992 but the building has been dedicated to recreation since its first tenant opened its doors in the late 1940s. The Toronto Star ran a notice announcing the opening of the 16 lane Kingsway Bowling Academy on September 19, 1947. The Pappas family bought the building in the 1950s and eventually bowling gave way to billiards. The old school pool hall with its snack bar was renovated in 1992 when the next generation of the Pappas family took over, adding a full bar and restaurant. I'm not sure when during the building's history the neon sign was installed but I love it.

Little Free Library

Location: 123 Woodfield Road
Date photo taken: 12 April 2015

This is a Little Free Library sitting in the front yard of 123 Woodfield Road. Normally on this blog if I post something that is sitting in a person's yard, I don't publish the address. In this case however the whole point of these boxes is for the community to use them. The idea is simple, and it's spelled out on the little sign on the roof: Take a Book. Return a Book. From the first box built by a man in Wisconsin for his own yard in 2009, the idea has snowballed. As of 2016, there were over 50,000 Little Free Libraries in over 70 countries, including over 100 in Toronto. If you're interested in hosting your own free library, you can buy one pre-made or download plans to build your own from the Little Free Library website. If you just want to browse someone else's collection, they also have a map to help you find the one nearest you.

Note: I think this library may have grown since I took this picture. Can anyone confirm if it's now two-storeys tall?

Carp

Location: Railway underpass on Queen St. E. near Degrassi

Date photo taken: 5 January 2017

If this panel looks familiar, it may be that you are remembering the cute little fox featured a few weeks ago. Both are part of the Frames of Life mural. I'm drawn to this panel because it's not often that you come across realistic representations of fish around the city, which seems unfair. It is much more likely that someone living in Toronto will encounter a real live fish than they will a moose after all. The City of Toronto website has a page dedicated to fishing in the city which includes a list of some of the best places to fish, such as the Toronto Islands, Grenadier Pond in High Park and the Rouge and Humber River marshes. It's legal to fish on public land anywhere along the lake, but if you're between 18 and 64, you need to have a provincially issued fishing licence. Want to give it a try but don't have any equipment? No problem! Tackle Share is a program started by The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters that allows new anglers to borrow a rod, reel and tackle to try out the sport. There are currently 5 locations in Toronto where Tackle Share is available, including the Ralph Thornton Centre, which is just down the street from this mural. 

Blue Flag

Location: Toronto Islands

Date photo taken: 7 August 2015

Ever been to the beach and noticed a blue flag flying? If you have, it means that you can feel safe going for a dip. The Blue Flag program is an international certification administered by the Foundation for Environmental Education. In order to be awarded a blue flag, a beach has to meet strict criteria in four different areas: water quality, environmental management, environmental education and overall safety. Receiving a flag isn't the end of the process either. Water quality must be regularly tested and independent audits are done to ensure that standards remain high. During the season (June to Labour Day) Toronto tests water quality at its supervised beaches daily and results are posted on the Toronto Public Health website. A handy map on the site indicates which beaches are currently safe to swim at and which ones have Blue Flag certification. 

Beer in Toronto - Muddy York Brewing Co.

Location: 22 Cranfield Rd.

Date photo taken: 21 March 2017

Toronto is home to over 60 craft breweries which means that it's a good place to be if you're a beer fan. Distribution across the city is markedly uneven however and if you live in East York, your options are limited. Luckily, one of the choices is Muddy York Brewing Co. It's a small batch brewery located in an industrial park between O'Connor Drive and the Don Valley. One thing that sets them apart is that while they offer a range of different types of beers, their mainstays are more traditional styles often overlooked by other brewers. Personal favourites of mine in this category include Muddy York Porter and Major Small Best Bitter. Opened in 2013, they've slowly been expanding their operations and now their location includes a retail bottle shop. Perfect for stocking up for the long weekend!

Mother and Child

Location: Baycrest Health Sciences Centre grounds, Bathurst St. and Baycrest Ave.

Date photo taken: 27 August 2015

This sculpture, entitled Mother and Child, sits in the green space in front of the Bathurst Street entrance to the Baycrest Health Sciences Centre. It is one of a surprising number of artworks owned by Baycrest and displayed throughout the facility and grounds. According to their website "Baycrest’s unique art environment encourages cognitive and social engagement, factors known to promote brain health and healthy aging." To facilitate enjoyment of their collection and to spark conversation, they offer a number of Art Walk booklets modeled after the Museum of Modern Arts’ Meet me at MoMA program. This piece, created in cast aluminum by artist Aharon Bezalel in 2010, was donated to Baycrest in 2011.

Digital Origami Tiger

Location: Toronto Light Fest, Distillery District
Date photo taken: 27 January 2016

This glowing cat figure is one of two that makes up the installation Digital Origami Tigers, currently on display at the Toronto Light Fest in the Distillery. Originally created by LAVA to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Tiger in 2010 and displayed at the Custom House in Sydney, Australia, the cats were later adopted by the World Wildlife Fund to help in their campaign to raise awareness of the plight of these endangered animals. Instructions for making your own origami tiger can be downloaded from the WWF website.

The Toronto Light Fest is a free festival that brings over 20 light-based works from local and international artists to the Distillery District. It runs until March 12.

Traffic Signal Box - Gary Taxali

Location: Bathurst St. at Neptune

Date photo taken: 27 August 2015

Image #7 in the Traffic Signal Box Series

In addition to the 120 hand painted treatments on traffic signal boxes around the city, the Outside the Box program has also created two synthetic wraps to be used on multiple boxes. This box is wrapped in the distinctive retro-inspired work of Gary Taxali. If you're a fan of the style and want to see more, the gallery in First Canadian Place is hosting "Unfamous: The Work of Gary Taxali" until January 27th. The gallery is free to visit but hours are limited to Monday to Friday, 11 am to 3 pm. On January 12th the artist himself will be on hand for a tour of the exhibition.