Royal York hallway

 

Location: Royal York Hotel

Date photo taken: 20 November 2025

As someone who lives in Toronto, the inside of our city's hotels is not something I'm all that familiar with. The lobbies, sure, especially those ones that connect to PATH, but not the floors that have the rooms. So when friends visited recently and stayed at the Royal York, I couldn't resist the urge to look around a bit. For those who are curious, here's the 10th floor hallway of what was once the largest hotel in the British Commonwealth.

Automated Treat Machine

 

Location: TD Terrace, 160 Front St. W.

Date photo taken: 19 December 2025

This is one of the cutest things I've stumbled across in quite some time. It's a scaled down version of a bank machine but the little green paw prints and the canine content on the screens should tip you off that this isn't meant for regular customers. That and the treats that drop into the bowl when the motion sensor is tripped. The Automated Treat Machine was previewed at TD's Tech & Innovation Day conference in May 2024 and later that summer, was installed in the branch on the ground floor of the new TD Terrace building. Next time you're in the neighbourhood with your dog, you might want to pop in to make a withdrawal.

Retail Retrospective - Honest Ed's

 

Location: TD Gallery, Toronto Reference Library

Date photo taken:2 November 2025

The richness and variety of the collections held by the Toronto Public Library never cease to amaze me. Who knew, for example, that they have a pretty remarkable collection of shopping bags? Well they do and items from that collection form the heart of Retail Retrospective, the current installation at the TD Gallery. The story behind the bags is pretty cool too. A librarian in the 1960s sent out over 200 letters and collected over 100 bags from around the world, then curated an exhibition entitled "Art of the Shopping Bag" which ended up touring to libraries across the city. Some of those bags are included in this exhibit - marked with a '66 logo - but other bags from iconic Toronto retailers are included, shifting the focus away from design to an exploration of the ever-changing retail landscape in our city. 

The Gallery is free to attend and is located on the ground floor of the Reference Library at 789 Yonge Street. This exhibit runs until January 11, 2026.

Manning Depot Memorial Plaque

 

Location: Coliseum, CNE grounds

Date photo taken: 16 August 2025

If you're visiting the CNE grounds you have to wander a little off the beaten track to find this plaque. It's located in the Coliseum building, near the offices of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. It hangs there because during World War II, much of the CNE grounds were given over to the war effort and this building in particular was used by the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Manning Depot. 

This plaque reminds us of this history, and thanks to efforts to collect oral histories and reminiscences there are some snippets online that illuminate life at Manning Depot. One man remembers being assigned to help clear out the stalls to prepare them for the new arrivals - prior to the RCAF coming in, the building was used for cattle and horse shows. Another man recalls that recruits were bunked four to a stall and that many of the city boys found the accommodations more aromatic than they were used to. 

Text of the plaque:

In honour of one hundred & thirty nine thousand seven hundred & fifty two members of The Royal Canadian Air Force who passed through Number 1 Manning Depot R.C.A.F. during the war 1939-1945.

Erected by the Officers.

The Day

Location: Kipling bus terminal

Date photo taken: 28 April 2025

The new Kipling bus terminal on the western edge of Toronto is a light, airy building with glass walls and large open stairwells. It also features over 220 square meters (or 2400 square feet) of vitreous tile mosaics designed by the Winnipeg-based artist Simon Hughes. The designs around the building are all different, some more abstract or geometric, but all are tied together by the colour scheme and Hughes' overall concept. The detail above is from one of the most striking murals, which wraps around one of the stairwells and presents an ever-changing view of an almost-but-not-quite-familiar city as you work your way down the stairs and around the landings. I was attracted to the DONUTS which is why I took a picture of this particular section, and was tickled to later read in an interview with Hughes that it's one of many Easter eggs that he included in the cityscape. 

Artaic, the company who made the tiles, has a wonderful description of Hughes' concept on their website: The Day was inspired by Hughes’ imaginative vision of the city. Referencing a wide variety of symbols, architectural styles, and landscapes, the installation blends fantasy and reality. Using icy blue colorways reminiscent of Toronto’s cool temperatures, Hughes collaborated with Artaic to create an inverted color gradient. The mosaic artwork features dark tones at the top of the shapes that dissolve into a white background, creating the appearance of a city emerging from morning fog, haze, or a snow squall."

Labatt wall

 

Location: Queen's Quay Terminal

Date photo taken: 12 July 2025

On a hot, sunny visit to Toronto's waterfront recently I spent some time discovering the early history of Labatt. It wasn't intentional, but while cooling off in Queen's Quay Terminal I stumbled across this timeline. It runs along a wall outside the Labatt offices and it has some pretty cool early photos, labels and marketing pieces. If you want to learn more about this London, Ontario born brewing company find your way up to the quiet second floor of the Terminal via the escalators in the southern atrium. Or you can always just visit their website. 

City of Toronto Archives

 

Location: 255 Spadina Road

Date photo taken: 9 April 2025

There's an awful lot to love about the City of Toronto Archives. Their collection contains millions of records that detail the history of our city and the people who have called it home. If you visit, you can get a glimpse at how all those documents are organized thanks to a huge viewing window installed just outside the Research Room. You can also take in an exhibit. A new one, Under the Wrecking Ball: Shaping Toronto’s Downtown 1960-1989, opens May 1. It takes a look at some of the large-scale land redevelopments that occurred during the post-war years in Toronto and some of the the buildings that were lost as a result.

If you can't get to the Archives during their somewhat inconvenient opening hours (Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm), there are plenty of online exhibits to enjoy. Also, a significant portion of their 1.25 million photographs have been digitized and can be searched using their database. If you prefer a curated experience, there is also a section featuring some of the staff's favourite photos. 

Hugman

 

Location: The PATH, Exchange Tower

Date photo taken: 8 September 2024

If you've been in the Financial District in the last few weeks, you might have noticed a bit of a quiet invasion. Scattered inside and out, across several properties, are a number of Hugman sculptures. These crude human figures, which range from pint-sized to roughly adult height, are the work of Nathan Sawaya, an American artist, and they are made completely out of Lego. What started out as a street art project in New York has now spread to cities around the world. Brookfield Properties is responsible for bringing Hugman to Canada, first to Calgary, and now most recently, to Toronto. While to some eyes the tree-hugging stance may evoke thoughts of protest, Hugman just likes to hug. According to signage, the series was inspired by the simple idea of embracing others. 

Yonge Street artifacts

 

Location: Inside 3 Brewers at Yonge and Dundas

Date photo taken: 30 December 2023

These detailed figurines and the more mundane - but still fascinating - items below them are part of a large display hanging on the left wall as you enter the 3 Brewers brewpub on Yonge Street. Displayed are a tiny fraction of the almost 18,000 artifacts unearthed during an extensive archaeological investigation of the property begun in 2006. They are remnants and reminders of the many uses to which the site has been put over the years, starting with a shoemaker in 1843. The buildings now sitting at 275 and 277 Yonge Street were commissioned by John Bugg in 1868 and, according to a City report, "are significant as early surviving examples of the low-scale commercial buildings that are associated with the historical development of Yonge Street." Kudos to the building owners, Prime Properties, for collaborating on the installation of this display, for funding the archaeological assessment and excavations which made it possible, and for the restoration of the building exterior.

Prancing reindeer

 

Location: Royal Bank Plaza South

Date photo taken: 16 December 2023

Happy holidays! 

Wilson tiles

 

Location: Wilson subway

Date photo taken: 19 August 2023

When the Spadina line was built in the 1970s, the TTC engaged three different architectural firms to design the various stations. Due to the challenges inherent in the site however, the TTC kept Wilson station for itself. Which means that the tile patterns on the platform walls are likely the work of someone in the TTC design department. Kudos to them. They are strongly reminiscent of their time and still striking. 

Water Refill Station

 

Location: PATH, under Bay Adelaide Centre

Date photo taken: 7 September 2023

Noticed this in PATH today and it gave me hope. It's a small thing perhaps, installing a water station, but it's enabling every person who chooses to opt for a refillable water bottle and encouraging those who are still just thinking about making the switch. Plus I love how they're trumpeting its presence with this lovely water scene. This installation is part of Breaking the Plastic Habit, a program by Brookfield Properties, which aims to influence positive change across their Canadian properties.

Two Circles

Location: Bay Adelaide Centre, East Tower

Date photo taken: 11 July 2023

While grand in scale, Two Circles is a seemingly simple installation at the Bay Adelaide Centre. As the name implies, it is comprised of two circles, identical in size and placement on the wall. The circle at the south end of the lobby is solid black, the one on the north, just an outline. Interesting enough, but it's when you get close to the work that you realize there is so much more to it. Which is where this photo comes in. The walls, which look smooth and unremarkable from a distance, are actually comprised of over 800,000 small ceramic sticks, each of which has been broken near the mid-point. That break line is visible and forms "a line drawing that is reminiscent of heartbeats, stock market graphs and sound waves", all very apt for the location of this piece, in the heart of the city's financial core.

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. 

Fun at the Fair

 

Location: The Farm, Canadian National Exhibition

Date photo taken: 1 September 2022

After a pandemic-related hiatus, the CNE is back on and it seems that Toronto has really missed it. I know I have. Going during my usual mid-week evening I was shocked at the number of people in attendance. Even the Farm building, usually an oasis of calm and quiet, seemed busy. That's where this sand sculpture is located. Unlike previous years, there was no butter sculpting (a long tradition at the CNE - just search "butter" in their photo archives if you don't believe me) and no international sand sculpting competition, but Karen Fralich's oversized sculpture of the farm animals kicking back and having fun at the fair provides lots of viewing pleasure. 

History of Yorkdale Mall

 

Location: Yorkdale Mall

Date photo taken: 9 December 2018

Yorkdale Shopping Centre, located at Highway 401 and Allen Road, opened in 1964. At the time, it was billed as the largest enclosed shopping mall in the world and it was definitely something new for Toronto. According to the Toronto Star, approximately 100,000 people visited on opening day. Since opening, the mall has consistently reinvented itself, having gone through four major renovations to date. On a visit not that long ago, I was delighted to discover that one of the interior hallways leading to the washroom facilities had been given over to a display of vintage photographs of the mall. A space that in many such facilities is overlooked and often bleak had been transformed into a gorgeous gallery celebrating the development of this cultural space. It was really interesting to study the archival images and then re-emerge into the modern mall and note the differences and similarities. Definitely worth a look on your next visit, even if you don't need the facilities.. And for those interested in urban development and the future of shopping malls, you might want to check out the ambitious redevelopment plans currently being put forth for Yorkdale and its surroundings.

Hive

 

Location: Lobby of 401 Bay

Date photo taken: 23 February 2015

The former Simpson Tower is now almost unrecognizable thanks to a recent recladding project, but the interior lobby still looks very much the same. The grooved stone walls around the elevator banks remain, as does the large light installation by Leo Villareal. Hive features a series of hexagons formed from LED tubes, arranged up the wall in clusters and animated by a custom software program. A static image doesn't convey the full impact of this piece so if you find yourself near the corner of Queen and Bay, pop in and watch it for awhile. 

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.

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. 

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.