Slayer

 

Location: 739 Queen Street East

Date photo taken: 17 February 2025

Slayer Burger is a Toronto burger chain that proudly proclaims their love of heavy metal. This is the mural on the Queen East location and it features Slayer founding member and co-lead guitarist Jeff Hanneman. There's another one of him inside. The distinctive style, more apparent up close, is the work of Toronto-based calligraphy artist Rei Misiri. 

Given the name of the company it might come as a surprise that the mural at the first location doesn't pay tribute to a Slayer band member. Fans of the genre will likely not be surprised to hear that the mural there features Motörhead founder, lead singer and bassist Lemmy.

Billie Holiday

 

Location: Logan Avenue, north of Lakeshore
Date photo taken: 4 September 2020

This beautiful portrait of jazz great Billie Holiday forms the southern part of a huge mural on Logan Avenue, just north of Lakeshore. If you're a fan, you might know that Holiday was born Eleanora Fagan on April 7, 1915, in Philadelphia. The northern end of the mural features another jazz legend, also with a Philadelphia connection. You'll have to visit the mural to find out who.

Legendary Goalies

Location: Maple Leaf Square

Date photo taken: 30 January 2021

As part of their centennial celebrations, the Maple Leafs decided to bring some of the most loved and respected players from the franchise's history out to meet the fans. Over the course of four years, fourteen life-sized bronze statues of Leafs greats were added to an installation on the west side of the arena. Johnny Bower, on the left, was one of the first to be added to Legends Row, in September 2014. He won four Stanley Cups during his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing for them from 1958 to 1970. Turk Broda, on the right, spent his entire career with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing from 1935 to 1951.

Ned Hanlan

 

Location: Hanlan's Point, Toronto Islands

Date photo taken: 22 May 2014

This tribute to great Canadian oarsman Ned Hanlan greets you as you step off the ferry at Hanlan's Point, part of the Toronto Islands. The Hanlan family were some of the first permanent residents on West Point, as this area was once known. Ned grew up here and started rowing at an early age. He went on to dominate the sport in both North America and Europe, and was the first Canadian athlete to become a world champion in an individual event. After retiring from rowing, he bought land on the island and opened a hotel. He also entered politics and was a strong advocate for the waterfront and recreation. During his time as alderman he advocated for bike lanes in the city and for more swimming pools.  He lost his place at the Toronto Harbour Trust when he strongly criticized them for allowing sewage to be dumped in the lake.

This statue was erected in 1926, almost twenty years after his death. It was originally located by the water on the grounds of Exhibition Place, but was relocated to Hanlan's Point in 2003.

David Bowie

Location: High up on north-facing wall of building just east of Bloor and Bathurst, visible when exiting the Bathurst TTC station
Date image taken: 27 August 2013

This image was not something I ever intended to use on this blog. I find the pipes and wires and overpainting distracting, but to mark his passing, here it is. A little bit of Bowie here in Toronto.

Elicser and His New Bathurst Street Mural

Location: East side of rail underpass on Bathurst, north of Dupont
Date photo taken: 7 July 2014
Image 12 in the Mural Series

Last year the railway underpass on Bathurst, just north of Dupont, got a lot more interesting. Street artist Elicser was selected to produce a mural on the west wall as part of the City of Toronto's StreetARToronto program (or StART for short). The program, which is part of the city's transportation division, provides funding for murals across the city with the dual goals of encouraging walking by making the city brighter and more pleasant, and reducing vandalism. Underpasses are a specific target as are traffic signal boxes but any public or private surface is eligible.

The 2013 mural is entitled We Built This City and includes imagery inspired by the neighbourhood, its businesses and residents. Now Elicser is back, painting the east wall of the underpass. Can't wait to see the final product!

Crossing Guards

Location: Parliament Street

Date photo taken: 3 May 2013

Meet John, one of the approximately 700 crossing guards tasked with keeping Toronto's children safe on their way to and from school. As civilian members of Toronto Police Services they must pass a vision test, a security check, have no criminal record and be physically fit to carry out their duties, plus they are expected to exhibit the force's core values of Honesty, Integrity, Fairness, Reliability, Respect, Teamwork, and Positive Attitude. While their primary duty is to safeguard elementary school students many, like John, prefer not to be so exclusive, helping adults and children alike make it across their busy intersections safely, exchanging some friendly words as they do so.