Rosetta McClain Gardens

Location: 5 Glen Everest Rd, near Kingston Road and Birchmount

Date photo taken: 9 September 2013

The Rosetta McClain Gardens are a special place, designed to provide a feast for the senses. The raised beds are planted with flowers, herbs and ornamental plants, chosen as much for their fragrance as their colour and texture. At the center of the garden, a large fountain fashioned from a boulder adds a soothing soundtrack. While active pursuits such as sports and cycling are not permitted in the park, there are trails for walking. The edge of the park sits on the bluff, high above the lake, offering great views of the water, and if you're lucky, glimpses of cliff swallows and other birds.

Weston Mill Stone

Location: Weston Road, just south of the 401

Date photo taken: 22 May 2015

Image 6 in the Remnants Series

Geographic features often play a key role in deciding where people will settle. For the former Village of Weston, the sudden drop in elevation along the Humber River provided the impetus. The fast flowing water was ideal for powering mills, and shortly after the area was surveyed, the first mill was built along the banks. Over the years that mill would be expanded and others built in the area, until Weston became a thriving milling centre. This mill stone was placed in this small grassy patch in 1957 as a reminder of the early days of industry in this neigbourhood.

Regal Kitty

Location: Saint Enoch Square, just west of Massey Hall

Date photo taken: 5 November 2013

Happy International Cat Day! This regal kitty is part of a mural painted in the laneway running midway between Yonge and Victoria, adjacent to Massey Hall. In June 2011 the Downtown Yonge BIA published its Public Realm Strategy which identified a number of projects that would improve appearance and usability of public spaces within the area, and increase traffic in underused areas. O'Keefe Lane and Saint Enoch Square, which run north and south from Shuter Street respectively, were one such project, and this mural was one of the results. The mural was a joint project by EGR and Elicser, and I believe this cat is the work of EGR.

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. 

Bike Racks - Finch Hydro Corridor

Location: Finch Hydro Corridor, McNicoll Ave. and McCowan Rd.
Date photo taken: 5 September 2013

Back in July 2009 the city received national and provincial funding to develop multi-use trails within hydro and rail corridors across Toronto. Seven projects were identified, including this one, along the Finch Hydro Corridor. As part of the ongoing infrastructure improvements, a public art competition was held to design new bike stands. Marianne Lovink and Scott Eunson won with these organically inspired Bike Plants.

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. 

Clockwork Bees

Location: Queen St. E. at Saulter

Date photo taken: 5 January 2017

This gorgeous bee is one small element in a vibrant mural gracing a wall in the Riverside neighbourhood east of the Don Valley. The mural by artist Nick Sweetman blends two themes: bees and clocks. The bees represent the green spaces throughout the Riverside neighbourhood and the growing practice of bee-keeping in this area. The clocks and gears are a tribute to Albert Edelstein who worked as a clockmaker and jeweller and was one of the initiators of the Riverside Business Improvement Area. Disparate as these two themes may seem, their blending is explained as follows:  "...the Gears in the mural represent small things working together to make big things happen - like bees in a hive, or a community in a neighbourhood..."

For me, the moment I saw this mural, I was reminded of a book called Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway. You’ll have to read it to find out why. Don’t worry, you’ll love it!