Topiary Horse

Location: The garden by Simpson House, Riverdale Farm
Date photo taken: 5 June 2013

Topiary figures are whimsical and wonderful additions to parks and open spaces, but you rarely see them these days. One of the reasons for this is that they are time-consuming to construct and maintain. This horse, formed by carefully training English ivy around a metal form, was created over the winter in the High Park greenhouses by a City of Toronto gardener then moved to Riverdale Farm in the spring, where it currently sits gazing at the barn.

Bell Box - Emily Harrison

Location: Birchcliff Avenue at Kingston Road
Date photo taken: 9 September 2013
Image #5 in the Bellbox Series

This mural, painted by Emily Harrison, is part of the "re-greening" of Birch Cliff. The Birch Cliff Community Mural Project is using murals both large and small in their efforts to beautify the area and engage the community. Working with Mural Routes, they received a grant allowing them to paint three mural projects this summer, including this Bell Box. If you see it in person, be sure to walk around it - it's painted on both sides.

Yellow Fish

Location: Langley Street
Date photo taken: 4 September 2013

Yellow fish like this one can be found painted on curbs all over the city. They are a key component of a program called Yellow Fish Road developed by Trout Unlimited Canada in 1991 to raise awareness about water pollution entering local water systems through storm drains like these. Water entering street grates like these generally flows through a series of tunnels and then emptys directly into the lake (although Toronto has undertaken some interesting projects to help add some filtering steps). Unlike water from houses, it is not usually treated before entering the lake so it is important to realize that anything washed into it, like detergent from washing your car, or salt put on your sidewalk, is going to affect the ecosystem into which it ultimately flows.

The Yellow Fish Road program engages youth, educating them about the effects of storm water run-off and then enlisting them to paint the fish on curbs and distribute literature to nearby homes. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority is a partner in this program. If you want to involve your school class or youth group in this activity, you can submit an application through the TRCA website. It also makes a great team building exercise for corporate groups.

Central Tech Gnome

Location: Above the western entrance to Central Technical School, Bathurst & Harbord
Date photo taken: 11 July 2013
Image 1 in the Figures Series

This figure is one of two that sits above the main entrance on the west side of the Toronto District School Board's Central Technical School. The two figures together represent the two sides of the school's curriculum. This one in cap and gown, reading a book, represents the academic side. The other, in work clothes, holding a hammer and chisel, represents the technical side. They were not included in the original design for the building but were instead, according to a history of the school, a gift by the Scottish stonemasons who worked on the construction.

Sand Sculpture - Maasai Hunt

Location: Heritage Court, Direct Energy Centre, Canadian National Exhibition
Date photo taken: 24 August 2013

One of the many attractions at the Canadian National Exhibition is the International Sand Sculpture Competition. This year six competitors were invited from around the world to compete. Each was given 10 tons of sand and 6 days to create a masterpiece. This sculpture by Ilya Filimonstev of Russia took first prize in the judged competition. While you've missed the chance to see the sculptors at work this year, you can still visit the sculptures at Heritage Court until the close of the CNE and cast a vote for the Fan Favourite. One lucky voter will win a trip to Riviera Maya courtesy of Transat Vacations.

Garage Raccoons

Location: Laneway between Markham and Bathurst streets
Date photo taken: 19 August 2013
Image 5 in the Mural Series

Detail of a mural painted on a garage door in one of Toronto's many laneways. It was painted by Annex Creative Services in the summer of 2011. The full mural features other examples of urban wildlife.

Ghost Bike

Location: University Avenue at Richmond
Date photo taken: 3 July 2013

This white bicycle is a memorial to Mike Rankin, a veteran courier in his fifties who was killed in a collision with a taxi at this intersection in 2012. The front handlebar bears a small sign with Rankin's name and details.

The ghost bike memorial phenomenon is thought to have started in St. Louis, Missouri in 2003 when someone observing a bike-car collision placed a white bike on the spot with a sign reading "Cyclist struck here". Noticing that the bike had an effect on drivers, other bikes were installed throughout the city and the idea spread. While normally installed as tributes to cyclists killed by cars, a ghost bike in honour of Jack Layton can also be seen outside his former office on Broadview.