Ghoulish yard

Location: West Bend neighbourhood

Date photo taken: 30 October 2013

I love that at Halloween many Torontonians go way behind putting out a few pumpkins when they decide to decorate their houses and yards. This picture is from awhile ago but the oversized ghoul remains one of my all-time favourite yard decorations.

Happy Halloween!

Regent Park Utility Hole Cover

Location: Regent Park

Date photo taken: 25 October 2012

Back in October 2012 this blog featured as its first post a sanitary sewer cover designed for the then-new Regent Park redevelopment. Almost 600 designs were received as part of a design competition held by Toronto Culture from which three winners were chosen. This cover, designed by DeMuth Flake, was the winner for the storm cover design.

For a look at some other manhole covers from around the world, check out the collection of images on Wikimedia Commons.

Don Jail

Location: Gerrard and Broadview
Date photo taken: 6 April 2016

The recent renovation and cleaning of the Don Jail has returned the Italianate building to its original grandeur. When it opened in 1864 it was the largest jail in North America and represented a new attitude toward the treatment of inmates. Prison reform at the time called for prisoners to do more than sit in their cells. They were expected to take fresh air, to work and to be afforded opportunities for bettering themselves through access to education. Over the years conditions at the prison deteriorated, due in large part to overcrowding and changes in attitude. A new prison building was constructed on the site in the 1950s but conditions remained so poor in the original building that it was eventually closed in 1977. The newer building ceased to function in 2013 and has since been demolished.

The 1864 building has undergone cleaning and extensive restoration and now operates as the Administrative Building for the adjacent Bridgepoint Health Centre. It is open to the public from Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Numerous historical plaques have been placed throughout the building, allowing anyone interested to take their own self-guided tour. This information is also available on Bridgeport's website.

Visit the Toronto library's digital archive for pictures of the Don Jail over the years.

Pillars of Justice

Location: 361 University Avenue, south of Armoury St.

Date photo taken: 20 October 2012

While not immediately obvious, this sculpture is meant to be interactive. It consists of eleven figures and one empty podium. The number is significant. When you stand in the vacant space, you complete the twelve person jury. The piece sits near the western edge of the pedestrian walkway between University Avenue and Nathan Phillips Square, home since 2007 to the McMurtry Gardens of Justice. Pillars was the first piece to be installed in the Gardens and it sits in front of the Courthouse. It is by international artist Edwina Sandys and was fabricated in Windsor, Ontario.

Emery Village

Location: Weston Rd. at Verobeach Blvd.

Date photo taken: 22 May 2015

Emery Village is located in the north west corner of the city, bounded by the Humber River on the west, Highway 400 on the east, Steeles to the north and Wilson Rd. to the south. Almost nothing is left of the small farming hamlet that once existed here, industry replacing farms in the post-war boom, when the North York Official Plan designated all lands north of Finch as industrial.  In 2003 the Emery Village BIA was founded and one of their goals is to restore a sense of history to the area. These signs, along with historical plaques and historically-themed murals are part of this effort. 

To get an idea of what this area looked like once upon a time, check out the historical images of Emery that are part of the Toronto Reference Library's digital archive. 

North Market Mural

Location: south side of the North St. Lawrence Market building, Front St.

Date photo taken: 19 March 2013

This image represents a small portion of a long two-part mural that stretches along the south side of the North St. Lawrence Market building. Echoing what goes on inside, the mural depicts a farmer's market overflowing with the bounty of fall. This building is now closed and is slated for demolition. In 2010 City Council approved redevelopment of the site to include a multi-storey building that would increase the utility of the site. In addition to a large Market Hall it will also incorporate new court house facilities on the upper floors and underground parking below. It will also connect to the historic St. Lawrence Hall to the north. In preparation for demolition, archaeological reviews have taken place, unearthing evidence of the prior market buildings formerly on the site. For updates and a look at plans for the new building, check out the City of Toronto's website.

Chinese Goose

Location: Toronto Islands, just outside Far Enough Farm

Date photo taken: 10 August 2015

This handsome fellow is a Chinese goose and despite its name and rather unusual appearance, it's not really all that exotic. Just a little unusual for downtown Toronto. The Chinese goose is one of the most common domestic goose breeds and this individual has likely just wandered away from Far Enough Farm. The farm is home to a selection of domesticated animals including pigs, rabbits, ponies and lots of interesting fowl. The farm is free to visit and is open 365 days a year.