Open Streets,
Yonge and Bloor Streets,
Sunday 16th August 2015
below: Slow bike race
#OpenStreetsTO
FORTY ONE the Esplanadian Connection,
an exhibit inspired by the book ‘FORTY ONE Neighbours’
The book was published earlier this year and there was a book launch at St. Lawrence Hall back in April. The book is a collection of 41 portraits, one person from each country participating in the Pan Am and Parapan Games. Each portrait is also of a person with a connection to the Esplanade community. Fifty three students/authors from The Esplanade neighbourhood wrote the stories.
For the exhibit, the portraits were re-enacted by local residents.
Each portrait consists of three sides. Two sides have photographs on them – one side with a Esplanadian person or family and the other side with a PanAmerican resident.

The third side has one word written in five languages.
From top to bottom – Dutch, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese.
The words were chosen from the stories in the book, one symbolic word from each portrait.
The signs are mounted on lamp posts along the Esplanade.
The annual Streetfest on the Beach,
on Queen St. East between Woodbine and Beech,
23rd, 24th, and 25th July
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Canada Day 2015
There were celebrations at a number of locations around the city
including Queens Park and Yonge-Dundas Square.

The red outline of a maple leaf was then used to make a “living flag” of people wearing red T-shirts and white T-shirts. The crowd waited patiently behind the barricades while the organizers got their act together. Not everyone stayed on the sidelines!
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As I stood as part of the white of the Canadian flag, along came John Tory, also on the white team. Just out of the picture (and also in white) was Miss Teenage Toronto. (What? We have a what? I had no idea there was a Miss Teen Toronto). Next time I’ll try harder to get a picture of her but this time I was preoccupied with being part of a flag.
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Here’s to the next 148 years!
Toronto Pride Parade,
Bloor St. and Yonge St., June 2015
fun & games,
smiles & laughter,
community involvement
pride parade pics in no particular order
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