Posts Tagged ‘King St.’

a little bit of Sherbourne in the sun

Posted: September 3, 2025 in construction, graffiti and street art, old buildings, public art, transportation
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a little bit of Church Street, on the run…..

And of course, a lot of in-between too.  A bit of a random walk south from Bloor on Sherbourne, Jarvis, and Church.  A zigzagging walk through four neighbourhoods.

  But first, coffee!  De Mello Coffee on Bloor has mirrors under their counter and it makes for some strange scenes.

 

inside a coffee shop, de mello coffee, counter has mirror below so that reflections of backs of people sitting are seen from the waist down

below: In the lobby of Postmedia Place on Bloor Street there is this sculpture – three people reading newspapers.

statue, sculpture, in post-media news building lobby, a group of 3 people reading, 2 sharing a bench, and one boy lying on the ground.

below: I found not one, but two, anser faces of unknown vintage in an alley just west of Sherbourne

anser graffiti face drawn in black on a white wall in an alley

graffiti artist anser, blue line drawing of a face on a green garage door

below: Upper Jarvis was neighbourhood number one that day.   The north end of Jarvis Street is at Charles Street; here Jarvis splits into Ted Rogers Way (old Jarvis Street) and Mt. Pleasant.

city of toronto street sign for bloor street east, with header of upper jarvis

below: Looking south along Mt. Pleasant immediately south of Bloor. If you can see the covered pedestrian walkway over the street in this picture, that is where Mt. Pleasant turns slightly left and becomes Jarvis Street.

jarvis street, south of bloor, looking south

below: Ishkozi Park is a small green space on Huntley (actually on the grounds of Rogers Toronto headquarters).  The benches have been recently painted, but the large sculpture in the center has been there a while.  The walking lady in the sculpture may look familiar and you may be thinking to yourself, “Where have I seen her before?”.  The stainless steel sculpture is a giant tree and is titled ‘Red, Orange and Green’ and it was created by artist Michael Snow. …. Have you figured out why she looks familiar? … She was first spotted back in the early 1960s…..

ishkozi park on huntley street, with large metal sculpture, and rainbow painted benches

 

The neighbourhoods along Sherbourne and south of Bloor are other rapidly changing areas of the city. On the west, many older homes still exist but they are empty and obviously waiting demolition (or inclusion into a large condo development?).

below: Once they were a few family homes, now they are a number of smaller apartments.   Interesting brickwork.

set of 3 rowhouses, red brick, bay and gable, with taller apartment buildings and condos behind them

two older large red brick residences near Bloor and Sherbourne, three storeys each, with large newer glass and steel condo behind

below: Another ubiquitous development notice sign – this time to inform us of a very large two tower development that involves three streets, Huntley, Linden, and Selby.  Portions of some of the older houses would be kept and the towers would be behind them.  I did not do a complete research on the planning application (21 227527 STE 13 OZ) but it seems like city council didn’t like many parts of the initial proposal back in 2021/2022.  I do not know what it’s status is now.

older white two storey house, with development notice sign on the front lawn

older brick residences on a side street near Jarvis and Bloor, with large Rogers headquarters building behind

 

below: On the east side of Sherbourne, it is Howard Street that is torn up. This is the west side of St. James Town.

workman at a construction site

hoardings around a construction site at Howard & Sherbourne, design by Sarah Klawiter, abstract shapes that look a bit like a city scene, with trees and grass, as drawn by a child

below: A cheeseburger with a sesame seed bun!

bell on the handle bar of a bike, shaped like a cheeseburger with a sesame seed bun

below: Someone’s heart is in heaven, but Lisa and Jerry 4-Ever!

wood park bench with graffiti, words that say my heart is in heaven, also Lisa and Jerry 4 ever

below: Jarvis & Gloucester/Earl northwest corner.  Some black, some white, and lots of grey.

apartment buildings and new highrise glass and steel condos, looking north on Jarvis, west side of the street, at Gloucester

below: Fancy brick work, rounded windows, and a turret!

older brick building with fancy brick work, rounded windows, and a turret

old lamp posts by a brick building

bay windows and stone work above the entrance to the Earl, a low rise apartment building

below: Church Wellesley village, neighbourhood number two.

street sign for Wood st., with header of Church Wellesley village in rainbow stripes, old Maple Leaf Gardens in the background

below: Once upon a time it was Maple Leaf Gardens, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team (1931-1999). Now it houses a Loblaws grocery store and TMU athletic facilities (Mattamy Athletic Centre). Northwest corner of Church and Carlton

old Maple Leaf Gardens on the northwest corner of Church and Carlton, now part Loblaws store and TMU athletic facilities

Church street side of old Maple Leaf Gardens, art deco brick work

a man sits in a TTC streetcar in downtown Toronto as another streetcar passes it, going in the opposite direction

below: Lots of pink on Maitland Street.

old houses on Maitland street, now stores and businesses, one is painted bright pink with a turquoise door

below: Garden of Lost Boys – dedicated to the memory of friends and neighbours lost to the AIDS epidemic.

small statue in a garden, surrounded by flowers and flowering shrubs
metal circles for locking bikes to, painted in rd, orange, and yellow, in front of a store with a window display that says love sholdn't be bottled up

below: Hot tub macrame!!  Finally, a use for those plant hangers that you (or your mother) might have – that you probably made back in the 1980s.  If you don’t have such a thing, you can find this one in a store on Church Street.

grey plant pot in a macrame holder, with three naked Ken dolls sitting inside it

metal fence in front of store window painted in rainbow colours, reflections in the glass

convenience store, lower level, steps down to it, on church street, with rainbow canadian flag, ad of lott max lottery, ups store ad,

part of a mural by Barbara Hall park, a young person with a long rainbow banner

below (also above): Tribute to Sarah Hegazi, written in 2020.  “To my siblings: I tried to survive and failed, forgive me. To my friends: the experience was harsh & I was too weak to resist it, forgive me. To the world: you were cruel to a great extent, but I forgive.”  Hegazi was an Egyptian writer and LGBTQ activist who was arrested and tortured in Cairo for waving a rainbow banner. She found asylum in Canada in 2018 but died by suicide in Toronto two years later.

mural in Barbara Hall Park, tribute to Sarah Hegazi, large black and white portrait, with text, rainbow painted benches in front, park

below: Patchwork teddy bear graffiti sticker by artsbyabe

graffiti sticker, patchwork teddy bear with a black eye, in the background, a rainbow coloured crosswalk

two men walk past Soy Boys massage on church street
sidewalk traffic box painted in blues and purples with large text that says It's all about drag

below: At the end of the rainbow you will find O’Gradys – in on of the few half houses that exist in the city.

O'Gradys tavern on Church street, with rainbow crosswalk in front of it

man in blue hard hat a construction site on church street

construction site with digger in the middle of an intersection, church street

policeman directing traffic in front of a ttc bus, a man on an electric scooter,

below: On a school wall – a door with rainbow stripes and hearts along with Honesty (Gwekwaadziwin) and Wisdom (Newaakaawin)

doorway of a school with rainbow stripes and hearts, and some words in indigenous language

below: Gerrard Street East and the Garden District,… now we are at number three.

city of toronto steeet sign for Grrard St East, with header that says Garden District

below: … but wait, Gerrard Street East in McGill Granby Village?  The difference of course is that one is on the west side of Church and the other is on the east.  Neighbourhood number four.

city of toronto steeet sign for Grrard St East, with header of McGill Granby Village

below: By the time we get to Queen Street, we are in Old Town Toronto, Historic Queen Street and Neighbourhood number 5.

Old town toronto city street sign for historic queen district, queen street east
top of a TTC streetcar at church and queen

below: The round turret of that yellow building still remains. The green scaffolding keeps the facade stable while new development occurs around it.  Some of you may be old enough to remember it as a Thriftys Sports Shop.   The last business to occupy the space before demolition was Shawarma’s King.

two streetcars going in opposite directions about to pass each other at corner of church and queen, a man on a scooter is also in the intersection
black and white photo of a couple standing on a street corner while a TTC streetcar passes them, both are wearing hats, she is looking for something in her bag and he is watching her

below:  Church street just north of King.  Fenced off and closed to traffic.

beside construction zone, workman waiting for group of people to pass before letting a dump truck pass through gate

person walking a small black dog on sidewalk beside construction zone at king and church

west side of St. James cathedral on Church Street, construction machinery on the street, were pavement has been removed

below: The intersection of Church and King, looking towards the southeast corner.

looking southeast at the corner of king and church streets, workmen on the road, pavement removed, closed to traffic,

below: Still King and Church but a slightly different angle

at king and church, construction fence, on west side of church, looking at southwest corner of the intersection BMO bank

buildings on king street, engel and volkers, old brick buildings, newer glass behind, street torn up for ontario line constrcution

below: … Also King Street

sidewalk patio on king street, with red umbrellas and decorated with lots of flowers including pink petunias

below: Leader Lane runs between King and Wellington. After many years of “discussion” and planning, the part of Leader Lane that is south of Colborne just might get pedestrianized.  This picture show the north half of Leader Lane and yes, that section has just been completely redeveloped around the older white building.

O'Briens tavern, Leader Lane

below: P.J. O’Brien’s has been on the corner of Colborne and Leader Lane since 1966.

front of O'Briens tavern, Leader Lane and Colborne street, an old yellow buolding with blue trim

A quick look back at Front and Sherbourne – this is the northeast corner of that intersection.  A lot of new development here!

northeast corner of Front and Sherbourne streets

Phew! Time for a rest!

workmen sitting and having a rest on the job site

With thanks to all the friends that I walked with that day…. shown here doing what we all do best, play in our favorite photo places (in this case, Leader Lane, side of P.J. O’Briens)

by the large clock on the side of P.J. OBriens on Leader Lane, by their guiness ad,

intersections – King & Bathurst

Posted: January 20, 2025 in construction, history
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below: 504 King streetcar on a snowy January afternoon

As you all know, Toronto is being demolished and redeveloped.  Almost every part of the city is affected by the construction of new condo buildings or the upgrading of public transit.  It can be difficult to keep up documenting the changes!  A few weeks ago I posted some pictures from Queen & Spadina where Metrolinx is building a new subway station for the Ontario Line.  The next stop west from there is at King and Bathurst.

Infrastructure Ontario wants to build what they call a Transit-Oriented Community (TOC) at King and Bathurst.  The gist of the plan is that these sites will feature high density development around transit hubs.  Some of the plans for condo and office may still be at the concept level but the new subway station work is well underway.

below: Looking south on Bathurst from King.  On the southwest corner is the Wheatsheaf Tavern  which has been here since 1849.  The exterior of the building hasn’t changed much in 170 years!  It remains untouched by today’s construction.

looking south on Bathurst from King, Wheatsheaf Tavern on the right, vacant lot where most of Banknote Bar was. now a metrolinx construction site

below: The Banknote Bar on the southeast corner is now gone, or at least most of it has been demolished.  The north facade will be incorporated into the new station, the King-Bathurst station (Are they really going to call it that?  So Dull. So Bland.).

southeast corner of Bathurst and King, vacant lot where most of Banknote Bar was. North facade saved and is held up with scaffolding, now a metrolinx construction site

This 4 storey brick building was previously a Bank of Montreal.  It was built in 1901/02 for the Canadian Biscuit Company.   It then had a series of tenants until 1923 when Bank of Montreal moved in.

Previously, a mixed use development rising above the old brick structure had been proposed for the site (prior to Metrolinx).  Cancelled.  At this point there is no other development on this corner.

below: Looking east on King

You can see that the corner (above picture) is now covered by a very big white temporary structure where construction of another station underway. What will be revealed? Plans suggest a mixed office/residential tower above with rebuilding of most portions of the TD bank that was on the corner, as well as the building directly east of it. No car parking spots, bikes only. Concept stage? Or further along?  One day we might find out!

Last, the northeast corner –

below: Clock Tower lofts dominates the corner.  There really are two clocks on the side of the building, both of which are difficult to see.  But that doesn’t matter since they don’t work anyhow.

clock tower lofts and condos on the northwest corner of King and Bathurst, with a clock tower at the corner, clock not working, ugly building

below: 1919 photo of the Clocktower Building.  It was in bad shape in 1980 and was demolished.  The Clock Tower Lofts (above) replaced it.  In 1919 it was home to Otto Higel Piano Company. The church in the background is St. Marys Roman Catholic church at Bathurst and Adelaide.

1919 black and white photo of a brick building on northwest corner of king and bathurst. 4 storeys, with small clock tower on one corner, church in the background

photo credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1244, Item 3008

The building dates from 1895; it was built for the Toronto Lithographing Company who used it until 1901.  Next, the Newell & Higel Co. Ltd take over the building where they manufacture piano actions, keys and hammers, and organ keys, reeds, and reedboards.  By 1912 they employed 450 people.  They developed a Player Piano that became famous around the world and business boomed.  They expanded the building north to the corner of Adelaide Street West.

By the way, a Player Piano is one that plays itself.  The 1920’s were their heyday but advances in technology, especially the introduction of radios and record players, helped kill the Player Piano.  By the 1930s production ceased.

below: A 1970s view of the northwest corner.

1970s black and white photo of Otto Higel Piano Company, now a furniture factory

photo credit: City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 1526, File 7, Item 5,

below: Looking out the window of the Wheatsheaf Tavern.  How many people have sat here and looked out this window?  What did they think about?

looking out a window at the Wheatsheaf Tavern, looking northeast to corner of King and Bathurst where a large white temporary building encloses metrolinx work on a new Ontario Line subway station

the new normal?

Posted: March 18, 2020 in graffiti and street art, stores, windows and walls
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I went walking on Monday, keeping my distance from others, to “collect” bits and pieces of evidence of what we’re doing and how we’re coping with this virus thing.  Some of this is a bit ghoulish (and has nothing to do with the virus) but hopefully some with make you smile.  Also,  I hope that in the days and weeks ahead we can look back on this as just a little blip in our lives.

below: A little sticker from sketch nate has been edited to say that only all of Toronto can judge me.  There were quite a few “don’t worry” stickers.

two stickers, one says don't worry, the other is a pair of praying hands and the words only gosh can judge me, by sketch nate. Someone has crossed out gosh and written all of T O

below: The Princess of Wales Theatre has shut down like all theatres in the city, no shows happening.  Keep Calm and Carry On – we’ll see how all this pans out.

sign outside the Princess of Wales theatre on King St in Toronto that says Keep Calm and Carry on

below: Another “stay safe” wish for the city.

people walking past the Rex on Queen Street, has sign over door that says

drawing on chalkboard outside, man asking magic ball am I stupid, then he realizes ball is really a bowling ball

below: They have no reason to panic.

mannequins dressed in outside clothing, long pants, hats, jackets, in orange and blue tones,

below: “Don’t argue with it” could pertain to many things including this social distancing that we’re all becoming experts at.

on a street art painting of a skate, someone has written the words

street art on a sidewalk box that says what will remain of us

below: Bugs is ready to fight the good fight.

part of a street art mural of Bugs Bunny with his fists up and ready to fight

painting on a box of a ghoulish figure

street art black and white pasteup of a face with eye still showing, torn a bit, sticker of a red octopus on top of the head

poster sign on door of Lush store explaining why they are closing

sign on a hand sanitizer dispenser explaingint why its empty and what to do about it

Wash your hands.

Stay healthy!

graffiti on a wall including the words Life's exit

A short CONTACT walkabout

Posted: May 5, 2018 in events, galleries, people
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This little walk starts with the artwork of Marleen Sleeuwits and her ‘Not the Actual Site’ exhibit at Brookfield Place (Allan Lambert Galleria).

A short walk from Brookfield Place westward along King street towards Metro Hall….

where pictures from John Edmonds ‘Hoods’ series are on display (as are the people who walk past!).

Across the street from ‘Hoods’ is Caroline Monnet’s, ‘History shall speak for itself’.  These photos are the south and west wall of TIFF.

caroline Monnet's large mural on the side of TIFF building, King street, people walking past, bikes parked in front of the art.

Just a bit farther west (at Spadina) you can find a large purple hued image by Felicity Hammond on the north wall of 460 King St. West.

A few more smaller works by Felicity Hammond are in the Contact Gallery at 80 Spadina – the building immediately north of the parking lot where you can find the image above.    The gallery glowed in pink and purple light.

below: Object shapes are cut outs from a thin sheet of acrylic on which photos were printed.  These shapes are held up by clay blobs.

And that’s our tour for today!

April slush, April sleet

Posted: April 16, 2018 in galleries, history, old buildings, people
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Well, that was quite a weekend.  An April winter storm with snow, sleet, ice pellets, freezing rain, and even some just plain rain.   The streets were icy and the sidewalks were slushy and wet.   Chunks of ice have fallen off roofs, tree branches have broken off with the weight of the ice that formed on them.  And then there was the wind that blew hard.   Of course I went out!

hazy, blurry picture of a person walking with an umbrella up Yonge street with other people, cars, wet sidewalk,

below: Dressed in our April finery. Black parkas.

people walking in the rain, downtown Toronto

below:  There is a small, but interesting, exhibit at the Toronto Reference Library at Yonge and Asquith that I wanted to see.  It’s called ‘Toronto Revealed’ and it’s in the TD Gallery on the main floor.   It features drawings and paintings of Toronto’s past.

sign in the window of the Toronto Reference library re the display at the TD gallery, Toronto Revealed, pictures and paintings of Toronto in the past

below: One of the paintings in the exhibit is this one, ‘Cherry Street Hotel’ by Gerard Lazare (1978).  The Cherry Street Hotel was built in 1890 at the corner of Cherry and Front Streets.  It later became the Canary Restaurant (1965-2010).  The building is still there but it stands empty.

painting of the Canary restaurant on the corner of Cherry and Front streets

below: There was a display of small artworks by Nicholas Hornyansky (1896-1965), including this one of St. James Cathedral (1938).  Hornyansky was born in Hungary and immigrated to Canada in 1929.  He is known for the etchings and aquatints (another print making technique) that he did of Toronto buildings and landscapes.

small framed painting of Saint James cathedral in Toronto, by Nicholas Hornyansky, painted in 1938 .

below: Most of the paintings were very realistic (documentary) except this one – a wacky view of Bloor Street looking west from Yonge towards Bay by Carlos Marchiori, painted in acrylic in 1976.   Even then, it is fairly true to reality.  The darker tower on the right is on the NW corner of Bloor and Yonge.  Stollerys store (the low building on the SW corner) is long gone.

bright painting of city landscapre, Yonge & Bloor, bendy buildings, cars as coloured blobs on the streets, puffy clouds in bright blue sky, by Carlos Marchiori

While I was at the library, I wandered around and took a few pictures of its vast open spaces.  It was warm and dry!  I was expecting to be told to put my camera away, but no one seemed to care.

interior of the Toronto Reference Library from the fifth floor, semi circular tables, reddish carpet, open concept architecture, rows of books,

below: Most were too busy working to notice.

looking down an aisle between two stacks of books (book shelves), a woman is sitting at a table studying and writing, there is a window behind her

below: One more picture from the ‘Toronto Revealed’ exhibit is this painting of the intersection of King and Jarvis by Vernon Mould.   It was painted in 1979.  Was gas really 20 cents a gallon in 1979?  No! That was the year that prices went metric and a litre of gas was 20 cents.    I came back to this picture because I chose to chase down that intersection to see what it looks like today.

painting, in mostly brown tones of a three story building at the corner of King and Jarvis, Toronto, with a small gas station across the street, sign says gas 20 cents, 2 gas pumps,

below: Et voici, same intersection, approximately the same angle.  There is now a building (with a Second Cup on the ground floor) where Mould would have stood.   By the looks of it, the three storey brick building on the NE corner has been fixed up since 1979.  So glad to see that it hasn’t been replaced by a glass condo tower!

intersection of King and Jarvis, looking north, three story brick building,

below: I wanted to find out more about the building, so I googled Sportsman’s Shop and I found a wonderful old picture of it from the 1970’s, obviously taken before it was renovated.    Apparently, it was fixed up in the early 1980s.

old black and white photo of the Sportsmans Shop at 150 King East in Toronto, three storey brick building

photo credit: Gary Switzer, source: Urban Toronto

below:  The next photo was taken as I stood on the same corner of King and Jarvis, but pointing my camera in different direction – looking west on King towards St. James Cathedral.  This is the eastern limit of the King Street streetcar project which is why the multicoloured barricades block part of the righthand westbound lane.

looking west on King street from Jarvis, St. James Cathedral and park on the right, downtown towers and office buildings in the distance, rainy day, TTC streetcar,

below:  These women are waiting in the wrong place.  Although the city changed the location of the streetcar stops along King Street, the bus shelters haven’t been moved yet.   At least they were (sort of) out of the rain.   They soon realized their mistake.

below: Looking back, the prerequisite photo of a TTC streetcar through a rainy day window.

looking out the back window of a streetcar, rainy day, raindrops on the glass, another streetcar is passing by

It’s always better to end a blog post on a happy note, right?  It may be a dream (I hope not!) but spring can’t be too far away.  April showers bring May flowers, right?  On my second warm up stop I saw this cheerful, hopeful drawing tacked to a wall.   It was one of many on the wall, all the work of Maihyet Burton.  They were at the Artscape building at the Distillery District.

a pen and ink drawing of spring flowers, poppies, in blues and purples, and fiddleheads in bright green

below: Headed home again.

two people with their back to the camera wait on the subway platform as a train arrives

Don’t put away your boots and hats yet!

growing pains

Posted: November 13, 2017 in transportation
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Is there anyone who doesn’t complain about driving in Toronto?
Does anyone have a solution that we can all agree on?
No.

Yesterday Toronto began an experiment on King Street. An experiment that CBC called a disaster on its first day.   This morning I went to check it out for myself.  It was mid-morning so there weren’t many cars.   Also, weekday drivers and Sunday drivers downtown are different.  On weekdays it’s the regulars who know the roads because they drive them all the time.   Does that make a difference? – I’m not sure.

below: At most intersections between Bathurst and Jarvis, traffic is not allowed to proceed straight through – you must turn right.  Streetcars and bicycles are the exceptions.  The traffic signals now have advanced green arrows to allow cars to turn right before the pedestrians cross the road.    Taxis are allowed to go through only between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.   You’ll notice that the left hand land has been painted with yellow stripes, i.e. no cars here!

white arrow painted on road directing traffic to turn right

below: Two more changes have appeared. First, the streetcar stops have been moved to after the intersection instead of before. Second, small barricades block the right hand lane after the intersection. These two changes have the effect of blocking cars who try to sneak through on King Street. If there is a streetcar, you’re stuck behind it. I did see a car try to pass a streetcar (on the left) but it was unsuccessful.

streetcar stopped to let on passengers, cars behind it on the street

Many cars were disobeying the new traffic signs, some out of confusion  and some blatantly flaunting the rules.   Cars would pull into the right turn lane but then go through the light anyhow.

below: I wasn’t the only ones watching the traffic.  Global TV was at King and Jarvis while CTV were stationed at King and Church.

Global TV car and truck parked on King street, street car about to pass them

below: CBC interviews people at King & Yonge as a black GMC goes through the intersection.

CBC reporter interviewing people on the sidewalk, traffic on King sreet, a black SUV making an illegal straight through the intersection,

below: The lighter traffic makes for easier illegal left turns!

a black car makes an illegal left turn at King and Church streets

below: Taking pictures of drivers doing illegal things was like shooting fish in a barrel. There were a couple of police cars around but so far there are few consequences to doing what you want. It’s early days yet, right? Apparently starting next week, the fine for illegally going straight through the intersection will be $100 and 2 demerit points.

traffic and street cars on King Street

I have one suggestion and that is to change the traffic lights so that the only green is a right turn arrow. The streetcars would have their own light – something like the ‘white line light’ that is used at King and Sumach as well as at Eglinton and Duplex. Having an ordinary green light is almost giving mixed signals to the drivers.

below:  Hey!  Mr. Bentley watch where you’re going!

two cars waiting for a red light. a white car and a grey Bentley, pedestrians crossing the intersection in front of them.

Take care out there!

back on the streets again

Posted: February 16, 2017 in general Toronto, history, memorials, old buildings, people, windows and walls
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Another reason why I haven’t posted recently?  I’ve been sick.  Icky sick; can’t get out of bed sick.  This morning was the first time that I’ve walked Toronto streets in many, many days.

It was a beautiful blue sky morning but I made a mistake and stopped for coffee first.  Clouds rolled in and we were back to greyness by the end of the first mug.  Argh.   Maybe back inside for a secong mug?

In the end I’m glad I got my momentum back.  I walked streets I’ve walked many times before but I walked it with a long lens in hand.  I started searching for details that I’ve missed before as well as shots that are easier (and sneakier!) with a lens zoomed out to the max.

In no particular order….

below:  The front of Betty’s on King street.  These magnets have been here for a while now although their numbers may have magnified.  In hindsight, I should have gone over and written something like, “Hi my name is Joe and I’m the Prime Minister of Canada”.

store front, front of Bettys bar and restaurant, with grey door. Walls are magnetic and they are covered with kid's letters of the alphabet magnets.

below: The bright colours of this exposed wall caught my eye.  It’s been revealed because of the demolition of a building at Victoria and Lombard and I suspect that it will get covered up again in the near future.

a large construction site at Victoria and Lombard, one wall of a neighbouring building has been exposed that is orange and white

below: This is a closer view of the men in the photo above.  I hadn’t purposely taken their picture but I like the portrait look of the picture.  A kind of Mike Rowe’s ‘Dirty Jobs’ image comes to mind.

two men working on a construction site

below: Banner for the Pacific Junction Hotel.

banner made of flags for the Pacific Junction Hotel strung in a tree on the sidewalk

below: Drink Coca-cola

a red and white drink coca cola sign sign hangs in a window of a bar

below: Sitting together in silence.  Black and white.  Alive and not alive.
Both aren’t moving and both don’t see me.

a man sits on a bench in a small park, wintertime, a snowman is at the other end of the bench

below: I have always been intrigued by these vertical windows at St. James Cathedral, especially with the winter trees in front of them.  I’ve taken pictures here before but none have been satisfactory.  This one is certainly not perfect but the sense of scale that the woman provides is a big help.

vertical stained glass windows of St. James cathedral, from the outside in winter, a woman is walking past.

below: These two small ionic-ish columns help support an archway over the door.

a small column with an ionic like capital, embedded in a brick wall. The column looks to be supporting an arch over the doorway

below: A bit of a rant.  At one point did it become acceptable for people to be sleeping on the sidewalks?  How did we learn to walk past?  When someone walks past a person sleeping in the middle of the sidewalk, what thoughts go through their head?  Is there a solution?  Or is so normal now that we don’t consider it a problem?   This man was right in the middle, there was no easy way to avoid him, but avoid him we did.

people walk by on the sidewalk as a homeless man sleeps under blankets on the corner.

below: Trying to cross King Street.

a man in a red jacket is waking two dogs, waiting to cross King Street, with St. James in the background. traffic, and parked cars too.

below: An exposed support beam, two wood planks on end sandwiched between steel I beams.

on an exterior brick wall, the end of a support beam is visible. the beam consists of a wood beam on end between two steel I beams

below:  High on a brick wall he suffers in anguish as the pigeons keep pooping on him.

carved stone piece high on a brickwall, exterior of a building, relief sculpture of a man's face with his hair made to look like long leaves that surround his face

below: A bit of a cliche.  Walking the dogs in the park on a winter day.

a woman walks three dogs on the path through St. James Park on a winter day, snow, no leaves, some buildings in the distance

below: The Christmas lights are still wrapped around the trees in St. James Park.

a string of red LED Christmas lights is wrapped around the trunk of a tree

below: Two mis-matched windows side by side.  Old brick, rusty metal.

an old brick building with two windows.

below: Above 10 Toronto Street is this royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom.   The unicorn represents Scotland and in the royal coat of arms for Scotland, the lion and the unicorn are reversed.  You’ll also noticed that the unicorn is chained.  Apparently this is because in legend, the unicorn is a dangerous beast.   I’m not sure what this says about Scotland!  The words on the banner below the lion and the unicorn say “Dieu et Mon Droit” (= God and My Right).  The words around the middle circle say “Honi soit qui mal y pense”.   This is the motto of the Order of the Garter and it translates to ‘shame upon him who thinks evil of it’.

sculpture of a coat off arms above 10 Toronto Street, a lion and unicorn and a motto in Latin.

below:  This is the building that used to house Starbucks on King Street near George Brown College.  Many months (more than a year) ago there was a fire in the building and Starbucks closed down.  The windows and doors were boarded up and then nothing happened.   That looks like the makings of scaffolding lying on the sidewalk so maybe some renovation work is about to begin.

a man walks past a boarded up doorway

below: A ghost building outline.

The ghost outline of a building, in white, on a black brick wall. Tree branches without leaves hang in front of the wall.

below: An octopus runs up the stairs. Or would it slither?

a blue drawing of an octopus on the second storey exterior wall, beside a metal stair case (fire escape?)

below: Passing by the five faceless naked men who silently and stoically watch over the intersection of Queen and Victoria.  A sculpture “Full Circle” by Peter von Tiesenhausen.

wood sculpture of naked men in a circle with their backs inward, at Queen and Victoria streets, two men walking past the sculpture

below: I also met James Beaty this morning.  He too stands silently but he is tucked away in a dull and quiet corner so he doesn’t get much to look at.   The original James Beaty was born in Ireland 1798 and came to Canada as young man.   He was a leather merchant, he established the newspaper ‘Toronto Leader’ in 1852,  and in 1867 he became a federal politician.

a black bronze statue of James Beaty, standing with a folded newspaper under his arm, about life sized,

below: Any idea what this might be?  Dancing figure?

small black and white stencil

below: It was a puddle jumping, slushy kind of day.  I’m sure that there are lots more of those ahead!

reflections of trees in a puddle on a path that has snow and ice on it was well

below:  There are always more paths to walk and more chances to see what’s around around the next corner and through the gate!

looking down a driveway that passes under a very high square arch to the street beyond. Cars are parked on the street and a pedestrian walks by

 

downtown glass

Posted: August 30, 2014 in locations
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Reflections I noticed as I walked up Simcoe and across King  this afternoon. 

Reflections in the building across the street, some women are walking by with their bicycles, a street car is just coming into view.

I often see tourists stopped here to take photos. I decided that it was my turn today. The CN Tower is also reflected in this building, along with St. Andrews Church.

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More downtown reflections of tall buildings.

Curved window beside the entrance to St. Andrews subway station.

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Two small trees in the foreground. Some tall buildings reflected in the windows of another building are behind the trees.

Roy Thomson Hall just sneaks into the lower left corner of the picture.

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Reflections of streetlights in a window, lots of horizontal blue bars are in the windows too.

My selfie for the day!

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