Posts Tagged ‘people’

Light Years and Modernism

Posted: March 19, 2025 in galleries
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A quick, and very selective, look at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), focusing on two exhibits, “Light Years, the Phil Lind Gift” and “Moments in Modernism”.

below: Rodney Graham, “Media Studies ’77” . This large installation (lit from behind) will bring back memories if you are of a certain age!

below: Welcome to Vancouver

below: A series of images by General Idea (There are actually 4 pieces in this series).  General Idea was a group of 3 Canadian artists, Felix Partz (aka Ronald Gabe), Jorge Zontal (aka Slobodan Saia-Levy) and AA Bronson (aka Michael Tims).  The three men met in Toronto in the late 1960s; their collaborative work then continued until the mid 1990s. They were pioneers in the field of conceptual photography.

below: William Kentridge, “Drawing for Another Country, Flooded Street”, 1994.   Kentridge was born in South Africa in 1955)

below: “River Road” by Canadian photographer Jeff Wall. The photo was taken along the Fraser River in Richmond BC and was taken in 1994.  It is shown here as a transparency over a lightbox so that it is lit from behind.

The “Moments in Modernism” exhibit is a re-working of artworks owned by the AGO.  Some of you may have seen one or two pieces before.

below: “Delta Tau” by Morris Louis, 1960.

below: “Abstraktes Bild”, 1986,  by Gerhard Richter (b. Dresden Germany 1932).

below: I have seen this before (and possibly shown it here?) and I like it as much as ever.  It takes a certain amount of audacity or gumption to create a painting like this. Robert Motherwell painted this – title: “Open No.37A: in Orange”, 1971, charcoal and acrylic.

Robert Motherwell painting, orange, with three thin black lines, like an unfinished square, top open

below: Robert Rauschenberg (1925-2008), mixed media on panel, 1964 (only part of it is shown).   Rauschenberg made pieces like these that he called ‘combines’ and they were for stage decorations for performances by an experimental dance group (Merce Cunninham Dance Group).  In 1963 they did a world tour  called  “Story”where they made a different ‘combine’ for each performance.  This particular piece was made onstage at London’s Phoenix Theatre in August, 1964.

Robert Rauschenberg, combines, artwork,

The modernism exhibit is more extensive than I have made it seem.  I didn’t take many pictures of pieces that I had seen before which may or may not have been the right call.  Andy Warhol’s large silkscreen image of the 4 identical Elvis Presley’s holding a gun ready to shoot is on display –  the one where two Elvis’s are in bright colours and the other two are in black and white.     You can also see Alex Colville’s “Woman in a Bathtub” if you want (I think that it is the worst of Colville’s otherwise wonderful paintings).   In addition, there are works by Canadian artist Rita Letendre and Norval Morisseau, plus others.

Light Years continues until November 2025,
while Modernism continues until March 2026 (another year)

TTC riders at Runnymede

Posted: December 20, 2024 in public art
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More than three large murals by Elicser Elliott can be seen on some of the interior walls of Runnymede subway station.  Together, they form “Anonymous Somebody”

Elicser Elliot murals on walls of Runnymede subway station, riders on TTC subway train, some sitting, some standing and holding onto poles

They date from 2019 and are part of the TTC Public Art Program.

a couple hugging, in a mural on walls of Runnymede subway station, also a person sitting on red bench reading and holding a cup of coffee while waiting for subway train, two people on their phones,

There are a couple that I missed.  Like the ones shown here, they feature a diverse group of people that represent the people who use this Bloor West stop on a daily basis.

Elicser Elliot mural at Runnymede subway station, people walking, men and women, man in blue hoodie, woman holding phone, man in red hat and jacket

murals on walls of Runnymede subway station, riders on TTC subway train, some sitting, some standing and holding onto poles

Thankfully they are more cheerful, more positive, than the images at Union Station!

intersections – Queen and Spadina

Posted: November 20, 2024 in construction, history, old buildings, people, public art
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Subtitle: More Ontario Line mess

 

at corner of Spadina and Richmond, traffic light, with two Spadina street signs on it including old fashion district sign,

below:  Spadina and Richmond…. A giant thimble (by Stephen Cruise) sits on a stack of buttons.  Behind it, a building is shrouded in blue netting.

a couple walks a dog past sculpture at Richmond and Spadina that is a giant thimble on top of a stack of buttons

below:  Blue, blue, my world is blue… walking north on Spadina under blue netting that protects the sidewalk from work being done on the southwest corner of Queen and Spadina.  The whole block between Richmond and Queen is under wraps.  This is a future subway station with the imaginative name of Queen-Spadina.

people walking on sidewalk that is covered with scaffolding and blue netting to protect from a construction site, queen and spadina, ontario line construction

below: Southwest corner of Queen and Spadina

TTC streetcar on Queen, waits at red light at Spadina, people on the corner, tall building behind, pink signs advertising ontario line.

below: A look at what’s happening behind the hoardings….

Metrolinx construction site, hole in the ground, with hoardings, and shored up, some equipment,

below: Mcdonalds on the northwest corner is unaffected by the changes around it.

people waiting for green light, one man has a brown paper bag in his hand, mcdonalds at queen and spadina is in the background

below:  Looking south on Spadina with a good view of the southeast corner of the intersection with Queen West.

looking south on Spadina towards southeast corner of Spadina and Queen, tree, traffic,

below: There is a lot happening in the northeast quadrant, all by Metrolinx.   the yellow framework that protects and stabilizes a facade is becoming a common sight in Toronto.

below: In case you can’t remember what was on that corner, this is a photo taken back when they were laying streetcar tracks in 1912.  Most recently there was a CIBC bank on the corner.

black and white photo from 1912 of brick building on the northeast corner of Queen and Spadina.

Photo taken from WIkipedia Commons, in public domain. Originally from City of Toronto Archives.

below: A couple of the old houses/stores on Queen beside the old brick building seem remarkably unchanged since 1912.   (As a light grey car partially blocks the pedestrian crossing at the intersection).

a white car partially blocks the intersection as it goes southbound on spadina, pedestrians have to go around it while crossing on their green light. northeast corner of queen and spadina in the background

close up of an older brick building that has been gutted, but facade is being retained for redevelopment into metrolinx, ttc, subway station entrance

a woman wearing headphones walks past a construction site, on Spadina, other people on sidewalk crossing at traffic lights

graffiti on black hoardings, line drawing on bright green, picasso style, of a woman

below: The 510 streetcars are not running during this construction.

below:  But because the buses are too wide for the streetcar lanes, the middle of Spadina is very quiet… so I can stand here and take pictures.

standing in streetcar lanes, looking south on spadina, towards queen,

below: It also means that the replacement buses are now running… and competing with cars for a limited space.

a young man in blue winter jacket and baseball cap, walking on sidewalk past an orange sign saying pedestrian detour, and an arrow pointing right

below: Painting over the graffiti

below: Just north of Queen, there is a large vacant lot on Spadina.  So large you can see through to Cameron Street.

below: Cameron House and other houses on Cameron Street and beyond.

two young men on bikes wait at a red light, on Queen West at Spadina

stickers on crossing button at intersection, urban ninja squadron and feelings boi

people waiting on the southwest corner of padina and queen, waiting for their green light, pink hoardings for metrolinx construction behind them

looking out the window of a TTC spadina bus, looking at people waiting at bus stop, tall condos behind them, some reflections

end of summer = Ex time

Posted: August 31, 2024 in events, people
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As summer slowly winds down and August suddenly becomes September…..

Canadian National Exhibition, CNE: version 2024

riders, some upside down, midway ride
young couple sitting on a ride at the ex midway waiting for it to start

CNE midway, ride operator in red shirt, Canadian National Exhibition

midway ride, swingers, up high, round and round

a young couple on a ride at the Canadian National Exhibition midway, looking not too happy and one looks like they want to throw up

father and son sitting on a ride at the ex midway waiting for it to start

four happy women at winning a midway game

father and two sons playing miway game with trough of hundreds of yellow duckies

midway rides, upside down, spinning around

ring of fire midway ride, cne

a young woman in black shorts throws a baseball in attempt to get it to land in basket to win game on the midway

view of midway from Nunavut Dr, with CN Tower in the distance

water shooting target game at ex with motor oil theme, pennzoil, castroil, etc, lots of stuffed red lobster prizes on display

bust a balloon game at the ex, a girl is throwing a dart at the wall of balloons

an observant young girl watches an older person getting ready to thrown small orange ball at midway game

man wearing black cowboy hat is buying two cobs of corn to eat

two boys on skyline ride, cne, one is using his phone to check his hair

roller bowler midway game, large one yed monster on the roof

people in ride on midway

reflections of people and midway in a fast food stand at the ex

evening on the midway, cne, the Ex,

window of a fast food stand at the ex,Canadian National Exhibition, cotton candy

at a food stand, lemonade, at the ex, one father is buying food for his son, another father is arguing with his daughter

young couple walking down the midway, she has a cowboy hat on and a sleeveless shirt with american stars and stripes, Canadian National Exhibition

two young girls with black braids standing outside a midway ride, talking to each other, Canadian National Exhibition

people, adults, playing midway game for prizes, throwing wiffle ball onto board filled with holes

riders spinning backwards, midway ride, cne,

riders spinning backwards, midway ride, cne,

water shooting target game at the ex

two people on scrambler ride at Canadian National Exhibition, evening

young man, ride operator, standing at side by exit gate watching the crowds

CNE midway, people and rides

freakk fries food stand at the ex, with a crowd of people in front of it

food stand at the ex, cotton candy, cold drinks, sno cones two people standing outside of it, looking grumpy

people walking past a food stand called cafe, big white sign with capital letters to spell cafe

mother and daughter walking at c ne Canadian National Exhibition, with stroller full of a large stuffie prize, girl has words on t shirt that say wild heart

people playing roller bowler game where you roll a bowling ball to win a prize

people playing roller bowler game where you roll a bowling ball to win a prize

gambling, roulette, at midway, CNE, Canadian National Exhibition

two boys strapped into a ride, wide open mouths as they spin around,

spinning around and upside down on cne midway rides

a man sitting on a bench at cne midway, in front of three women who are fascinated by something that they see in the distance, Canadian National Exhibition

young girl standing up her stroller so that she can more easily see what's happening at a game on the c n e midway

cut out of the Icee Bear, in red shirt and blur pants, a white smiling bear, with people in the background, including a man trying to hug a woman, at the C N E, Canadian National Exhibition

toss a ring around a yellow rubber ducky midway game, with people behind

a man sitting on bench at CNE midway, with a person asleep on the bench beside him, lying down

boy sleeping in stroller as people walk past, at the ex

evening, silhouettes of people on the skyline ride at the ex

Other CNE posts (if you’re not overwhelmed already!)

1. Around and around we go (2022)

2. Into the night (2014)

3. Afternoon at the Ex (2022)

4. CNE (2013)

an evening out

Posted: August 18, 2024 in alleys, doors, graffiti and street art, people, stores, transportation
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This used to be Yonge Dundas Square (photo below) – soon it will be Sankofa Square. Or at least I think that’s what’s happening as there was some controversy over the name change. Although the name Yonge Dundas is very dull and unimaginative, that is what we’ve become accustomed to calling it. Some of us still claim that the Leafs play at the ACC or that the Blue Jays call the SkyDome home – yeah, we can be rather slow!

Whatever its name, that intersection is usually a colourful place on a summer evening.

musician, yonge dundas square, people watching red umbrellas

So that is where I started walking late in the afternoon the other day.  The walk was rather meandering, and did include a quick hop on a streetcar or two.  The weather was perfect and the streets were alive.  It was nice to see so many people out enjoying the evening.  Many (all?) of the curbside patios were busy too.

two men and a women talking and walking together

a man waits by bus shelter on dundas outside of H and M store

women walking, summer evening, two are talking, one is carrying a drink

below: Spiderman sits on a chair waiting for someone to hang out with.

spiderman sits in a chair

man sitting on bench inside bus shelter, people getting on and off streetcar, reflections,

reflections in a window, two levels of interior, with drug store and pharmacy on the lower level

a man sitting on sidewalk in blue t shirt, pan handling, two people on bike waiting for green light to cross Bay street

young man, topless, on skateboard, on street

a topless young man wearing a hat and jeans, and carrying a bag over his shoulder, in middle street, police car passes by, people on sidewalk turn to look because police car has short blast of the siren

below: Garfield is not amused (but he is shiny… or is that why he’s grumpy?)

clothing for sale, on sidewalk, at dundas and spadina, flatbed towtruck on street

two motorcycles parked, a pigeon on the sidewalk, and a couple at a table outside seven lives restaurant in kensington

a young couple on a pink motor scooter

below: On a balcony in Kensington, a war protest or at least a pro-Ukraine and anti-Russian statement.   Lots of sunflowers fill the space and Putin (presumably) is hung in effigy.

on a balcony in Kensington, many sunflowers, both real and fake, plants in blue and yellow pots, an effigy of putin, and a sign that says putin murdered over 200,000 men women and children

below: August is tomato season in Ontario!

boxes and baskets of tomatoes for sale outside of fruit and vegetable market

below:Buddha prays (meditates?)

fabric hanging outside a store, one with buddha, praying

below: A rare species spotted in Kensington – a rainbow tree

patio in front of a restaurant with a blue translucent fence, and a tree with trunk wrapped in stripes of yarn knitted

below: Shadow play on a Kensington graffiti wall.

man on sidewalk in front of graffiti in Kensington

below: Laundry time

man with red bag outside a coin laundry in kensington

below: This young man still watches over College Street (mural by Jarus).

mural on upper storeys, an image of a young man seated on ground, by jarus, above fast food restaurant of gyros, shwarma, poutine, souvlaki, felafal, and fries, and more, with new condo in background, people on sidewalk

below: Lord of the Fries!

sign on sidewalk for hogtown, lord of the fries

people walking on College Street

below: A creative use of a few chairs.

three turquoise plastic chairs in front of a store, written in red paint on chairs is the word open and a red heart

reflections in the window of an uncle tetsu cheesecake store

below: Mural by roam_t.o

mural by roam t o

below: Where danger lurks around the corner, unseen and unexpected!  (mural by Tensoe2 and Nick Sweetman)

mural on the side of a dominos pizza, animal with open mouth and big teeth, looks like it is after the people walking by on the sidewalk

below: Nazare Snack Bar

two stores on Dundas West, Nazare Snack Bar, and a convenience store, evening, people on the sidewalk talking

below: Taking a rest from riding on the broom?! Hallowe’en shopping done early!

mother and daughter sitting on streetcar, mother with shopping bag from halloween store and daughter holding a black witch's broom

below: A sign that claims that Ossington is the coolest neighbourhood. Any opinions?

sign on sidewalk on dundas, at ossington, claiming ossington to be the coolest neighbourhood, streetcar and street life in the background

below: Don’t text me!

don't text me

below: “Freedom is a state of mind” (not just another brick?)

graffiti, in white, on red brick, says freedom is a state of mind

below: Graffiti, text on a poster, by Kleeshay, “All the fun things we did when we were kids never stopped being fun we just stopped doing them”

text, black on white, by kleeshay on a wall at spadina and dundas

below: “We are taught to put emphasis on our differences because it would be too dangerous if we ever realized how much we have in common “

graffiti on a garbage bin, text, black on white, by kleeshay

below: A third Kleeshay poster – “You might forget who you are if you’re surrounded by people who act like you aren’t who you are. “

poster on an exterior wall, lots of text that says

below: Turtle Island, bald eagle

bicycle parked beside a metal utility pole, graffiti on pole, bald eagle with turtle island symbol inside it

 

below: Locked up; behind bars

black and white small graffiti of a mans face, behind metal bars of a gate

below: “Respect the Space”, an urban collage on a door in Keningston. “Baby’s first pistol” – yikes!
on a white door in Kensington, mailboxes and graffiti, text saying respect this space, stickers,

below: Another collage, sort of – I find it hard to believe that someone actually taped a coffee cup to a pole… but seeing is believing?
bits of old posters on a utility pole, an A and W coffee cup taped to the pole as well

below: Nothing fancy here, but I was fascinated by the old concrete posts that are keeping this fence up. She walked in front of me as I slowed down for a closer look…..

woman walking on sidewalk, walking past a fence made of concrete posts and metal bar, metal gate

below: This final picture is for the person who mentioned that they once thought of collecting images of all the shopping carts they saw abandoned around the city. Ever since reading that comment, I see shopping carts everywhere!!

a house with small frontyard, an old metal shopping cart in the yard

below: What do you see when you walk around Toronto?

lookin’ good – Pride 2024

Posted: July 2, 2024 in events, people
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canadian pride flag on a motorcycle

This is a blog post full of people shots from Sunday of Pride week-end.  Some taken during Church Street festivities and some along the parade route.   There are posed shots, selfies, and a few candids.  To me, Pride is about the people – the diversity of the crowd, the non-judgemental ‘come as you want’ attitude.  Put on your party hats and join the celebration.

crowd watching pride parade as woman on motorcycle passes by, waving rainbow flag,

men dressed up as dorothy from the wizard of oz, long brown braids, blue gingham dresses with white puffy sleeved blouses, shiny red shoes, at pride, two men hugging in the background

dykes on bikes on motorcycles, pre parade, rainbow flags, canadian flags,

hand on person's back, wearing t shirt that says pride is suicide prevention

women under rainbow umbrellas, pride parade

a couple looking a phone together, laughing, people behind them, pride parade

group of people standing on sidewalk, behind metal barricades, watching pride parade, rainbow flags,

pride, church street, man in rainbow hat, younger men in leather straps

woman in rainbow bra top and red skirt, beating on small drum in pride parade, spectators behind her, one woman taking pictures with phone

two people in pride parade, holding banner, cheering and smiling, one arm in air, wearing yellow vest, also rainbow flag over shoulders

two people walking down street, pulling wagon, with a trojan t shirt, other person lifting up top to reveal bare stomach

man wearing black and yellow dog muzzle as well as a gas mask, pride parade

traffic box painted with keith harig figures and words love is love, two young girls beside it, rainbow pride flag

two people holding hands, close up shot, from behind, person on right is wearing bright yellow green and red striped top, arm on left has hearts drawn on it

black woman with short hair, large glasses, yellow t shirt, behind her is a large pink feather, pride parade

young boy on adult shoulders, looking skeptical,

black man, and other people, under a large trans flag in turquoise, white, and pink stripes, walking in pride parade

crowds on yonge street during toronto pride parade 2024

woman on a float with black parasol, pride parade, spectators on roof of payless shoe store behind her

woman wearing a t shirt that says i make boys cry

two women with yellow t shirts, posing, one with a paper fan that says liberal on it, pride parade

people dancing on the sidewalk as they watch pride parade

police and other people watching parade, group in red t shirts marching, as hey turn from bloor onto yonge

people on sidewalk during pride parade

group of young people standing by a small tree, by sidewalk, watching pride parade, with coffee cups in their hands,

three women posing for a photograph, smiling, laughing,

young woman sitting on another person's shoulder, arm in air, taking a photo in a crowd, pride parade

people sitting on parade route, pride, older man looking at young woman dressed in grey, with many tattoos on arms

person with blue, white, and pink trans flag on shoulders, carrying a hand drawn sign that says piss off pierre

couple posing for photo at pride parade

woman helping another person tie rainbow bandana around his head

woman in orange sun hat and bright colourful reflective sunglasses

topless man, grey hair, holding his phone

two women standing in road, crowds, both with a young child in a stroller

Dyke March 2024

Posted: June 29, 2024 in events, people
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Another June, another Dyke March!

line up of dyke march southbound on yonge, with pink banner in the front

Dykes on Bikes led the parade as usual.

cheering dykes on bikes in parade

two women on motorcycles, dykes on bikes, rider in the back is also holding a big dog, laughing

dyke march image, woman in black sleeveless top is taking phone picture of others in dyke march

dykes on pikes, parade

women holding pink dyke march banner in a parade

two drummers drumming and laughing while walking in dyke march in toronto

policeman in yellow vest with back to camera watching parade goes by, one of the women in the parade watches him out of the corner o her eye as she walks past

below: Olivia Chow walks in the parade along with a Phenomenal Gaysian!

mayor of toronto, Olivia Chow, walks in Dyke March along with people holding a banner with her name on it,

NDP group in dyke march, with banner that says big dyke energy, led by Kristyn Wong-Tam with a blue megaphone. She is MPP for Toronto Centre

dyke march

dyke march, with flag in rainbow colours that says peace, Cheri DiNovo, carrying flag and giving peace sign with fingers. She is United Church minister and former politician.

two people holding hands, one is holding the index finger of the other, in a parade

women walking in dyke march, one is pregnant, carrying sign that says, 15 years a family, one baby and one on the way

people in the upper windows of aroma espresso bar on yonge, with rainbow flgs, watching dyke march below

dyke march, person wearing pink cowboy hat

 

person with lavendar hair and bright red glasses carrying a fan that says shady queen

rainbow coloured sign held up in parade that says loving is hard

photo from toronto dyke march, south asian women carrying pink sign that says lesbians do exist

woman with short dark hair , 2 small pride flags tucked into the back of her top

woman walking a dog in a parade. dog is wearing a rainbow coloured outfit

woman holding open umbrella and walking in parade, striped pride colours, other people walking too, yonge street, toronto

young southeast asian men with bike helmets on, standing on sidewalk, watching dyke march

dyke march, sign that says i put the bi in bitch

woman wearing red hat that says canada is taking selfie with another woman in dyke march

women by a bus stop on yonge, during dyke march. one is in cat costume with ears and another is draped in pink flag, with long blonde hair

woman in parade, sticking her tongue out

people walking in dyke march, one woman is smiling and waving a flag

women holding a banner for gals together, pals forever

middle age man trying to take a picture of a woman with a bubble blower as she walks in a parade

person in pink glasses and many blue and pink necklaces, dyke march

person wearing red bandana as a head scarf, with small lesbian pride flag inserted into knot of bandana

trans marchers in dyke parade

woman waving large flag in a parade

woman with umbrella that says love girls on it, watching parade

smiling woman, wearing t shirt that says dyke

family group poses for family selfie before dyke march parade starts, men wearing fedoras

father and daughter sitting on sidewalk watching parade, girl has a lesbian pride flag wrapped around her shoulders

person with rainbow flag draped over shoulders, giving a thumbs up sign

two people sitting on a sidewalk watching parade go past, one is wearing a brown cowboy hat

dyke march, person holding hand written sign that syas looking for a super graphic ultra modern girl

woman wearing a striped crocheted dress and bright pink shoes

dyke march, one woman is looking back at another who is scantily dressed in a very small bikini

person taking pictures, across street from zanzibar tavern

men watching a dyke march parade

crowd watching dyke march including a woman with purple hair and platform black and white shoes

crowds lining streets at yonge and gould to watch dyke march parade go by

a couple walking down the sidewalk, she is wearing a black dress and boots,

young woman wearing a head scarf, with drink in hand, taking pictures at a dyke march

man has hands on face of female police officer

woman taking a picture of two other older woman, at dyke march

Hanging out at Yonge and Dundas

Posted: May 21, 2024 in people
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This is just a post about people doing their own thing, going about their day.  Nothing spectacular or wild & crazy, just a few ordinary moments in an ordinary day.

people walking at yonge and dundas

Most people are absorbed in their own small circle, or  busy on their phones, and don’t pay much attention to what’s going on around them.

A group of people wakling, one smoking, one on phone, two with orange drinks in their hands.

two people sitting on a low wall at Yonge Dundas square, looking at the same phone, TTC streetcar behind them with people inside

But sometimes the camera gets noticed.

woman carrying a package, looks at camera, in the background other people are crossing Dundas

And sometimes (well, often actually), I am not the only one.  So does he have a photo (or 2?) of me and if so, what did he do with them?  Delete? LOL

man with a camera taking photos, holding camera closer to waist level

man wrapped in orange blanket talking to a man wearing dark sunglasses

group of people sitting on a bench at Yonge Dundas square, others standing or walking nearby

three men together on sidewalk outside Eaton Centre on Yonge Street, looking at something, one with a phone in his hand

man, with back to camera, sits on bench in a bus shelter, with a bundle by his feet that is wrapped up in a blanket

People sitting in red and blue muskoka chairs under big red umbrellas at Yonge Dundas square

two men walking across Yonge Dundas square

I would love to have overheard that conversation!

Nearby, Harry Styles may be about to get demolished but he doesn’t seem too concerned.

large image of singer Harry Styles on bright red background, covers most of side of building on Dundas, now behind hoardings and construction fences

I hope that everyone had a good long May weekend!  The weather was great this year, for a very pleasant change.  On to summer…..  !!

continuing from Dundas West

Posted: April 19, 2024 in alleys, construction, graffiti and street art, locations, people, reflections
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Ready to roll again?!

people walking on sidewalk, past a sign for a sushi restaurant that says lets roll

 The last blog post ended at Dundas West Station where the Giraffe Building sits on the northwest corner of Bloor and Dundas  …. so let’s picked it up from there…..

large billboard on top of two storey building with upper level painted like a giraffe in brown and yellow, bottom level covered with ads and graffiti

If you go north on Dundas from here you’ll find yourself in the Junction.

below:  A quick peak north on Dundas West at Edna (first block north of Bloor).

southwest corner of Edna and Dundas West, standing in front of Mcdonalds at the subway station, a bus, some people walking, a man leaning against a telephone pole.

But not today.  Today we’re heading south on Dundas until it meets up with Roncesvalles.  Then we’ll walk generally north and east until we cross Dundas at Sorauren.  A brief stroll north on Sterling will bring us back to Bloor.   That’s the plan!

man holds a coffee cup as he walks past adverts on side of giraffe building

two people standing beside defaced mural in support of front line workers, dundas west and bloor

below: Crossing Bloor at Dundas

a couple walking together, crossing Bloor, with dollarama store and brick highrise apartment building behind them

man holds a piece of plaid fabric in his outstretched arms as he walks past advertisements on exterior of giraffe building

wood cutouts of people doing things, man holding a ball above his head, painted, mounted on exterior of red brick building, a school,

large painting of a glass half full of milk, on exterior of red building, word full written on the milk, beside Bloor Street fitness, with a large white boxing glove outside

below: Waiting by Jimmys Coffee

looking across Dundas West towards Jimmys Coffee, people waiting to cross with traffic light

below: Walking their bikes

a young man walks his bike on sidewalk past a store, reflections in the window
walking on Roncesvalles, a woman in a maroon skirt, a couple walking together

below: Jac’s Milk on Roncesvalles still has a mural depicting the 504 King streetcar.  The boys at the table were selling eye protectors for watching the solar eclipse (that dates this walk!)

Jac's Milk convenience store on a corner on Roncesvalles, TTC streetcar in mural on the side of the building, a person on a bike in the foreground

a woman walks her dog on the sidewalk, Roncesvalles

below: White Corner Variety

a person on a bike riding north on Roncesvalles, past Whites Corner Variety

below: Outclass reflections

a woman sits on a bench in front of a store window

below: Jogging on Roncesvalles

two women jogging on Roncesvalles at Howard Park

two young asian men working at a fruit and vegetable market, goods on sidewalk, some people passing by, a pile of orange in the foreground

below: Totally gutted

view from alley behind, most of interior of house has been gutted for a renovation

below: Also under renovations is the Hindu Prarthana Samaj Temple, the oldest Hindu temple in Toronto.  Prior to being demolished, this was an old church building dating from 1886.  First it was Ruth Street Presbyterian Mission and then later it became Fern Avenue Church of Christ until the Prarthana Samaj congregation bought the building in 1979.  Soon it will look more like a Hindu temple!

hindu temple being renovated behind hoardings

backyard views, from laneway behind

garages in alley, dark green garage door, bright blue wall,

below: Flowers on the side of a garage in an alley

pinkish peach colour lily painted on a wall in an alley, also a purple rose in the painting

 

graffiti on a brick wall in an alley, blue eyes with text eyez

sticker of a heavily armed police man with a large gun on a pole in an alley

sign upside down, yellow sign says slow, alley,

below: New infill in an alley

new infill house in an alley

below: With another one under construction nearby.   Construction of these laneway homes was allowed beginning in the summer of 2018.  Since then, their popularity has blossomed.

infill housing being built in an alley, plywood

below: Wilson’s Variety & Grocery on a corner in a residential area.

small convenience store on a corner in a residential area, Wilson's Variety and Grocery says green and yellow sign across the top of the window, black bars on the window, Canada Post mailbox in front of the store,

small narrow house, two storey, large tree in front, gingerbread trim under eaves, very small front yard,

house on Sorauren, white fence in front, red trim on porch and awning over window

backyards, alley view, one with lots of stuff in the yard

below: No payment entertainment and BE BETTER where Sorauren meets Dundas West.

where Sorauren meets Dunda West, a big billbord, an old yellow building, and another building with the words be better written in big white capital letters

below: Same corner, southwest side.  Pink door beside Timmy’s Variety.

southwest corner of Sorauren and Dundas West, building with large white sign and pink features

below: The West Toronto Railpath runs up the east side of the railway tracks.

West Toronto Railpath north from Dundas West,

concrete supports under bridge, Bloor Street over railway tracks, covered with graffiti,

below: You can tell by the sweet chocolatey smell in the air that Nestle is still making chocolate bars and other candy here.

Nestle factory, with large faded ad for Aero chocolate bars

walkway bridge over Sterling Ave at Nestle plant

sign on grey corrugated metal wall that says Nestle, coffee crisp

below: You are greater than everything

orange diamond shape construction sign that has been painted over in yellow and blue, stencil of an open hand holding a flame, text that says you are greater than everything

below: Halfway up Sterling Ave, around the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), there has been a flurry of development activity.

back corner of MOCA, Museum of Contemporary Art, with new construction of a new building beside it, crane on top of new building, sign on the back of MOCA that says over asking under taking

Sterling Ave., new building under construction on right, MOCA on left, museum of contemporary art

below: Development on the north side of MOCA.

looking across a flattened vacant lot. dirt, to a line of new townhouses, as well as older single family homes with large trees in the backyard

looking down the side of a house, to see new townhouses in the background

old used concrete barriers lined up beside each other, being stored in a vacant lot, behind a fence

below: A pair of anser eyes

man in red wool hat taking a picture of anser eyes graffiti on grey wall

below: Land Back, Turtle Island style.

poster on a wood pole, turtle with red sash around middle, words that say land back

below: Catchoo paste-up, catching a hand grenade

small graffiti pasteups by catchoo, two green outstretched hands reaching for a hand grenade

below: One wet fish dripping on Feelings Boi.   The fish is probably the work of Rowan McCulloch.

feelings boi sticker, as well as a sticker with a black and white image of a fish

below: More houses….

older brick two storey single family home with single upper storey window, also a porch across the front of the house, with white metal railing on porch

two storey bay and gable house, painted blue with white trim

two storey bay and gable house, red brick,

chair on a porch with 3 pizza boxes on it, also a bike on the porch

below: A row of bay and gable houses.

row of two and three storey bay and gable houses, large tree in front

houses on Bloor West near Sterling

addition to front of house, extends to sidewalk, large window in front, with reflections, walls are painted in mural with purple sky, blue and red trees, and green grass

below: And that brings us back to Bloor …. Bloor Gift and Smoke Shop across the street from the north end of Sterling Ave

on Bloor West, at Sterling, old red brick building, with Bloor Gift and Smoke Shop

below: Looking west on Bloor from Perth.  The southwest corner remains vacant.  Old concrete steps go nowhere now, and haven’t for many years.  The old tires are a more recent addition to the landscape.  Unfortunately this one of the many sites in the city where development is in limbo.  As early as 2010 there was a 12 storey building proposed on this site (1439 Bloor West plus 80 Perth).  At the moment, there seems to plans in the works for a 14 storey building but the plans seem rather fluid (i.e. they keep changing).

intersection of Bloor and Perth, with vacant lot on southwest corner

below: Back in 2014 or 2015, the concrete walls of this underpass were painted with murals. Now almost all of it is tagged over or scrawled on. It’s a mess.

entrance to toronto railpath beside tracks on Bloor Street, concrete walls covered in graffiti

below: UP Express train stopped at Bloor West station on its way to Pearson Airport.  The UP Express was in the news this past week because Metrolinx decided to change the scheduling such that half the trains no longer stop at the Bloor and Dundas stations.   Cue the now-normal Doug Ford flip flop when there was a lot of very verbal backlash from the commuters that use these stations.  The regular schedule has resumed.

UP Express train in station, reflected in the windows of building on other side of tracks

From here it is a hop, step and a jump back to Dundas West station.

In case you are interested –  Ten years ago, the building that houses MOCA stood alone. Its life as part of Tower Automotive had ended and its new life as a gallery hadn’t yet begun.  Previous posts:

Tower Automotive 2013
Tower Automotive 2014
First visit to the new MOCA 2018

Danforth – Woodbine – Gerrard

Posted: April 7, 2024 in alleys, doors, graffiti and street art, history, locations, reflections, stores, transportation
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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or thereabouts…

below: Starting point, Woodbine and Danforth

below: Small Mediah painting in the doorway, Danforth

small street art mural by mediah in the entrance to a store, people on the sidewalk, Danforth

below: Another Mediah mural, on the railway underpass on Woodbine just south of Danforth

mural by mediah, geometric shapes and colours, on an underpass

below: And again, in an alley south of Gerrard.

below: East End Love

tall narrow mural beside sidewalk on the Danforth, East End Love

below: “Humming on Woodbine”  – A hummingird and a young woman with daffodils in yellow and purple, a mural by Blazeworks at Woodbine and Danforth.

mural painted by Blazeworks in 2023, called humming on woodbine

below: Closer-up version  –  an old streetcar (when did they stop running on Danforth?  The TTC operated streetcars on Danforth from 1923 until the subway opened in the 1960s.)

below: Two storey brick stores with square facades in front.  Rows like this can be found all over the city although in many places they are being replaced. This row has probably been here for a hundred years; this section of Danforth was developed between 1910 and 1930.  The streetcar provided a commuter route and facilitated growth to the east.  The opening of the Prince Edward Viaduct (Bloor Viaduct) over the Don River in 1918 made access to downtown and the rest of the city even easier.

row of two story brick stores on danforth

below: Some stores have added features such as this little peaked facade at the front and the fancy brick work around the windows.

two storey brick store front on danforth, with small peak in roof on on side

below: Window reflections

reflections in a window of a store on Danforth, cars and stores across the street can be seen.

below: Tims stands alone

two story building with a Tim Hortons, pale pink building, no buildings on either side of it, a woman in a pink coat walks past

below: Ghost sign on Danforth, Burnett Brothers Butchers, The House of Quality.  That would be Alfred and Horace Burnett.

ghost sign for Burnett Brothers Butchers of high quality, on old brick building on the Danforth

below: Remnants of streetcar tracks can also be found on Strathmore Blvd (behind Woodbine station) that abruptly end at Cedarvale

old streetcar tracks in a street, Strathmore Blvd., that come to an end.

below:  Drink Coca-Cola – an iconic red disc. As for the rest of the sign, the font and the style of sign is still seen in many places in Toronto.

old store, now a gallery, with red round drink coca cola sign, also old sign saying confectionery

below: Soaking up the sun in front of Atop Appliances

two people in a bus shelter, one standing, one sitting, in front of store called Atop Appliances which is an old grey building with a black shingle roof

below: Spring blossoms, pretty even if they aren’t real!

mural on the side of Value village, spring scene with blossom tree and green grass, bike share bikes in a row in front of the mural

below: A line of stars

painted along the side of a red brick building, beside driveway, two stripes, a narrow white stripe on top and a wider blue stripe below. On the blue, are eight pale orange stars

below: And stars on fences in an alley

2 large stars as decorations, on old fence in an alley, crooked fence, car parked in alley, dead leaves on the ground, mossy roof on garage next door

below: Aren’t doors fascinating?  Final Notice and 2nd Final Notice.  If a door is a title to the story that lies within, what is the story that would unfold here?

old black door, with yellow spray paint, three times, that says final notice, mailbox beside the door, number 2138, crooked concrete step

below: Many little pots in a sun-filled window, looks like an attempt to jump start spring planting.

row of old store fronts on gerrard, some now home, one has large window with greenish curtains, also a lot of little pots in the sunlight, perhaps growing seeds for spring planting

below: My favorite kind of Canada Geese.  They are quiet and don’t leave little messes behind.

front yard with decorations - in the shape of canada geese with red scarves around their necks

below: Lakeside campfire at sunset on a garage door

painting on a garage door, campfire on a granite outcropping beside a lake with pine trees around it, at sunset, sky in reds, oranges, and purples

below:  Poser bunnies in a mural on Gerrard

poser bunny mural on the side of a two storey structure on gerrard street

below:  I saw a lot of these posters that day – How to fold a fitted sheet.  Once upon a time such posters had a phone number written on little flaps that you could tear off.  Now we have the dreaded QR code.  Apparently there is now something called “quishing” which is QR code phishing (I am not calling this poster fake, I am just ranting about QR codes in general – like how annoying they are on menus because now everyone has to get their phones out).

poster on wood utility pole with the title How to fold a fitted sheet

below: Secret Park  …. sshhhhh  I can’t tell you where it is.

below: Empowerment by the wading pool (this is not the Secret Park!)

below: Toronto Chinese Mennonite Church (formerly Rogers Presbyterian Church), Woodbine

front of brick building, toronto chinese mennonite church

below: Crossing the street, towards Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church, Gerrard St.

woman crossing stret with a dog on a leash dog has a purple coat on, in front of old brick church, grant african

below: Plaque of Dedication for Grant Church

Plaque outside Grant Church

Plaque of Dedication commemorating the relocation of Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church from 23 Soho Street to 2029 Gerrard Street, November 17th, 1991. 
  Grant Church Journey
In 1833 in Toronto, worship began in each other’s homes.  The meetings were held on a site on Chestnut Street.  Later, a church was built on Richmond Street.  In 1856 we moved to a hall at Queen and McCaul Streets.  In 1912 we celebrated the grand opening at University and Elm Streets, and moved to 23 Soho Street in 1929.

grant african methodist episcopal church, brick building, on gerrard,

below: St. Francis National Evangelical Spiritual Baptist Faith, Archdiocese of Canada.

below: Semis on a slope

semi divided houses in a row on gerrard, two stories, with front porches,

below: A newer three storey residential building. I wonder how many units it has? Three at least?

new three story residence beside an older house

below: Layers

car parked in a driveway beside an older house, with a taller glass and brick condo building behind

semi houses, large trees between sidewalk and street

below: Pink house with a lot of stairs to the front door, Woodbine

below: Housing on the hill

below: A bus shelter, unfortunately it seems to be acting as housing as well.

below: May Peace Prevail on Earth in two languages (and more on the back)

4 sided pole about 8 feet high, with words written on it, may peace, also written in another language (different alphabet too)

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