Posts Tagged ‘Scotiabank Arena’

walking towards the Pinnacle… and beyond

Posted: November 21, 2025 in construction, locations, old buildings
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….with a group of friends on a grey November morning.

below: From Union Station, there are now plenty of routes to take indoors and we explored some of them (some for at least the second time but there are always changes or points of view that you miss the first time around).

legs and feet of people walking inside

below: Union Station has connected to Scotiabank Arena for a few years now.

large Canadian flag, and many people walking, inside Scotiabank arena foyer area between arena and Union station

below: And within the last year or two a pedestrian bridge over Bay Street has connected Scotiabank Arena with the new CIBC Square development on the other side of the street.  This picture shows the exterior stairs of that new CIBC building as seen from the south side of that bridge.  That’s a lot of climbing!  So glad for escalators.

exterior stairs on new CIBC building, Bay street

people on escalator inside CIBC building

below:  There is quite a view from the new CIBC Square park area including this one looking mostly southwest to the top of Scotiabank arena.  The architectural details (some sort of overhang?) are on the new CIBC building top of Scotiabank arena, view from CIBC park above tracks, looking southwest across Bay

below: Looking north up Bay past the shiny sparkly gold RBC building to Old City Hall that’s almost hidden behind the newer towers.

from new CIBC park above railway tracks, looking north up Bay street towards old City Hall.

below: You can also see the Royal York hotel on the other side of the railway tracks.

Royal York hotel seen through group of small trees in autumn colours, some leaves gone, at the new CIBC park over the railway tracks

below: Cranes and the CN Tower make for a very downtown Toronto photo.  Again, this is the view from the new CIBC Square.  If you are interested, a year ago I posted more photos from this new park – Above the railway tracks at CIBC Square.

CN Tower in the background, crane and its reflection in a building in the foreground

below: Work continues on the Union Station expansion and upgrades on the south side of the station.  This work will provide the infrastructure needed for increased GO train service (more trains, more often).  Comparing this photo to one taken a year ago there don’t seem to be many changes so I hope that most of the work has been inside (or else it’s going to be a very long time before this project is completed).

construction on the south side of union station

below: It is also possible to continue walking indoors through to the new GO Bus Terminal.  This is the glass wall at the south entrance of the terminal on Lakeshore Blvd.

wall of glass at south entrance to new GO bus terminal on Lakeshore Blvd

man wearing yellow and orange high viz jacket waits in line at a Second Cup coffee, Toronto Maple Leafs theme image on wall behind him

below: This is the view southwest from the corner of Bay and Lakeshore. Just beyond the exit ramp from the Gardiner is the Toronto Harbour Commission Building on Harbour Street – named as such back in the day when this was close to the shore of Lake Ontario.   It was built in the Beaux-Arts style and was completed in 1917.

looking southwest at the intersection of lakeshore and bay, old customs house on Harbour St is there as is the large parking lot beside it , also ramp from the Gardiner.

below: Harbour Commission Building, 1923, just over a hundred years ago.  Photo from the Toronto Public Library, found online in their digital archives. Harbour Street was right on the shore!  Everything that exists toady south of Harbour Street is built on landfill.  That includes most, if not all, of the developments on Queens Quay.

1923 black and white photo of the Toronto Harbour Commission Building, and its reflection in the water of Lake Ontario. From the Toronto Public Library website and was once used by the Toronto Star newspaper

 

below: A few steps later as we walked down Bay – this photo is now looking northwest back towards Scotiabank Arena and the Gardiner Expressway.   So many new towers!   The Telus building on the right is on York Street and immediately south of the tracks. On the left are twos tall building with an almost round structure on the top (with holes in it) – these are the ICE condo towers at 12 and 14 York.

looking northwest towards scotiabank arena and downtown skyscrapers, from Bay street, just south of the Gardiner

a couple on the sidewalk, walking past a hot dog and sausage vendor in front of the Westin Hotel

below: On Queens Quay, a contrast between the Brutalist type of architecture of the textured concrete Westin Hotel and the newer glass and steel condo tower beyond it.

looking east on Queens Quay in front of the Westin Hotel

Alexandros fast food Greek style on the waterfront, with construction cones and equipment around it.

below:  Also on Queens Quay (on the north side of Queens Quay between Bay and Yonge) there is a water feature at the horribly named Residences of the World Trade Centre

water feature in brownish colours on the wall of part of the residences of the world trade center at bay and queens quay and yonge

below: The same complex is also home to this mis-shapen peanut thing that is a sculpture, ‘Between The Eyes’, by Richard Deacon.   Also, the brown building on the left is the old Toronto Star building at 1 Yonge Street.  It was to be redeveloped into a condo tower but the market for condos is trash at the moment.  The owner/developer, Pinnacle Group, has announced that they might try to convert the building into a hotel instead.

large metal sculpture that looks like a stretched and twisted peanut, by Richard Deacon at Queens Quay and Yonge,

people walking past a bus shelter on yonge street

below: Now under construction is Sky Tower at Pinnacle One Yonge (on what was the parking lot behind the Toronto Star building).

new condo tower under construction, pinnacle, large podium at first few floors

below: 106 floors!!  Final height will be 352 metres. May they never have elevator issues.  May the underground garages never have water issues.  The tallest completed building in the city is Aura at Yonge and College at 272m.  A couple of others at Yonge and Bloor are under construction but even once they are finished, this Sky Tower will be the tallest.   Remember that picture of the Royal York Hotel – when it was built in the late 1920s it was the tallest building in the city, and the first one over 100m.

new condo tower under construction, pinnacle, large podium at first few floors with large sign advertising the fact that it is 106 floors high

workman working on exterior ground level finishes in front of Sky Tower condo development

below: When I was looking for older pictures of this area, I found this intriguing photo from 1984.  Not that long ago, right?  The Gardiner Expressway runs across the top and you can see the Toronto Harbour Commission building in the top left corner.   The Westin Hotel is there (the two towers on a triangular base, bottom left).  The rectangular tall building is the Toronto Star building at 1 Yonge.  In other words, this is almost a map of part of our walk.  A couple of things of note – first look how much surface parking there was! And second, what is that circular thing in the middle (and top) of the picture!!!  On closer examination, it’s just an old ramp for the Gardiner and all the wasted space in the center. Harbour Street follows the curve on its south side.  An incredible amount of space is devoted to the car.

1984 black and white aerial photo of westin hotel on queens quay, plus toronto star building at 1 yonge street, waterfront, from Toronto Public Library

below: Walking up the west side of Yonge.  The blue building with all the diamonds and triangles is the back of CIBC Square – we have almost completed a circle.

walking north on the west side of yonge between queens quay and harbour streets

below: More redevelopment and construction to the east of Yonge on Harbour.  Harbour then merges with Lakeshore Blvd.

construction on Harbour street

below: You should recognize the purpose of the exterior bracing on the brick building.  The facade of this 1950s brick LCBO headquarters and warehouse is being saved during its transition to ‘Sugar Wharf’ with new towers, a hotel, a park, and more.   A very familiar story that seems to play in a never ending loop.

construction on Harbour street

below: North on Yonge

tops of buildings on yonge north of the gardiner

below: Under the Gardiner

man walking a dog under the gardiner expressway

below: Bird in flight but stuck to the concrete –  a paper paste-up on a Gardiner Expressway pillar

man in brown jacket is about to walk under the gardiner expressway, past a concrete pillar with a black and white picture of a bird in flight, street art,

looking north on yonge from under the railway bridge, road repairs construction

below: I don’t think that this is Finch West.

on yonge street, near The Esplanade, a sign saying sidewalk closed use other side, but it also says Finch West LRT

below: Another bird in flight is ‘Eagle’ by Dean Drever, 2018.  His beak is pointing to another new pedestrian bridge over Yonge Street that hasn’t opened yet.  It is part of the CIBC development and will become part of the PATH system.

relief sculpture of an eagle head and wings in flight on the side of a building on Yonge street

below:  CIBC Square, north side construction.  In the distance is Union Station; we have come close to walking in a circle.  It wasn’t a very big circle but there were many changes and quite a few things happening.   The CIBC Square development includes two towers on the east side of Bay, one on the south side of the tracks and one on the north.  In case you didn’t realize it, the  one acre “park” that they have developed is actually over the railway tracks.  It’s a wonderful use of the space.  I hope that the city sees that it is feasible to create public space this way.  There has been a lot of chatter about how the city should create a park over more of the tracks and I hope that this spurs them on.

This walk was the 16th Anniversary walk for the Toronto Photowalks group.  It was a rather large group of us that started from Union Station last Saturday morning.

group shot, in great hall at union station

  Toronto Photowalks have walked twice a month since November 2009 with some exceptions during Covid lockdowns and restrictions.  I first walked with them in early February, 2012.  There have been 334 walks and most streets and alleys in the city (and sometimes beyond) have been covered at least once.  Some weeks the group is small while at other times the numbers are a bit overwhelming but all in all, it’s a great group!

 

below: I am sure that the Bearded Prof is saying “Thanks for joining us!”

a sticker graffiti slp by bearded prof, of a bearded man in a baseball cap, holding a folded umbrella

above the railway tracks, at CIBC Square

Posted: November 18, 2024 in construction, locations, public art
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There are so many new buildings in Toronto!  One of them is the new CIBC building at 81 Bay Street which is immediately south of the railway tracks and across the street from Union Station.  It is also adjacent to the new GO Bus station.

below: If you take the elevator to the 4th floor of the new CIBC building,  you can access the new park.   This is the view that greets you. The park extends over the railway tracks – a great use of space!

elevated park over railway tracks that is part of cibc square development,

below:Looking east from the park (on a foggy morning, and with a spot of dirt on the glass fence).   The trees on the right mark the spot where a strip of land separates the railway tracks from the Gardiner Expressway/Lakeshore combination.  Between Yonge and Parliament there are no buildings adjacent to the tracks on the south side.    That tall splotchy looking building is the Sugar Wharf Condos which, as the name suggests, are close to the Redpath Sugar property.

eastward view from cibc park, over railway tracks, tall buildings on either side of the tracks,

below: Looking north across the roof over the railway tracks.  The gold building is another bank building, RBC (Royal Bank of Canada).  On the right, the building that looks like there are diamond shapes in the glass, is a second CIBC tower but on the north side of the railway tracks.

below: Construction continues on the north side.  It too will have a park that extends over the tracks.  The two parks should merge into one once construction is completed.

construction site, park above the railway tracks at part 2 of cibc square, on the north side of the tracks, gold coloured r b c building also in the photo

man working at construction site, park above the railway tracks at part 2 of cibc square, on the north side of the tracks, gold coloured r b c building also in the photo as is Royal York Hotel

CIBC square, park

CIBC square, park, in November

below: Westward

looking west from cibc square, red leaved plants in foreground, CN Tower in background

below: In the center of the park is a large shiny metal leafless tree.   This is “New Amalgam” by Roxy Paine (2022).   It is 72 feet high.

public art, tall tree made of metal, cibc square

public art, tall tree made of metal, cibc square, cn tower in the background

below: Looking over the covered tracks at Union Station and all the ventilation system components on the roof.

looking west from CIBC square, long railway tracks, past covered tracks at Union Station with ventilation systems on the roof, CN Tower,

looking west from CIBC square, long railway tracks, past covered tracks at Union Station, CN Tower, with construction on south side of railway tracks

below: A closer look at the nearby construction at track level (and lower).

union station infrastructure construction

There are also stairs on the exterior of the CIBC building that lead to the elevated park.

looking into a few levels of cibc building, through large windows, from exterior stairs

Bay street side of CIBC office building, west side, lower three levels with tall white pillars

below: Looking south on Bay Street where Scotiabank arena takes up most of the street scene.  That’s the Gardiner Expressway as it crosses Bay.

looking south on Bay street rom CIBC building, Scotiabank arena takes up most of the street scene,

below: Through the window to the interior of CIBC  where Steve Driscoll’s artwork shines brightly.

interior of cibc building on bay street as seen through large window from exterior stairs, glass artwork, little round tables with a couple of people seated at them

below: “A light stolen from the sun” is a collection of 12 digital prints on laminated glass.   they can also be viewed from the 4th floor but access is controlled.   Also, camera use will get you a nice chat with a security guy.  The usual, phones are allowed but even little cameras are a no no.

Steve Driscoll artwork, red and blue, trees, tall, vertical works on glass

below: An outpouring of red poppies is the stunning centerpiece in this Remembrance Day tribute (created by Fresh Floral Creations).

an arrangement of red poppies for Remembrance day in the lobby of an office building,

two women on exterior stairs by CIBC sqaure, downtown toronto

With thanks to Nancy and Merle who went exploring with me that day.

Union Station and beyond

Posted: August 19, 2023 in construction, locations, people, public art, transportation
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Welcome back!

one of the statues of Maple Leaf hockey players,

below: Posing with the men of Legends Row

people taking picture

below: The CN Tower peaks out from behind glass buildings on Bremner.

CN Tower peaking out from behind galss buildings on Bremner, reflections in the glass too

below: A slightly different angle, but still looking west on Bremner towards the Rogers Centre, which of course everyone still calls the SkyDome. The very east end of Bremner is also known as Raptors Way in celebration of the Toronto Raptors NBA Championship win in 2019 (that’s basketball for those of you who don’t follow such things).

Bremner street scene, Longos, people, Rogers Centre in the background

below: Maple Leaf Square.  The three rusted metal cones form  “Search Light, Star Light, Spot Light” (1998) by John McEwen.  At night, light shines through the thousand star shaped holes in the metal.

3 large conical structures as public art, with star shaped holes in them, in front of Union Station

below: South entrance to Union Station.

south entrance of Union Station, at Maple Leaf Square, with tall office buildings behind,

below:  More public art with lights can be seen in the foyer at 25 York Street (enter at Union Station in photo above and turn left). Thirty thousand lights suspended from the ceiling and they are constantly changing colour.   This is David Rokeby’s “Pixel Cube”.

 

light art installation suspended from high ceiling, titled pixel cube,

below: If you had turned right instead of left into 25 York,  you would find yourself in the foyer of Scotiabank Arena, home of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Pictured, larger than life on the wall, are 90 Ryan O’Reilly, 16 Mitch Marner, and 88 William Nylander.

picture on interior wall at one of the entrances to Scotiabank arena, showing portraits of 3 maple leaf hockey players

west entrance to scotiabank arena, interior shot, Canadian flags hanging from ceiling, reflections in polished floor, people,

a family of four with suitcases passes through entrance to Union station from scotiabank arena, with large picture of a Maple Leaf hockey player watching them

below: Russell Peters gives directions?

sign inside Union Station, on a large picture of comedian Russell Peters, directional signs showing York and Bay concourses as well as GO station and TTC

below: Although much of the Union Station renovation is complete, there are still mystery parts behind temporary walls and plastic barriers.

man walking with a cane, inside hallways of union station where there is still construction and renovation going on

people inside union station, at top of escalator for GO regional trains

union station, escalator, upper level with clear railing, advert on pillar

below: The walk from the railway side of the station to the TTC portion is now covered.  No more dodging the elements!

covered space between railway station at union station and entrance to TTC subway

construction and maintenence equipment like a wheelbarrow kept behind a green mesh fence, with danger due to construction signs on it

people walking down exterior stairs, union station

two men outside union station one in black pants, white shirt, and black tie standing and a construction worker in orange and yellow vest sitting on railing with back to camera

below: Construction on Bay Street, immediately north of the railway tracks.

construction of a tall building, steel frame of lower floors completed, tall crane, Bay street

below: A typical day in downtown Toronto?  Construction vehicles caught in the gridlock.

flatbed truck loaded with metal pipes, n Bay street, in traffic, with pedestrians waiting beside the road to cross over

pasteups and sticker graffiti on a red newspaper box with the word free on it

below: Intersection of Bay and Front (that truck is still there!).

a man on a scooter and other traffic at bay and front streets

below: At street level, something is happening with the gold tinted glass windows on the Royal Bank building.  No opportunities to play with reflections in the angled glass walls.   As an aside, if you want to discover how many plainclothes security people are lurking in the area, put your camera over the wall and aim it at the building.  Then smile.

construction zone around the base of the royal bank building at bay and front, a gold tinted glass building

below: Heading north, Bay and Wellington

people crossing wellington street on bay, pedestrians, tall buildings on either side of the street

teo men hugging each other in greeting as another man with bright blue sunglasses and pink shorts walks past

a workman repairs the large wide stairs on bay with passersby looking at him

a man in an orange and yellow work vests rests against a billboard sign for tangerine

a couple walk their bike on king street

January once again.

Posted: January 25, 2020 in waterfront
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It’s been a while since I posted here mostly because I’ve been away.  But I’m back in Toronto and back to walking.  The other day didn’t start as planned!  A locked gate stood in my way.

winter scene, base of Bathurst street by old Canada Malting Co silos, black gate to Ireland Park path is locked, snow, bench,

Shortly after, I saw a sign …. I’m not sure that it references locked gates specifically, but at the minimum it’s a reminder to remain flexible.

an art installation on the exterior wall of the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, words in pink letters written over an river landscape scene. the words say If you end up with the story that you started with, then you're not listening along the way.

As anyone Canadian city dweller knows, winter in the city rarely means white snow – the brown slush quickly takes over.   Here, at Spadina and Queens Quay, the road has been painted red to alert drivers to the fact that this is a streetcar lane.

new TTC streetcar turning left from Spadina to Queens Quay, slushy streets after snowfall, people waiting at bus stop,

Lake Ontario has only begun to freeze, and only in quiet protected places.  The first part of January was warmer than usual.  Even as I type this it is raining and all the snow is melting.  There probably isn’t much of this ice left this afternoon.

a couple of boats docked at wood docks, lakefront, waterfront, some thin ice in patches on the water between the shore and the boats. Lake Ontario

below: A “Danger due to” sign that has blown in from somewhere else but is just as relevant here as it is at any construction site.

Toronto red tug boat in the water with brocken bits of ice in the water, also a red and white danger due to sign that has fallen onto the ice of Lake Ontario

below: The Music Garden hibernating for the winter.

along the waterfront, view of CN Tower, with sculpture and dead or hibernating plants at Music Garden

below: Kayaks at Harbourfront resting for the winter months.

red, orange, and yellow kayaks on the ground for the winter, mostly covered with snow

below: The fire rescue boat was out and about the other afternoon.

yellow umbrellas and painted muskoka chairs in the snow at H T O beach, with red fire rescus boat just offshore

a large flock of sea gulls take flight beside Lake Ontario and in front of H T O beach

three people skating at an outdoor skating rink

Now on at the Harbourfront Centre is “Future Retrospectives” which is a group exhibition of works by artists and designers who use the past as a lens to look at the future (until 29th March).

below: The coloured shapes with the words, are the work of Hannah Claus.  They hang on a clear background so the installation on the wall behind shows through (also the work of Hannah Claus).  In fact, the two go together.  At first I thought the coloured shapes represented tombstones but in fact they are a replica of the plaque on Hochelaga Rock. This rock commemorates the village and people encountered by Jacques Cartier in 1535; it is on the McGill campus in Montreal.  It is also featured in the photos on the far wall. The English words (bottom half) start with “Near here was the…”.  More information.

Near Here was art installation or Harbourfront Artport gallery

below: Will we be able to understand a future time?  Also part of Future Retrospectives.

will we understand future time, video art with some other bits and pieces, Harbourfront Artport gallery

below: Timeless.  Eternity. Waiting for the bus.

three people at a bus shelter waiting for a bis, two are standing and one is sitting. They are underneath a large photo of stars and the night sky

below: This is ‘Loop’ an interactive “Winter Station” public art installation.  In past years, there have been 5 or 6 different art installations along Queens Quay as part of the Winter Station project.  This year, there is just this one which is located at York Street Park.   The circles are large enough for two people to sit face to face.  There is a metal bar which can then be moved back and forth between the pair.  This movement makes an inner circle spin and activates some lights.   It is the creation of Olivier Girouard ; it is scheduled to remain here until the 9th of February.

black circular structures that are part of an interactive art installation called Loop, arranged in a semi-circle at Yor Street Park, snow on the ground, trees with no leaves, no people there

below: Harbour Street, looking east towards Yonge Street from the elevated walkway that runs north from WaterPark Place, over the Lakeshore and under the Gardiner.

view east on Harbour Streeet from the walkway between Waterpark Place and Scotiabank Arena, construction of new high rises in the background, traffic,

below: Reflections on the walkway.

reflections of people walking in glass walled elevated walkway om downtown Toronto

below: After passing under the Gardiner, the walkway wraps around the west side of the second floor of the Scotiabank Arena (originally the ACC).

interior, Scotiabank Arena people on elevated walkway between Waterpark Place and Scotiabank Arena

below: The south entrance to Union Station, from the walkway.  This is also a good view of the new glass platform over Union Station (train shed roof?) – this is something that I need to check out in more detail.

Union Station entrance, a couple of people walking in front, Royal York hotel in the background, taken from elevated walkway beside Scotiabank arena

below: Also under renovation is the Bay Street exit of the Scotiabank Arena.  A new walkway between it and the building being constructed across the street is almost complete.  It is on the same level as, and immediately beside, the railway tracks.  This walkway will connect to the new Union Station bus terminal

from the inside, looking out, construction of the new exit, and new elevated walkway to building being constructed across the street

below: Exit onto Bay Street and look up!  Upward.  And to the future…. wherever that leads us.

looking up towards the sky at the Bay Street entrance to Scotianbank arena, wall of old arena, top of new building being constructed across the street,