Posts Tagged ‘Yonge Street’

September downtown

Posted: October 15, 2020 in general Toronto, locations
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“Social norms has been reset to factory settings”

words written on a wall

I’m not sure what the above words mean or imply but I do know that we’ve all been impacted by Covid in one way or another.  The city seems to be moving along albeit more slowly than usual.  Sections of the city have fared better than others.  In fact, it would be very easy to portray segments of Toronto as being in trouble.

an old man walks up Yonge street past empty shops and a man sleeping in a doorway

Here the road is closed to vehicles for Open Streets (the last Sunday of September).

empty stores on yonge street, with a now leasing sign in the window

a woman walks past an empty store on Yonge street

We are missing events.  All those things that I like to take pictures at and blog about – the parades, the street festivals, and even the protests.  With more people staying at home, no tourists on the streets, and events going virtual, it’s a much quieter city.

below: This was the last weekend of TIFF and you wouldn’t know anything was happening.

a man with earbuds on walks past the TIFF lightbox theatre where a woman in a beige long coat and a black mask is standing by the door

below: In past years, King Street closes for TIFF activities.  This year there was none of that – no crowds jostling for a look at a celebrity or two, no booths selling things.

a round yellow circle around a bench on King Street, part of decorations for Tiff

below: These little “patios” have been carved out of some downtown streets to help restaurants stay open during these COVID days.  It’s a great idea for the warmer months.  Although the city now allows propane heaters on the street, I am not sure how many people are going to want to have dinner outside in December.

sitting on temporary patios on King Street

painting in front of Hey Lucy restaurant on King Street, woman sitting at a table with zebra print top, with a bottle and glass of wine

below: The Royal Alex Theatre is still set up for “Come From Away”

blue Royal Alex theatre on King street, with signs for Come From Away, line of multi coloured Muskoka chairs along the street

below: A nearby restaurant still has its St. Patricks Day green on display.

Happy St. Patricks Day sign in the window of a restaurant

below: Roy Thomson Hall in the foreground with downtown buildings in the background, as seen from Metro Hall.

Roy THomson Hall and downtown buildings as seen from Metro Hall

below: New public art on Adelaide… this is “Dreaming” by Jaume Plensa.   She’s three storeys high and I wouldn’t be surprised if she is dreaming of the days when we didn’t need masks.  How long until someone gives her a mask?

large three storey high white sculpture of a woman's face with her eyes closed, title is Dreaming and the artist is Jaume Plensa

below: Reflections with security guard

reflections of Jaume Plensa's Dreaming in a glass building

below: The steeple of St. Andrews Presbyterian church

steeple of St. Andrews Presbyterian church with trees in the foreground and condos in the background . Corner of Simcoe and King streets

below: Mother and daughter cycling together

mother and daughter in orange jackets on bicycles, stopped at a red light

a group of young people sitting at a table outside an A & W restaurant

a Jewish man stands outside a TIm Hortons talking to a woman who is sitting on the sidewalk pan handling. downtown Toronto

below: The cows are still in their pasture, unfazed by the changes around them.

 

cows, public art sculptures, lying on the grass with tall black office tower behind

below: The next two photos were taken while I was standing in among the tall black towers of the Toronto Dominion Centre.  The first view is to the southwest towards the CN Tower.

CN Tower seen between two black towers of TD bank

below: The second view is to the northeast.

below: The Canada Permanent building on Bay street is getting a cleaning.

scaffolding at the front, cleaned up stone facade of the Canada Permanent Building on Bay street

cleaned up stone facade of the Canada Permanent Building on Bay street

below: This is one of the Bank of Montreal buildings, also on Bay Street.

Canada Permanent Building on Bay street, with reflections of the building across the street in its large windows at street level

below: Window washers

window washers and reflections, looking through a glass building from back to ftont, escalators down, high ceiling,

below: Pearl Street, looking east.  Old brick buildings in the foreground with their modern counterparts shining in the background.

pearl street in downtown Toronto

below: The west end of Pearl Street.

old red brick building being preserved in downtown Toronto, with newer taller buildings surrounding it

below: I found a person!

a person is sitting on the steps of the staue on University Ave

below: Looking north up University Avenue

University Ave, looking northwest towards the Canada Life building and other tall buildings farther north on that street, trees still with leaves on the boulevard between the lanes of traffic

below: The Shangri-La hotel and Momofuko restaurant with it’s weird sculpture “Rising” by Zhang Huan at street level (also University Ave).  Masses of “peace pigeons” cover the surface.

Shangri La Hotel on University Ave as seen from across the street

in a rooftop garden, with glass building beside and reflections in those windows

below: Looking the other way on University Ave, south past Richmond to Adelaide and beyond.

intersection of King and University Ave in downtown Toronto

below: Preservation of a large brick facade on Adelaide.

construction site, preservation of large brick facade held up by rust coloured metal beams and scaffolding

blue construction fence around a hole at a work site, row of storefronts across the street in the next level and a tall apartment building behind that

construction site in downtown Toronto

below: Waiting for the lights to change

a man in a blue jacket stands in front of a large video screen at Queen and Bay, video of a man in an orange and white kayak is playing

below: Under the heading of “somethings never change”, there are always photoshoots in front of Osgoode Hall.   Presumably this photo or one similar can be found somewhere on instagram?

instagram photoshoot at Osgoode Hall

below: Arranging the veil.

photographer setting up a wedding photshoot at Osgoode Hall

below: With a the pigeon by the Eaton Centre.

windows of H & M store at yonge and Dundas, with femaile mannequins, sitting on the sidewalk in front of them is a man feeding pigeons, another man sits nearby

people walking on Gould Street, past a small yellow building

a folding chair and a small round table set up under a back porch behind a stone building, dark

reflections of a man in the window of a mens clothing store, two suits on display, one gray and one blue.

in the window of the Ryerson bookstore, mannequin wearing yellow Ryerson sweatshirt, dirty window, someone has drawn the picture of a man's face in the dirt

below: Mr. Ryerson keeps changing colour.  Apparently he was more red not that long ago.  Rather than remove the red paint, he was “cleaned up” by painting him this shade of green.  He probably doesn’t realize it but he’s become a controversial figure.  He may have been one of the first to establish public schools but he also played a role in the creation of residential schools for the indigenous population. Because of the latter, there has been some people advocating for the removal of this statue.

statue of Egerton Ryerson at Ryerson University on Gould Street, painted green, with some red paint graffiti as well as red hands

This statue was unveiled in 1889. It stands in front of an ivy covered building that started its life as Toronto’s first teacher’s college (1847).

below: Queen Street West

open sign in red and blue lights in the window of an adult store, beside white mannequin with very small black bikini bottoms and mesh top

below: This yellow birdie, at least in sticker form, may be on the verge of extinction.  An Uber5000 creation that can also be found on several of his murals around the city.

traffic signs on a metal pole along with a yellow uber 5000 birdie sticker
As I write this, the number of Covid cases in Toronto (and all of Ontario) have gone back up.  Although we were hopeful that we were wrong, was there ever any question that things would get worse before they got better?  Are we more complacent?  Maybe.  But let’s hope that we are also wiser this time around.

a man walks through a glass revolving door, reflections,

three masks on display in a store window. One has a soccer ball pattern, another is pink with little strawberries. The one in the middle is covered with a jumble of letters of the alphabet

a rainy September day

Posted: September 9, 2019 in construction, events, general Toronto, graffiti and street art, public art, reflections, stores
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A grey day. The kind of day that when it starts to rain you head to a subway station, only to have the rain stop before you get there. So you walk more. Then it rains again so you buy an umbrella and minutes later the rain stops. So you walk more.

below: Southwest corner of Yonge & Wellesley

a shoe store, a massage parlour, and a convenience store, on the southwest corner of Yonge & wellesley, old brick buildings on Yonge with newer taller condos behind

below: Northwest corner of Yonge & Wellesley

northwest corner of Yonge & wellesley, old brick buildings on Yonge with newer taller condos behind - Not Just noodles restaurant

below: Marks left behind, traces of lives once lived there.

on the side of a brick house, two storey, Victorian, the remains of marks left behind on a house that was demolished, new development going up beside it

below: Do you think that there will ever be a time when we can walk downtown without encountering construction zones?

two orange signs saying sidewalk closed, and arrows, barriers on street to form a passage for pedestrians on the street, two people walking by

below: If it’s a gaggle of geese or a parliament of owls, what’s a group of cement trucks?

five or six cement trucks parked on a side street

reflections in glass windows downtown

a sign stenciled beside a doorway that says Anything can b iced. Window beside it, with a woman sitting inside by the window

below: A new large mural by birdo at Dundas & McCaul

Dundas street, near McCaul, coffee shop and artist supply store, with a large mural by birdo above it

below: Same mural, different angle

the corner of Dundas and McCaul with a large mural by birdo looking over it

below: “Keep going” at the Children’s Healing Garden outside Sick Kids Hospital on University Avenue.

chalk writing on a low concrete wall in a small park that says keep going

below: You can do anything

chalk words on a concrete path in a park that say you can do anything

below: A large hole on University Ave

construction site, hole in the ground, a digger in the hole, one wall of the hole is a light orange colour. The Duke of Cornwall pub is on the other side of the street across from the hole

below:  There was a Dragon Festival at Nathan Phillips Square this past weekend.

arches over the pool at Nathan Phillips square with old city hall behind, and a red and gold dragon head (very large) on display for dragon festival

below: Friday was a rather quiet day at the festival, probably because of the weather.

large and colourful inflatable dragon in front of city hall, at Nathan Phillips square, for dragon festival
below: But there was lots of different food available including skewers of octopus

pieces of octopus on skewers, ready to cook

below:   There were also these fried potato spirals on sticks that are available at every festival and street function.

potato spirals, fried and on sticks, looking a pilie of them from the end

below: Hot dog vendor on Queen Street

hot dog and sausage vendor on Queen street, woman under umbrella buying something, woman working inside the booth, a man sitting behind, many signs advertising their food

view down a lane with large buildings on both sides

below: Snowmen?  This is “Born and Raised” designed by Studio How-to-See.

sculptures on sidewalk, snowmen, beside a new condo, one snowman has lost its head

below: The tallest snowman is 5 “snowballs” high, or 17 feet tall.    Oh no! The snowman in the middle has lost its head.  What would Olaf say?

tall snowman sculpture on sidewalk beside glass and steel condo, with people walking past

below:  Of course early September means TIFF.  King Street West closed and many people were walking or hanging out there trying their hand at celebrity spotting.  We are all groupies during TIFF.

two young people working in a red booth for bubly drinks, both smiling and one is giving a thumbs up

below: I wouldn’t know a famous actor or director, or anything like that, if they came up to talk to me.    My attempts to follow the crowd to get celebrity pics weren’t very successful. This is the kind of photo that I ended up with –  The eye belongs someone called Jason who is taking a selfie with a father and daughter.    I didn’t linger long on King Street.

someone is talking a selfie with a girl in a green jacket who is being held up by her father, a pro photographer is also taking their picture

below: Having King Street closed didn’t help the traffic on nearby streets.  Mind you, this is normal for Toronto especially around rush hour.  Stand at any intersection downtown and you’ll find many instances where cars block traffic when the traffic lights change.

a man walks his bike across the street, between cars who are blocking traffic, also a woman with an umbrella gets ready to start across the street too

below:  The driver knew I was there taking pictures.  It didn’t make much difference.

a woman crosses the street on a green light, traffic is jammed because a car has got stuck in the intersection on a red light

a young black woman with pink dreadlocks and a lot of rings on her fingers is on her phone as she passes by, in the background is a couple standing on the sidewalk having a conversation, the woman is holding a bouquet of flowers

below: Paste ups on Richmond Street.   I find these mesmerizing.  I love the positioning of the eye and the way that it is staring at you .

2 paper paste ups on a wall, both are the same, in grey tones, the lower part of a face with one eye beside it

below: And my last stop that day, a quiet charcoal drawing by Olexander Wlasenko at the Arbozzo Gallery at 410 Richmond Street.

a charcoal drawing of a woman by Olexander Wlasenko on the wall of an art gallery

Now, all that’s left is the pink umbrella that I bought, still unused.

Pride Parade 2019

Posted: June 29, 2019 in events, people
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I’m a few days late but here are some photos from this year’s Pride Parade, Sunday June 23rd.

young woman with prirode shirt, turquoise headband, and small rainbow flags has arms up as she cheers and yells
a boy in a black t shirt sits on his father's shoulders as they walk in a parade and hold out their arms to touch hands of spectators

large group of pro vegans walking in a parade

people sitting onscaffolding in the front of a three stprey building on Yonge street, watching the pride parade

people dancing in the street as they walk beside by the drivers door of a white truck as it pulls a float in the pride parade, going down Yonge street with many people on the sidewalk watching

three people on the top of a pride parade float, one has a hello kitt cutout covering the top of her back, another is wearing a black long hair wig and a sparkly blue dress. the last has rainbow leggings, a yellow top and a feathery head dress on

an older man in a yellow fedora sprays people with a very large green and yellow super soaker

a father holds his two young sons on top of metal barricade at pride parade, father taking pics with his phone, boys holding flags

the face of a little brown furry dog peaks over a man's shoulder, mouth open, tongue out and looking happy

people draped in white with large white fabric wings sitting on top of a float in the pride parade

people on a float in a parade, one has a Canada umbrella

a person in a long red wig and a short white dress is posing for a male photographer on a float in the pride parade, people walking behind the float

a man with a beard and moustache, and camera around his neck, walking in pride parade, reaches out his hand, hands of spectators reaching out to him

below: The crowds line both sides of Dundas at the end of the parade route as the beginning of the parade has just reached them.

many people line both sides of Dundas as the first group of walkers comes through at the pride parade, indigenous people, drummers, dancers,

below: Thousands of pieces of bright and sparkly mylar.

thousands of pieces of mylar in the air, just released over the heads of people watching the pride parade

below: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked at the beginning of the parade, along with a lot of security.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walks in the pride parade in Toronto with other people, waving to the crowds, police men and security detail also in the picture

people dressed in white with white umbrellas, on top of a float in the pride parade

a man dressed in an outfit of big chunky beads in bracelet and necklace and a wig of large coiled bits of plastic in bright colours, many colours,

people standing on the sidewalk watching the pride parade

two people with T shirts that say smile with pride

a man in black vinyl outfit, sleeveless, with a large box on his head that has been decorated like a garden, with ivy and flowers,

a man driving a red vehicle is spraying people out the window with a super soaker

a young man in a pink wig, a fancy necklace, and a crown, walks in a pride parade

a woman with bright butterfly wings onher arms leads a group of walkers in a pride parade

two young men in Pride Parade, one has a giant O made of blue balloons and the other is carrying a giant U made of green umbrellas

person with long yellow wig and sunglasses, walkin in parade in front of a group of naked men. Also a tall skinny man with a green hat and pink shorts

two men standing on a concrete barrier, watching parade, other people on the sidewalks

a group of people walking in the pride parade with rainbow flags and accessories

a couple in the pride parade, each wearing white t shirts that say celebrate all, and each with one arm in the air, woman has pink sunglasses and man has rainbow sunglasses and fedora

people using a large metal scaffolding structure on a construction project beside Yonge street to sit on to watch pride parade

a young black man with black baseball cap and green sunglasses has a big smile as he helps carry a banner in the pride parade

an older woman gives the camera a strange look

a man in a red shirt stands by the drivers door of a white truck as it pulls a float in the pride parade, going down Yonge street with many people on the sidewalk watching

a man with sunglasses, bare chest, wide brim straw hat, and a costume of gold fake feathers on his back

a woman in a low neck black top has Ace of and then a picture of heart on her chest, a pride flag is draped over her shoulders, walking with lots of long tubular shaped balloons

women behind metal barricades at pride parade, as a topless man walks past

a young asian man in white button down shirt, black pants, black bowtie, and red sunglasses, stands beside an air canada banner, getting ready for pride parade

a black man holds a sign that says Queers are still dying in African continent, he is holding a flag from Cameroon

a woman in a skimpy blue, pink, and white outfit poses for photographs in the middle of a street, pride parade, she has very long blonde hair.

man with beard with pale pink wig and gold crown, another person in a yellow outfit but bare chested

a person walking the pride parade carrying a sign that says I am marching for those who can't

a man with bare midriff, beard, mustache, and star shaped sunglasses poses in front of a bunch of balloons

Dyke March 2019

Posted: June 23, 2019 in events, people
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Dyke March 2019, sunshine and smiles, and a lot of positive energy.
I’ll let the pictures do the talking.

below: Pride over Mannum and a sign for Amma

dyke march 2019, three women holding three signs while marching in parade

below: I don’t exist for your pleasure and something about liking girls!

dyke march 2019, two women holding signs while marching in parade with other women

below: Let me be perfectly queer, respect existence or expect resistance

topless woman walking with other women in a dyke march, holding signs and chanting or protesting

man with whip, high black boots, and bare back, stands with back to camera and facing a group of women in the dyke march

a couple sits on a sidewalk watching the dyke march, he is wearing a blue and green hat and has tape X's on his nipples

a couple strolls down Yonge St in dyke march, one with cane and large yellow umbrella

dykes on bikes at start of parade, one is wearing a yellow t shirt that says We're all lesbians

a person riding a bike with a dog in the front basket

below: Society has Evolved in 2019, Love Wins, catch up!

women walkin in dyke march down Yonge Street, one woman holds a sign that says Society evolved, love wins, catch up!

two black women, arm in arm, from the back

black woman holding on to a banner in a parade with crowd behind her, someone holding a sign that says eat pussy not animals

spectators on the sidewalk on Yonge street as dyke march passes by

dyke march, walking down Yonge street with people sitting on the sidewalk watching the parade

person with rainbow flag draped on their back, white tape has been used to make the words gender is a construct on the flag

a person under a very large rainbow umbrella is beside two women who are walking while holding hands, last section of dyke march parade is behind them

a group of women in maroon coloured t shirts are walking together in dyke march, singing and cheering, with signs, flags and yellow balloon

a young man in a pink crown and banner that says future bride, walks with a group of other people in a dyke march on Yonge street

colourful flowers in curly black and brown hair on someone's head, from the back, close up shot

a black woman in dreadlocks, blue sunglasses and smoking a cigarette

a man plays a drum on the sidewalk, on parade route

a woman sits on a motorcycle waiting for the dyke march to begin

NDP group in dyke march, with orange banner and several women

a woman with orange hair, but one side of head shaved has arms in air as she walks in parade

long red hair held in a ponytail by elastics of rainbow colours, on back beside badge on Amazon motorcycle club jacket

a dog on a leash in a parade, dog has rainbow butterfly wings on its collar

two women, one with brown large rimmed hat blowing bubbles and the other with arm raised and canned horn noise maker in her hand

a person in short green hair holds a pink plastic dildo to his nose

below: Playing with dolls

a woman reacts to seeing two older woman with small inflatable dolls

women walking in dyke march,under red umbrella with a sign that says bisexual bitch, woman beside her has a small sign that says first pride was a riot, no police

people behind metal barricades watching dyke march

women walking in dyke march, one woman in a bright yellow dress carrying a sign that says teach love and acceptance, with a heart made of people

three women walking in dyke march in front of a group with a banner that says queers against borders

a couple walking together with black t shirts one just says dyke and the other says dykes stop Holland from flooding

below: Many flags!  Pink, yellow and blue horizontal stripes for pansexual and pink, purple, and blue for bisexual.

people carrying flags in dyke march

below: Another flag, this time it’s asexual.

women at pride parade, one with blue hair with an asexual flag around her back - purple, white, grey, and black stripes

below: A large transexual flag and a group from Womens College Hospital

women holding a large transexual flag to carry in a parade

a nude woman carries a large white crocheted umbrella

women in dyke march

dyke march, woman in pink rimmed glasses holds fingers in peace symbol

two police on bikes with yellow vests ride in parade behind two people with bare bottoms

below: Ford Cabinet for sale, real cheap!  Just a buck!

two people at dyke march with anti Doug Ford protest signs, garage sale signs, Ford cabinet for sale for 10 dollars

below: Proud to be queer and Jewish

two women in dyke march with signs that say proud to be queer and Jewish

below: Still a Pakistani, Still a Muslim, and Still a Dyke, along with a proud Polynesian dyke.

women in dyke march, including a polynesian and a muslim

below: Say Know to Sex Ed

people at dyke march with large sign that says Say know to sex ed

dyke amrch, red hair, flowers

two photographers at a parade, onei s sitting on top of a large generator (trailer)

Dyke March 2018

Posted: June 24, 2018 in events, people
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The rain let up long enough for the Dyke March to parade across Bloor and down Yonge without everyone getting wet.  Lots of colour and sparkle was on display along with lots of enthusiasm and fun! This year’s theme was Resist as seen on this crocheted banner.

dyke march 2018 - a group of people carrying a banner made of yarn, crocheted, that says resist. #dmto #resist

dyke march 2018 - women in Sailor Moon costumes, one with a bubble gun and is making bubbles as she walks in the parade

dyke march 2018 - Asian women holding a blue banner that says Aqua, Asian Queer Alliance, 5 women holding the banner

dyke march 2018 - as parade goes along Bloor, cyclists, dykes on bikes, one reaches arm out to the crowd on the sidewalk

dykes on bikes lined up across Yonge street in the middle of the parade, Dyke March 2018

dyke march 2018, dykes on bikes - bare breasted woman with yellow and orange hair, on a bike in front of two women carrying a purple banner with the word inspire on it

dyke march 2018 - group of women carrying a banner that says bisexual women of Toronto

dyke march 2018 - dark brown person wearing blue lipstick holds a white banner

dyke march 2018 - a woman with rainbow headband and pink top is holding a small fluffy white dog with rainbow hat and coat

dyke march 2018 - a woman holds an orange Proud NDP sign in the parade, one arm reaching upwards

dyke march 2018 - two women in the parade, one with short purple hair, carrying a small black dog

dyke march 2018 - woman in pink bra with many tattoos is walking past a crowd on the sidewalk

watching the dyke march 2018 on Yonge street, two women with a dog on a leash and three girls on decorated scotters wearing bike helmets and bright sunglasses

drummers and marchers in the dyke march on yonge street

watching the dyke march 2018 - two girls on Yonge street draped in rainbow flags

dyke march 2018 - two young women together

dyke march 2018 - dancing women in orange T-shirts, rainbow sisters, one is waving a rainbow flag

woman holding up an large orange crocheted umbrella

woman on a bike in the dyke march 2018 parade, talking to a young woman who is carrying a banner, other women walking behind, a child on the lap of a woman on a motorized scooter.

a woman with very short hair on bike with a dog sharing her seat, black and white dog with nose pointed forwards as they ride together

two young women with large cardboard cut out letters wrapped with rainbow yarn, a G and and L. Part of a larger group that spells out LGBT

dyke march 2018 - a break in the parade is time for a photo op of motorcycle with passenger wearing helmet and fishnet stockings.

two men stand on a balcony of the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel on Yonge street, decorated balcony with Canadian flags and rainbow coloured paper or fabric.

an older woman stands beside a pole on the sidewalk as she watches the dyke march, she's holding a rainbow flag

dyke march 2018, banner that says dykeversity, lots of hand prints and hearts decorating it, women carrying it,

young black woman holding a banner in the dyke parade

women carrying signs black lives matter and black trans lives matter in dyke march in Toronto, marroon coloured hair and make up

dyke march 2018, dykes on bikes - in a corset with super woman insignia

dyke march 2018 woman with pale rust coloured hair and a black beret

groups of people walking in dyke march 2018, two are holding a sign that says today you are the fire and tomorrow you will be the sea and they'll have no choice but to hear your siren song a sign that says

dyke march 2018 - a young man sits on the ledge of an open upper storey window on Yonge street, rainbow flag with #weareorlando (we are orlando) written on it

two men in drag pose for a selfie with a woman, one man in bright yellow wig and the other in bright pink with flashy bright clothes to match

a young woman in black Pride T-shirt, holds a purple banner and is yelling dyke march 2018

dyke march 2018 - young woman carrying a cardboard sign that says I love butch girls

a young woman draped in a rainbow flag holding a large balloon the shape of a unicorn head with rainbow coloured mane

4 people on the sidewalk watching the dyke march Two of them are wearing white T shirts with L is for love on it in blue and purple letters, also flower garlands in their hair.

people watching the Dyke March, two men and two women. One man in pink baseball hat and My Little Pony T-shirt

switching into summer

Posted: May 23, 2018 in people
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The weather’s been all over the place, warm, cold, hot, cold again, back and forth…. like May weather usually is.  We were fortunate to have great weather this past holiday Monday and a lot of people took advantage of the day!  As I walked around, this is some of what I saw.

a man stands and watches another man playing the drums outside on Yonge street, some other people standing around too

by the fountain at Nathan Phillips Square, a man dressed in orange hugs a man dressed in brown who is checking his phone after just taking a selfie

women and men standing outside the Eaton Centre on Yonge street

people crossing the street at an intersection, a woman in a pink top and white sweater is pushing a stroller with a fluffy small white dog in it, a man in a blue Jay t shirt, camo jacket and baseball hat, smoking a cigarette, is walking beside her

Graffiti alley, walking past an uber 5000 mural, a man and a woman with their backs to the camera. on the back of the man's camo coloured jacket are the words true freedom is being unknown

two women in the O of the 3D Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips square in front of city hall, examining photos that they have taken on their phone

2 young men and 2 young women walking down Graffiti Alley

a woman in a purple dress is sitting on the sidewalk, patting the cat wearing the superman costume that is sitting on a box. other people standing around, corner of Yonge and Dundas

a girl and her mother playing in the fountain at Nathan Phillips Square, in front of city hall,

a woman in jeans and pink top poses in the doorway of one of the back doors in Graffiti Alley

music makers on Yonge

Posted: November 17, 2016 in graffiti and street art, locations
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As I was walking down Yonge Street yesterday I happened upon this, faces playing peak-a-boo with passersby on the street.  It’s a new 22 storey mural being painted on the north side of 423 Yonge Street.  A ‘musical mural’ featuring the faces of musicians from the 1950’s, 1960’s, and 1970’s.

a vertical mural painted on the side of a multi storey building, the mural is a series of faces.

below: From top to bottom: Ronnie Hawkins, Glenn Gould, Diane Brooks, Jackie Shane and Muddy Waters.

a vertical mural painted on the side of a multi storey building, the mural is a series of faces in a totem pole like arrangement

below: The bottom of the mural

musicians and singers painted in a mural, a black man in a suit, a black man playing a guitar, a man with longish hair singing into a mic with his eyes closed.

below: Looking up…. Shirley Matthews, B.B. King, Gordon Lightfoot and Oscar Peterson.

famous musicians and singers from the past painted on a mural, B.B. King, Gordon Lightfoot and Oscar Peterson

#yongemural | #adrianhayles

danger, open edges

Posted: December 2, 2015 in locations, old buildings
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Sometimes when I walk I find a view or a photo that suggests a theme for the day; something that summarizes the area that I’ve been walking through.  On Saturday, this was the photo, a construction site on Wellesley Street -a massive hole in the ground amongst a growing number of high rise buildings.

red and white danger sign on a makeshift wooden fence that says danger due to open edge. Beyond it is a very large hole for a construction site. A bulldozer is in the hole, downtown Toronto is in the background.

a large number of new high rise buildings just beyond a large hole in the ground where another condo is being built

This piece of property, between Wellesley and Breadalbane streets, had been vacant for a number of years.  It was once owned by the province; back in the 1980s there were plans to build a ballet and opera house there.  Those plans fell through and the land remained vacant while community groups lobbied for a park to be developed there.

When I first walked the area in April 2013, there was a blue fence around the site.

A wood plywood fence painted blue. Someone has painted three large white dollar signs on as well as the word ka-ching.

The blue fence is gone. According to the development proposal sign, two towers are being built here with a combined height of 99 floors.  A nine or ten storey L-shaped podium will run along St. Luke Lane and Wellesley Street to join the towers.    The plan also allows for park land on Breadalbane.  When I checked the website for the development, 11 Wellesley aka Wellesley on the Park, there is only one tower pictured and it doesn’t look like the description on the sign.

Ah, a little light bulb goes on.  The sign describes the developers’ original plan.  A change in the plan doesn’t mean a change in the sign.   So…  this seems to be the future home of one 60 storey condo tower on one third of the land and a 1.6 acre park on the remainder.

two bicycles parked on a sidealk in front of a fence that has a development proposal sign on it. Building site behind that, thena wall of skyscrapers in the background.

My Saturday walk had actually started close to Yonge and College.   I was drawn to the nondescript block of stores that are now boarded up in preparation to be demolished.

A block of two storey stores on Yonge street has been boarded up in preparation for demolition.

I’m wishing that I had taken pictures previously of these stores just to document the history of that part of Yonge Street.  I had many chances to do so, but the building never seemed interesting enough.

a man is walking past a row of boarded up stores that are about to be demolished.

development proposal sign above a large number 501, with an office/retail for lease sign above it.

Whether or not you think that two 58 storey towers with a shared 7 storey podium is an improvement is an entirely different question. It will contain 960 condo units and 5 storeys of above grade parking (because the subway runs underneath) with 320 parking spots.  Lobby access for the buildings will be from Maitland and Alexander Streets on the north and south sides of the property.  Or at least that’s what’s on the sign.   But fool me once, so I checked the  website for the condo (TeaHouse Condos in this case) and once again the information doesn’t match.  According to the website there will be two towers but the north one will be 25 storeys and the south one will be 53 storeys.  Whatever the end result, it will be different from what’s there now!

 

At least one person had an objection.

development proposal sign on a yellow wall that someone has written enuf on in big pink letters

A walk around the back of the building shows that we aren’t losing much there either.

two stroey building boarded up and ready for demolition, with a parking lot, behind a chain link fence.

 

The next site that I explored is just to the south where a hole is already in progress on the SW corner of Yonge and Grenville.

A hole in the ground on Yonge Street for construction of a building.

Photo taken from St. Lukes Lane

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below: This hole has exposed the north wall of the brown brick Oddfellows’ Hall as this view shows.  This is looking south, with College Park in the background (built by the T. Eaton Co. and opened as a 6 storey Eatons store on 30 October 1930).  Behind the chain link fence is St. Luke Lane.

back of a large four storey brick building behind an open hole construction site, taller buildings in the background (College Park)

Now you see it… soon you won’t.  The condo tower here will be 66 storeys high.

open hole at construction site surround by fence, brick building in the background.

Oddfellow’s Hall was built in 1891 and 1892 by architects Norman B. Dick and Frank W. Wickson for the Independent Order of Oddfellows.  It has two octagonal turrets and is a playful mix of Romanesque and Gothic styles.   The building had a 20’ x 46’ long grand hall for IOOF private meetings as well as offices and storefronts.

below: Looking north up Yonge Street at College Street, about 1970.  The Bank of Commerce (later Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and now CIBC) was an early tenant of the building.  Also in the picture is the old fire hall tower but more about that later.

old photo from about 1970 looking north up Yonge Street from College Street. Oddfellows Hall is on one corner with main tenant as Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Old fire hall tower is in the distance.

Photo found online, original source was City of Toronto Archives

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below: Most people will recognize the building as Starbucks.

Oddfellows Hall, a large brick building with two hexagonal turrets, brick, now a Starbucks on the ground floor.

starbucks at the corner of Yonge and College

Back to Grenville Street where there is yet another development.  On the west side of St. Luke Lane is a partially completed condo that has incorporated the facade of what is known as the John Irwin house.  It is one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in the area;  in 1873 it was recorded as being owned by a John Irwin.

An old three storey brick house, the John Irwin house has been restored and incorporated into a new condo development that is in the process of being built, cement mixer in front, men working.

This house wasn’t always in this location though.  It was moved a few metres east along Grenville, from one side of the condo development to the other.  I found a photo that I took in April 2013, just after the house had been moved.  Here you can see the back of the house as well as St. Luke Lane to the right.

back of an old house from the 1870s, the John Irwin House, a three storey brick building, that was moved from one site to another. It is sitting on supports at the edge of a construction site.

Does your head hurt yet?  Because there is more…..
But first, a break.  A few other pictures from the area.

below:  No Parking in St. Luke Lane, twice.

A red sign on a red wall. In yellow letter that are peeling off, the sign says Private Parking Only, mcdonalds.

A light yellowish grey wall with a yellow sign that says no parking. Old sign, looking worse for wear. A piece of flat scrap metal is leaning against the wall
  below:  And a man (Van Gogh? someone else?) with a red umbrella but more remarkably, a white picket fence almost hidden under vines by Wellesley Street.

A drawing of a man on white paper pasted to a concrete wall. A red stenciled umbrella is on top of his face. A white picket fence is beside the wall.

below: Also in St. Luke Lane, a mural commemorating the Highway of Heroes.

A mural commemorating the Highway of Heroes

And back to the program….

So far we have two holes in the ground, a partially finished condo, and a block that has just begun to be demolished.  The last development that I saw in the area was one that is still in the planning stages.  The development proposal sign posted beside Currys Art Supplies (the blue awning) is a clue that changes are imminent at 480-494 Yonge Street.  This building is on the SW corner of Yonge and Grosvenor.   The sign says one 45 storey tower but by now I don’t believe the signs!

development proposal sign at 490 Yonge street

480 Yonge Street is a heritage building as is the old fire hall (1872).   The top corner of 480 Yonge is just visible in the bottom left of this picture.  It is to be incorporated into the new development if it goes ahead.  The fire hall tower is going to be preserved but the building in front of it will be removed.  The sidewalk will also be widened as a result.  That’s the opening act of this story; there may be changes before the final curtain.  The developers applied for a zoning amendment (increased height and density) earlier this year but I do not know the results of that.

old fire hall tower above a newer building, or a newwer facade on an older building, red dump trunk on the street, large new condo being built in the background, Yonge St.

below:  On the NW corner of Yonge and Grosvenor is this building.   I don’t know if there are any plans in the works to redo this stretch of Yonge Street but after seeing all the new developments, I’m starting to get a bit sentimental about the old buildings.  So here is documentation of what remains, starting with  A & W Home of the Burger Family at 496 Yonge.

Three storey older grey building on a downtown corner.

below: between Grosvenor and Breadalbane – Cuban cigars and Persian food

Three three storey buildings in a row, old brick buildings, on Yonge St in downtown toronto, 502, 504 and 506. Yonge Market, Persian restaurant, a Cuban cigar store.

below: SW corner of Yonge & Breadalbane – old and new, short and tall

sw corner of yonge and breadalbane streets showing older stores in the foreground and taller condos in the background.

below: SW corner of Yonge & Wellesley – tattoos, massages, and payday loans.

southwest corner of Yonge and Wellesley, a row of old buildings, now storefronts. A Massage parlor and a tattoo place, a convenience store and a Money Mart. Gass condos in the background.

below: NW corner of Yonge & Wellesley – Not just noodles

not just noodles restaurant on the corner of Yonge and Wellesley as well as more stores going north up Yonge Street.