CIBC Square Park is the new downtown park in the sky.
When I first heard about this unique park I knew I wanted to find, explore and photograph it. Setting out, I followed some very convoluted and cryptic directions from a web forum that said to go through Union Station and follow a number of turns, elevators and hallways.
After 45-minutes worth of following or finding every dead-end and sealed-off passageway in Union Station, I took my frustrating search above ground. After a bit of exploration I found that the sky garden had a not-so-secret direct stairway off Bay Street, across from ScotiaBank Arena – 81 Bay Street to be exact:
CIBC Square Elevated Park is a one-acre public park situated above the downtown’s rail corridor. Spanning the fourth floor between the two new CIBC towers, the park features landscaped gardens, shaded areas and open spaces, offering a green oasis in the heart of the city:
A house for bugs and bees
The park opened to the public in 2024, but parts of it still look like a work in progress:
Weird silver tree, surrounded by some really ugly hoarding
The park is designed for year-round use, with amenities such as an ice rink in winter and spaces for relaxation and socializing. It is accessible via elevators from the towers and the aforementioned direct stairway at 81 Bay Street.
Looking west from CIBC Square Park
This elevated park bridges the rail tracks and adds a botanically diverse connection between downtown and the waterfront. The park is conceived based on its specific location at the heart of a changing Financial District and uses views and connectivity as the foundations for its design and user experience.
Looking down from CIBC Square ParkThe Royal York peeks through the treesLeaving CIBC Square Park, making my way to the stairs. ScotiaBank Arena on the right.Retracing my steps back down to Bay Street
I’ve walked by this colourful mural many times meaning to get a few shots of it, and I finally succeeded.
The mural is painted on the side of 401 Games at 431 Yonge Street, just below College Street. Painted by artist Jasmine Pannu, the mural features characters that may be familiar to gamers and fans of anime :
There’s nothing quite so rewarding in street photography as setting out for the day, having no destination in mind; you merely wind through the city with your camera wherever your feet take you, recording the city as it goes about its daily business.
I love shooting in black and white – it makes everything so much more interesting, moody, dramatic and contemplative. Here are some black and white shots from one such session:
“Sons of England War Memorial”. On University Avenue at Elm Street. The Sons of England War Memorial is comprised of a bronze statue of a lone soldier atop a granite pedestal which is flanked by three lions. It was erected by members of the Toronto Districts Sons of England Benefit Society in memory of those who fell in the First World War. The memorial was created by sculptor Charles Adamson and dedicated in December 1923 at University and College Avenues and moved to University Avenue at Elm Street some time later.
These 3 girls were taking a new mattress home, walking it up Bay Street, between Gerrard Street West and College StreetSri Lankan demonstration, Yonge-Dundas SquareHangin’ out on Yonge Street, below Gerrard StreetThe Zanzibar, 359 Yonge Street. Where else in town would you find 5 topless, bottomless vixens?The McGill Street Arch. This is an historic stone arch on the east side of Yonge Street near College Park. It served as a gateway to the former McGill Street. It was salvaged from the demolished St. Andrew’s United Church (originally built in 1923 at Bloor Street East and Park Road) and rebuilt by the city in 1981 after the intersection of McGill and Yonge was closed to create a pedestrian parkette.Waiting for a green light, corner of Dundas Street East and Victoria StreetFood truck in Yonge-Dundas SquarePerformance at WorldFest, Yonge-Dundas SquareThe Senator Restaurant, 249 Victoria Street. The Senator is a Toronto tradition, a 1940s-style diner with jazz-inspired decor, offering breakfast and classic comfort-food dishes.Derelict Buildings. Elm Street, off Bay StreetUrban Artwork. On the hoarding around the Bond Place Hotel, Bond StreetThe Massey Tower, 197 Yonge Street“Born To Rise”. Mural in laneway off Mutual Street, just south of Dundas Street East. A Jasnine design.The morning sun gleams off The Aura, Yonge and GerrardAnother Jasnine creation. In lane behind 368 Church Street, north of Gerrard Street EastCondos at Jarvis Street and Dundas Street EastUnder construction. New condos, corner of Church Street and Queen Street EastMonoliths. Church Street and Shuter StreetJarvis and Shuter StreetsLamp. Adelaide Street EastThe King Edward Hotel, 37 King Street EastBiergarten, off King Street EastAt Yonge Street and Wellington StreetsThe delicate arches of Brookfield Place“Jacob’s Ladder” by Toronto artist Luis Jacob, Berczy Park“Family Group” by Almuth Lutkenhaus, Berczy Park. This sculpture has been moved from the west side of Berczy Park to the east side near the Flatiron building.Rugs For Sale, Front Street East
401 Richmond is a historic warehouse in downtown Toronto, home to over 140 cultural producers and micro-enterprises. Originally the site of the Macdonald Manufacturing Company, a tin lithography factory at the turn of the 20th century, 401 Richmond is now a thriving arts and culture hub.
The building is home to 17 art galleries and artist-run centres, 40+ visual artist studios, film festivals, filmmakers, architects, communications specialists, graphic artists, recording studios, charitable organizations, cultural producers, social innovators, micro-enterprises and even a Spanish dance school.
Not widely known is the courtyard at this address. In the centre of the building lies a beautiful, calming, leafy garden; an oasis in the heart of the city. The Courtyard is free to visit and is open to all.
The din of the city dies away once you enter this space:
The entrance to 401 Richmond
The municipal government calls 401 Richmond one of Toronto’s key arts centres, and visitors from cities afar have come to the building to learn how to blend business with the arts to establish a viable urban neighbourhood within a single community.
401 Richmond is the recipient of a 1999 Award of Merit from Toronto Heritage for outstanding adaptive re-use of a historic building. The building received Heritage Designation in April of 2007.
There were two major ethnic street festivals happening in Toronto this weekend: the Roncesvalles Polish Festival and the Bloor West Village Toronto Ukrainian Festival. I’ve posted previously about the Ukrainian Festival, so I thought I’d cover the Polish Festival this time.
Time for Polka and Pierogis!
On September 13 and 14th, the Roncesvalles Village played host to the Roncesvalles Polish Festival. Now in its 17th year, the event stretched down Roncesvalles Avenue from Dundas Street West to Queen Street West. The Festival bills itself as North America’s largest celebration of Polish culture.
All up and down Roncesvalles, there was authentic Polish cuisine, Polish song and dance groups, and over 90 merchandise vendors. The site also included 6 beverage gardens, 2 family zones and multiple outdoor stages with over 40 performances. Local restaurants, bistros, cafes and shops along Roncesvalles Avenue also heavily contributed to the Festival’s celebratory atmosphere.
If I had to assign Toronto apartment buildings a theme song, it would be Queen’s Another One Bites the Dust.
For decades I’ve passed by 88 Isabella Street, a 14-story rental building borne from 1960s architecture. It has always been tidy-looking, well kept and kind of dignified. Built in 1965, 88 Isabella – also known as The Villager – typified a mid-century residential apartment building in the Church-Wellesley neighbourhood. At one point, I remember there being a sign on the building saying Furnished Apartments For Rent. Now – sadly – it is falling victim to another condo mega-tower, this one a 62-story behemoth, consisting of 720 condo units.
The condo developer, Capital Developments, claims they will provide 82 rental units in the new building to replace existing units from the original building. Allegedly, the building proposal includes a Tenant Relocation and Assistance Plan that addresses the right for existing tenants to return to a replacement rental dwelling unit at similar rent and financial compensation to mitigate hardship. I’ll believe that when I see it.
Many former tenants forced from their homes, and people from the neighbouring housing co-op, are registering protest, opposition and argument, as well they should. Researching this post, I’ve been reading about the plights of some “renovicted” tenants of 88 Isabella Street, and my heart goes out to them.
The proposed future look of 88 Isabella Street
I was incredulous when I heard this beautiful older building had been emptied of tenants and demolition work begun. It saddens me greatly to see Isabella Street slowly going the way of nearby Charles Street. Until a few years ago, Charles Street was a quiet, leafy, dignified street with a few older brownstones and walk-up apartments. Now, a walk down Charles Street feels like you’re carving your way through the valley of the super-high rises – it is noisy, overcrowded, packed with people, clogged with cars and devoid of its former character. I fear Isabella Street is heading for the same fate.
This latest travesty also pains me because I used to live on Isabella Street during its heyday, and remember it as a wonderful, calm street on which to live. It’s sad to see Isabella Street now devolving, but I guess that’s urban progress for you (harummffff!!).
Meanwhile, across the street…
Directly across the street from 88 Isabella Street is 81-83 Isabella Street, two joined, beautiful walkup-style apartment buildings, known as The Merlan:
Unbelievably, these two charming buildings are also destined for demolition, being replaced by a 69-storey condo tower.
The Merlan is a three-storey, U-shaped Edwardian Revival apartment constructed in 1927, containing 48 rental units in one-bedroom configurations. Designed by architect Norman Alexander Armstrong, The Merlan stands as an example of Toronto’s second apartment building boom. The Edwardian Revival structure originally offered 49 units across its distinctive U-shaped layout, with twin entrances anchoring each wing. Recognized for its heritage value, the building was added to the City’s Heritage Register in December, 2024.
The heritage facade of The Merlan would be integrated into the new build, according to a planning report that went to the City in early June. The new design features a two-to-three-storey base reconstructing The Merlan’s heritage facades along Isabella Street. The new condo will be topped by a ten-storey podium and a stepped tower volume.
The project proposes 647 residential units, including 48 replacement rental suites replicating the one-bedroom format of the existing apartments.
But wait, it gets worse…
In November 2023 Capital Developments received approval for a 69-storey building at 90-94 Isabella Street. Additionally, 135 Isabella is slated for a 69-storey tower, which the developer KingSett Capital proposed in June 2023.
Isabella Street is going to be a very different street within the next few years…
Nestled in the west section of Nathan Phillips Square near City Hall are two significant Toronto memorials: The Toronto Peace Garden and The Toronto Spirit Garden.
The Toronto Peace Garden
At the height of the Cold War, when fears of nuclear war were breaking out between the former Soviet Union and the west, the City of Toronto declared itself a nuclear weapon-free zone. To that end, the City created a Peace Garden which was dedicated by Pope John Paul II in Nathan Phillips Square in 1984. The Peace Garden measured 1800 square-feet, costing $540,000 to build in 1984.
The original Peace Garden location (under fountain arches), 1984 Photo: City of Toronto Archives
From 2010 to 2016, the Peace Garden was closed during renovations of Nathan Phillips Square. On August 7th, 2010 the Peace Garden was decommissioned and moved from its previous location near the doors of Toronto City Hall to its current location, the west side of Nathan Phillips Square.
The current 6,500 square-foot garden consists of a pavilion, a fountain, and surrounding plantings. The site’s gazebo is a stone-clad cube with arched openings on all sides, capped with a pitched roof. One corner of the structure’s corner is deconstructed to signify conflict and the fragility of civilization.
The fountain’s pool encroaches into the gazebo’s removed corner, with an eternal flame placed in the water so that it appears to support the pavilion structure, symbolizing hope and regeneration.
The Toronto Spirit Garden
As you walk along the Peace Garden, it seamlessly morphs into the Toronto Spirit Garden. The Spirit Garden is a 20,650 square-foot Indigenous cultural space that provides teaching, learning, sharing and healing experiences for the Indigenous community of Toronto, the City’s diverse citizens, newcomers and visitors.
The design of the Spirit Garden revolves around Turtle Island, and offers dedicated places for contemplation, celebration, and ceremonies – open, inclusive and welcoming to all.
The project responds in part to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Call to Action 82, for government to commission and install a Residential Schools Monument in each capital city to honour residential school survivors, and all the children lost to their families and communities.
Teaching Lodge
This unusual-looking building is the Teaching Lodge. The Teaching Lodge is a pre-formed laminated Ash wood structural frame enclosed with a white cedar tongue and groove exterior enclosure and sheathing. Operable skylights provide ventilation, and the space is secured with doors located at the east and west entrances to the lodge. The interior features built-in seating for approximately 60 people.
The Lodge reinforces the importance of family, represents life’s journey and serves as a spiritual home for all First Nations peoples.
Three Sisters
Artwork is etched onto Muntz metal panels depicting the symbiotic relationship that exists between corn, beans and squash, and the shared values associated with stewardship of the land and planning for the seventh generation. The story is a model for “how to be a woman in the world”. Women are teachers, life givers and support each other, they work with the ground (Earth).
Spirit Canoe
The Spirit Canoe is a 36-foot-long stainless-steel sculpture with laser-cut artwork and painted infill panels. The canoe is a tribute to the Métis Voyageur tradition, representing resilience, collaboration and the connection of the Métis people to land and waterways.
Turtle Sculpture
At the heart of the Spirit Garden stands a six-foot-tall limestone turtle sculpture, composed of 10 individual pieces and weighing approximately 10 tonnes. Positioned within a reflecting pool and aligned with Magnetic North, the turtle represents Turtle Island – Mother Earth – embodying First Nations creation stories.
The names of 18 residential schools that once operated in Ontario are displayed in stainless steel lettering on the pool’s north wall:
Inuksuk
The Inuksuk is a traditional stone landmark, standing five-feet-tall and stacked in the Spirit Garden on a raised plinth. It serves as a cultural marker and symbol of guidance for Inuit peoples, representing safety and reassurance on the land.
The iconic Palm House at the Allan Gardens Conservatory has reopened after a lengthy closure. The Palm House was having some vital restoration work done to preserve the structure’s architectural heritage. Updates on the Palm House included window glazing, glass cladding replacement and modernization of the ventilation and air quality systems.
Some retro-inspired shots of the Palm House and area
Construction began in October 2022 on the historic conservatory building, one of Toronto’s oldest attractions. The Palm House, designed by City of Toronto architect Robert McCallum, opened in 1910 and is the third horticultural pavilion on site. The iconic dome is 12 metres high and has 16 sides. It’s large enough to showcase some of the building’s tallest plants.
The renovation project was a collaborative undertaking between the City’s Parks, Forestry & Recreation department and Zeidler Architecture along with AREA heritage architects. The conservatory’s greenhouses remained open during renovation, with the Palm House’s plant collection temporarily moved offsite.
Inside the Rejuvenated Palm House
The recent renovations ensure that the distinct architectural language of the site is preserved for generations to come.
On the second floor of the Muji store in the Atrium on Bay (20 Dundas Street West), there Is a curious-looking bit of automation sitting on their coffee bar. Introducing Jarvis, the robot barista.
Installed in spring of 2024, the automated coffee maker whips up your beverage order using two robotic arms; steaming milk, pulling espresso shots and even creating espresso art, just like a human barista.
The entire process is automated. I had read about this robot barista and wanted to give the thing a try. To kick things off, I stepped up to the Artly ordering system on the counter and placed my order on the screen for an Iced Chocolate Milk (alternatively, Artly has a smartphone app where your order can be placed):
The screen then stated how long the process was going to take, and prompted me to stand by. Suddenly Jarvis came to life and started concocting my order for an Iced Chocolate Milk. Here’s how it all went down:
After delivering the drink to my highlighted delivery point on the counter, Jarvis stopped and said he couldn’t continue as he required human intervention to top up his supply of cream and milk… OK, so the whole thing is almost automated. Human intervention arrived in the form of the fellow below, which kept Jarvis happy for the rest of the beverage orders.
The whole process is quite fascinating, even amusing. As he works, Jarvis is very exacting and slow-moving so I don’t think humanoid baristas will have to worry too much about job security. As I watched Jarvis’s robotic, precise, methodical drink-making process, I was thinking it would be absolutely hilarious if the thing suddenly went totally berserk, flinging latte and chocolate all over the place with wild abandon. So much for automation.
The coffee company behind these robotic baristas is Artly Coffee. They are a coffee brand known for integrating advanced technology with the coffee-making process. They utilize AI-powered robotic baristas to prepare and serve coffee, aiming to offer a consistent and high-quality coffee experience. Artly Coffee claims they are part of a growing trend of using automation and technology in the food and beverage industry to enhance service quality and customer experience.
There is also a robot barista in the Vancouver Muji store on Robson Street. By all accounts Jarvis is a big hit on the west coast as well.
We’ll see how long Jarvis rides the current wave of automated coffee machines. I’ve noticed a couple of the automated robots from RC Coffee are now gone from downtown Toronto, so we’ll just have to wait and see if Artly endures.
I came upon this by accident with a friend when it was under construction. At the time we said we…