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
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.
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.
For a couple of years now I’ve passed by this beautiful site but never stopped to look closer – my loss, until now. I first discovered The Garden of Lost Boys last winter but wanted to wait until it was in summer’s full bloom.
Set in a once-ragged, unappealing little chunk of land at the intersection of Church Street and Alexander Street, the patch of land has become beautifully transformed by local artist and resident Luke Plourde.
After doing a bit of research I found the following article in The Bridge Community News, written by Ayah Victoria McKhail, September 6, 2024. I’m posting it here in its entirety as it’s a beautifully written article that expresses the spirit of the Garden. Luke conveys many of the same sentiments as me regarding how it felt in our community during the harrowing early years of AIDS.
The Garden of Lost Boys
Nestled in the heart of the village at Church and Alexander Streets, a blooming garden beckons passersby. It’s a poignant memorial commemorating those who lost their lives during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and ’90s.
Luke Plourde, an artist who lives nearby, started it. “This garden brings an awareness and a reminder of what happened here, especially in our neighbourhood; the epicentre of the epidemic in the city, and lifts it into beauty. Each plant represents a life taken: friends, partners, and brothers. It’s a place of reflection and remembrance.”
Plourde was inspired to create the memorial in the spring of 2020. “The Covid-19 pandemic was just under way, and I wanted to do something positive in a very negative time.”
He set his sights on a barren weed lot at 445 Church St, adjacent to the Maple Leaf Convenience Mart, where Salon One is atop. Plourde approached the property owner about transforming the space and he agreed, if Plourde would cover the costs. (The land is on the lease of Salon One).
“I worked for three weeks in a heat wave just to pull out all the weeds and old grass to make a new canvas upon which to paint the garden.”
This spring, the Church-Wellesley Village Business Improvement Area began financially supporting the garden. Adam Wynne, then the interim director (soon to be named events director or coordinator), played a pivotal role.
BIA funding is facilitating repairs and expansion of the garden-related infrastructure (night lighting, etc.), and some garden maintenance (mostly corralling trumpet vines). Wynne also arranged for the property owner to formally support the garden.
The garden awakens in early spring with bulbs and early blooming plants, and lasts into November. Plourde continues to cover the cost of the plants and add statuary such as a large angel statue that’s now a focal point. He tends to the garden nearly every day: weeding, watering, planting and pruning. A living organism, it’s constantly evolving.
“To me, a garden is a work of art that’s always in progress. Each year, I add things, such as perennials and statuary. It’s a typical English cottage garden in that different perennials are blooming all the time. Like people’s lives; the young taking the place of the old.”
Plourde named the garden after J.M. Barrie’s 1904 play, Peter Pan, in which lost boys are characters. “It was always said that gay men had a Peter Pan syndrome and refused to grow up. So many of these boys never got the chance; they were taken so young.
“The plague came just as our community was full of joy and hope, as we were gaining in human rights. The epidemic washed all of that away.”
In the 1980s, one of Plourde’s friends was the first victim of AIDS in Toronto, followed by many more until practically everyone he knew had passed away or was dying. “It was such a horrendous time with young men dying daily. Those of us who lived through those terrifying times were scarred by them forever. We lived in fear that we would be next.”
A survivor, Plourde has been dedicating his life to sharing the story. “There are generations now who have no connection to that time, suffered no loss and were mere children at the time. Many have no emotional connection to it.”
The garden is changing that. “At Pride, I allowed young people to wander inside; some openly wept … One day, I’ll be gone and I hope someone will take my place.”
Sydney MacLellan, a CWVBIA board member, and the president and co-owner of the Whiskful Thinking bakery, seeks to raise awareness about the garden, particularly among newcomers to the neighbourhood. The BIA is acquiring a plaque for the garden, he says.
“The garden represents Luke’s sincere advocacy for the remembrance of those who lost their lives to AIDS. The garden can be seen as the community coming together to find sincere solace and celebration of life.”
Julissa Penate, a community worker at the 519 Community Centre who lives in the neighbourhood, thinks a plaque is a good idea. “The garden is meaningful and inspiring. It’s so colourful and pretty.”
Last September, Plourde received a Community Builder Award from Ward 13 (Toronto Centre) City Councillor Chris Moise. The following month, the Toronto Garden Society awarded him first prize from 400 entries, for his transformation of a derelict space into something beautiful. Plourde was given a certificate and trophy.
The McMurtry Gardens of Justice on University Avenue is a series of sculptures and fountains sitting among Osgoode Hall, the Law Society of Ontario, and the Superior Court of Justice. Each item in the gallery is designed to represent one of the fundamental legal rights that belong to all Canadians.
The McMurtry Gardens of Justice were created to recognize the Honourable R. Roy McMurtry, who served Ontario for decades as a public servant, elected official, and diplomat. McMurtry was a Member of Provincial Parliament from 1975 to 1985, spending part of that time as the Attorney General of Ontario. He was appointed to the Superior Court of Ontario in 1991 as the Associate Chief Justice, and by 1996 he became the Chief Justice of Ontario at the head of the Court of Appeal. He remained there until he retired in 2007, which was the same year the Gardens opened.
The Pillars of Justice
This statue is a prominent landmark in downtown Toronto, standing in front of the courthouse containing the Superior Court of Justice. When it was unveiled in 2007, The Pillars of Justice was the first and only statue in the McMurtry Gardens of Justice.
The Pillars of Justice was sculpted by Edwina Sandys in 2007. She was first inspired to be an artist when she saw her grandfather, Sir Winston Churchill, painting. Over the last 35 years, the United Nations has commissioned five of her sculptures for their centres in Geneva, Vienna, Rio de Janeiro, Dublin, and New York. Her work is famous for responding to political and social issues, and this piece is no different.
Note the missing twelfth juror (centre)Note the missing twelfth juror
This sculpture depicts a jury of eleven people standing under a roof that represents a courthouse. Juries are usually made up of twelve people, depending on the type of case. Looking at The Pillars of Justice, you will notice an empty space where the twelfth juror would be. This empty space invites the viewer to imagine they are the twelfth juror.
The McMurtry Fountains
The McMurtry Fountains were designed by landscape architect Michael Hough and installed in 1964. They were restored in 2010. The fountains act as symbols of balance and justice, themes that run throughout the Gardens. They form a significant cultural presence in the City of Toronto and continue to symbolize the importance that Canadians place on the values of our justice system and human rights:
Freedom of Expression
Freedom of Expression is a bronze and stainless steel sculpture created by Marlene Hilton Moore in 2012. Hilton Moore is a renowned artist based in Hillsdale, Ontario. She has created public art and hosted art exhibitions in Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick. She is also responsible for the Freedom of Religion statue that faces this one. These two pieces, along with Equal Before the Law, were added to the Gardens in 2012.
The statue depicts a female figure delivering a speech with her arms open wide, holding a book in one hand. The figure stands on a black-brown base of granite, determined to communicate her message. Both of Hilton Moore’s pieces use bronze, which is usually associated with classical sculpture, and stainless steel, which we see in contemporary art and architecture.
Freedom of Religion
Freedom of Religion was created by Marlene Hilton Moore in 2012, who also made the Freedom of Expression statue across from it. Both figures are made of bronze. Like Freedom of Expression, this piece stands on a base of black-brown granite.
This sculpture depicts a male figure proudly holding up a globe. The globe is covered with eleven symbols associated with the world’s religions and faith groups. The individual symbols are beautiful images in their own right, and together they represent and individual’s freedom to practice whatever religion they choose:
Frederick G. Gans, Q.C. Memorial
This piece, created by local Canadian artist Maryon Kantaroff in 1980, is a memorial to lawyer Frederick G. Gans. Gans was killed in 1978 by a former client’s husband in the hallway of the courthouse that used be at 145 Queen Street West (now the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts). Although installed in 1980 and not formally a part of the Gardens, the sculpture is consistent with the Gardens’ themes in style and values:
Equal Before The Law
By Eldon Garnet, 2011. The lion and the lamb are represented as classic figures in Western thought. The lamb often signifies purity, meekness, and vulnerability, while the lion is the ‘king of beasts,’ powerful and imposing. The lamb and lion’s physical differences are amplified by their symbolic meanings.
Both of these animals are life-sized and constructed out of bronze. This sculpture connects to the other pieces of art in the Gardens by combining bronze and stainless steel, which is used in the scale:
The tower is twisted to a 60-degree angle, which runs parallel to the top of the scales. The ends of the platform are cut at 30-degree angles in relation to the support tower. Everything is calculated to be in perfect proportion, always balanced but turned or angled. The final effect is a scale that gets its balance from a good deal of complexity and careful planning.
The text on the scale is taken directly from section 15(1) of the Charter. It reads: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination.” The Charter continues, “and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age, or mental and physical disability.”
Scales of Justice Bike Rack
In April 2019, the Toronto Lawyers Assocation (TLA) dedicated a new Scales of Justice bike rack at the Court House, 361 University Avenue. The bike rack/sculpture is composed of a series of scales of justice, engraved with legal principles, as suggested by the clerks of the Court of Appeal. The work was produced with the assistance of at-risk youth:
A few days after Halloween I took a walk through Cabbagetown on a beautiful, crisp fall day. The houses and streets were a weird and eclectic mix of post-Halloween gore, front yard kitsch, Autumn colours and falling leaves:
Wellesley Avenue
Wellesley Avenue
Wellesley Avenue
Wellesley Park
Wellesley Park
Kitty trapped on rooftop
On the northeast corner of Parliament and Carlton Streets
Mural on southeast corner of Parliament and Carlton Streets
The Max Tanenbaum Healing Garden is found on the 14th floor Atrium of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre at 610 University Avenue. I should mention that the Healing Garden is not to be confused with the Max Tanenbaum Sculpture Garden at the Hennick Bridgepoint Hospital (click here for my earlier post on the Sculpture Garden).
A view of the Healing Garden from above Illustration: Janet Rosenberg & StudioArtist’s interpretation of the Garden from above. The viewing Atrium is on the right. Illustration: Janet Rosenberg & Studio
The Max Tanenbaum Healing Garden officially opened on November 10th, 2014. It was established by the Tauba and Solomon Spiro Family Foundation in honour of Tauba’s father, Max Tanenbaum, a noted businessman and philanthropist who loved nature and the outdoors. Created as a year-round oasis for patients and visitors at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, the Max Tanenbaum Healing Garden is a creative way to honour those who have been affected by cancer.
The challenge was to create a natural and beautiful space without using live plants in order to ensure a pleasing, year-round, no-maintenance garden on the 14th floor Atrium of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.
In response to this challenge came the design from Janet Rosenberg and Studio. The Studio design uses the strong, cultivated patterns of formal French gardens and incorporates the artistry of hand-blown glass flowers, enclosed by an artificial boxwood hedge. The vertical walls feature decorative panels that add another visual dimension and unify a garden rich in colour, creativity and natural forms:
The hand blown glass flowers have each been created to blend together in a colourful garden that resembles a rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple are all represented in the garden with flowers that carry one colour or a blend of multiple colours and tones:
Here’s a short video of the Healing Garden:
Flowers can be dedicated via a monetary gift to the Cancer Centre. Here’s a little info from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s web page:
Secure a flower in The Max Tanenbaum Healing Garden with a gift of $1,000 and dedicate it to a loved one. If you would like to make more than one dedication, then you may secure multiple flowers; each flower can be dedicated with a donation of $1,000.
The Healing Garden is a display of honour, hope and healing and is a tribute to the many loved ones who have been affected by cancer. Every flower helps us to continue making advancements in patient care at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and carry out our mission to Conquer Cancer In Our Lifetime.
There are a limited number of flowers available – To ensure that you are a part of this beautiful display, please make your gift today. You can also call (437) 225-1711 to secure your flower over the phone.
A few years ago on a crisp, early Spring day, I crossed the Toronto Harbour and visited the Toronto Islands – Centre Island to be exact. I was curious to see how quiet things might be prior to the imminent mass invasion of families and kids from the city.
I wandered through Centreville, the children’s amusement park, marvelling at how deserted it was. I did not see another soul in Centreville that afternoon; it was kind of eerie with no one around, but I enjoyed it:
Centreville was built as part of a master plan to convert the Toronto Islands’ land usage from cottage residences to recreational uses. The park replaced the old Sunnyside Amusement Park, which closed in 1955, as well as Hanlan’s Point Amusement Park, which closed in the 1930s to make way for the Toronto Island Airport. The park opened in 1967.
The park originally had seven rides and has expanded over the years, adding one or two rides a year. The park’s buildings have a 1900s turn-of-the-century village theme:
This 1870s cast iron planter, created to commemorate Queen Victoria’s birthday, was originally located in front of St. Lawrence Market but has been relocated to the centre of the Park.
Rough Times: Floods and COVID-19
Due to flooding of many areas of the Toronto Islands, Centreville did not open in May 2017. It reopened on July 31, 2017, but three rides were unable to operate: the swan ride, bumper boat ride (due to high water levels) and the train ride (because of flood damage to the tracks). Mosquitos carrying the West Nile virus had been found on the islands but the Toronto Public Health department said that with certain precautions, visitors should not be concerned.
A Park spokesman said that the loss in revenue was CA$8 million due to the flood, and the cost of repairs was estimated at CA$6 million.
In 2020, Centreville and nearby Far Enough Farm were closed for the entire 2020 season due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Both Centreville and Far Enough Farm opened 7 days a week for the 2021 season from July 9, until September 6, 2021. This was two months later than originally planned because of earlier COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
During that 2021 season, Centreville installed fencing and gates around the amusement park area and charged grounds admission fees. Individual ride tickets were not made available for that operating season and only all-day ride passes were offered for anyone going on the amusement rides. All ticket sales moved online as well and needed to be purchased in advance. The park also implemented COVID-19 screening on all visitors and reduced capacity limits.
Centreville: Post-COVID
On a more uplifting note, business appears to be back to normal at Centreville. The marketing plug on their website reads:
With more than 30 rides and attractions and 14 mouth-watering food outlets, Centre Island’s iconic Centreville Amusement Park is the ultimate summer destination for families with young children!
Surrounded by 600 acres of gorgeous parkland and just across the harbour from the City of Toronto, you and your family can spin yourself silly in the Twirling Tea Cups, take a plunge in the Log Flume or bounce around in Bumper Boats and Bumper Cars – plus don’t forget to ride our Antique Carousel!
The Toronto Island Park is operated by the City of Toronto and open year round. Centreville Amusement Park is located within the Park and operated by William Beasley Enterprises Ltd.; it is open seasonally between May and September.
Tickets and passes for the Centreville Amusement Park can be purchased online or at the front gates.
I came upon this by accident with a friend when it was under construction. At the time we said we…