The last time I walked down The Esplanade, I was struck by how many new condos have sprung up in that neighbourhood. I thought it may be interesting to put together a little photo journal of the structures I encountered that day.
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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:
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.
Underpass Park is truly an interesting and unique place in Toronto. Opened on August 2, 2012, the Park is located under the Eastern Avenue, Richmond and Adelaide overpasses. The actual address is 168 Eastern Avenue.
Designed to transform derelict and underused space, the park takes full advantage of the concrete beams and columns of the overpasses to create a unique and inviting community asset and provide year round weather protection.
This unique public space is part of Waterfront Toronto’s revitalization efforts of the West Don Lands neighbourhood. It serves to link Corktown Common, River Square and the neighbourhoods of both sides of the overpass complex through the provision of safe and animated public realm design.
Mirage
A public art layer was integrated into the underside of the structure to interact with the lighting scheme and to reduce the oppressive character of the heavy structures above. A portion of the overpass ceiling is adorned with a reflective public art piece entitled Mirage, created by Paul Raff Studio in 2012. This mirrored artwork dramatically brightens the covered spaces, adding to the interplay of natural light during the day and becoming its own piece of magic at night when the park lighting scheme is fully employed.
The artwork on the ceiling of the park uses the unique condition of the site to recreate a naturally occurring optical illusion that blurs the boundary between ground and sky.
Playground & Recreation Facilities
A sizable playground is located in the middle section of the park, between St. Lawrence Street and River Street. The eastern-most section of the park, east of River Street, includes two basketball half-courts, and an extensive skatepark featuring a series of obstacles, rails and ledges. There is also a flexible open space that can be used for community events:
The Locals
Several of the figures on the pillars are caricatures of local residents:
Designed by landscape architects PFS Studio with The Planning Partnership, Underpass Park is part of an ongoing effort to transform pockets of neglected urban spaces on the waterfront into valued public amenities.
The Park is another project of the developer WaterfrontToronto, a joint effort of the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments, created in 2001. Their focus is to create parks, public art, infrastructure and buildings that combine to create vibrant waterfront neighbourhoods, for example, The Bentway and Underpass Park; these gave unused spaces a new life.
Underpass Park is the 18th public space that the WaterfrontToronto group has built or revitalized since 2005 in the Toronto waterfront district.
Back on December 6, 2022 I published a post about the colourful murals outside a semi-neglected, mostly-deserted building on the southwest corner of Jarvis Street and Queen Street East (141 Queen Street East, to be exact). The only merchant in this sketchy-looking place is the iPot Cannabis store; a parking lot consumes the rest of the space outside the building.
I hadn’t been down to this area for over a year, but I found myself passing through there last weekend. I noticed that many of the murals had changed. Here are the latest:
I would have captured a few more shots but I surprised a couple of cracked-out zombies as I rounded the corner of the building, and they weren’t very receptive to my presence.
I like to revisit some of the urban mural sites every so often to catch up on the artists’ latest creations; I’m glad I chose that particular route home that day.
In 2018, Paul Raff Studios installed a sculpture entitled Hours of the Day. The piece honours Ontario’s correctional workers who have fallen in the line of duty.
The “sheets” are actual sculptural representations of the angles of the sun as it moves over the hours of the day, month, season and year, forming a kind of a three-dimensional sundial.
The sculptor of the piece – Paul Raff – remarks that:
…one doesn’t need to read the time with it, but what it does do is speak to the theme of time, which to me was the most important and essential theme in recognizing the vital role that correctional workers play in the health of our society. It is this contribution, of the hours of service, that we felt needed to be articulated in the sculptural form.
The geometry of the sculpture is derived from a very specific and elaborate computer program which tracks the angles of the sun throughout the day.
What I love about [the sculpture is that with its very accurate, high tech, three-dimensional mapping, it actually strikes a remarkably unique figure that offers a lot of visual richness. It looks different from every angle, unfolding for pedestrians as they commute past it, looking different on their way to work than on their way home. It looks different at different times of the day, and in different light.
The sculpture is situated by Queen’s Park Crescent East, near the Legislative Assembly:
The Chapel of St. James-the-Less is located at 635 Parliament Street, in the grounds of the St. James’ Cemetery and Crematorium. It is a mid-19th-century funeral chapel built of stone in the High Victorian Gothic Revival style. The chapel is picturesquely set atop a small landscaped knoll, just inside the main gates of the cemetery.
The Chapel of St. James-the-Less was designated a national historic site in 1990 because this small funeral chapel is a splendid example of High Victorian Gothic design.
Designed by prominent Toronto architects Cumberland and Storm, St. James-the-Less exemplifies the small chapels built in the High Victorian Gothic Revival style. It maintains the liturgically correct interior, steep roof and prominent tower of earlier Gothic Revival designs, but presents its component parts in a manner that is both dramatic and harmonious.
The chapel is enhanced by its elevated site and the picturesque setting of St. James’ Cemetery, laid out by John G. Howard in 1842.
Character-Defining Elements
Key elements contributing to the heritage value of the Chapel of St. James-the-Less include:
- its rectangular plan, typical of small parish churches in the High Victorian Gothic Revival style, with a nave, porch, tower and transept;
- the clear articulation of its component parts, the nave, the porch, the tower, the transept and the prominent roof;
- features typical of Gothic Revival churches, including, the steeply pitched roof with deep caves and low sidewalls, the Gothic-arched openings that are often paired, the use of buttresses, and the pinnacles executed in both stone and cast-iron;
- its rough-cut stone walls;
- the deep entrance porch, with its steeply pitched roof, low eaves, and intricate woodwork;
- the short, square belltower set to the side and topped by a tall, thin broach spire with triangular dormers;
- its fenestration patterns and windows, including, the deep-set trefoil side windows with stained glass, the stained-glass chancel windows, and the triangular roof dormers;
- its materials, including Georgetown grey sandstone, white brick, Ohio stone trim, slate roofing, and wooden porch;
- its interior finishes, including the exposed timbers of the roof structure and the wood panelling;
- its siting on a slight rise;
- its setting within the picturesque grounds of St. James Cemetery.
Chapel Interior
Source: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, February 1990
Originally opened in 1930 as “Eaton’s Seventh Floor,” The Carlu was spearheaded by businessman Timothy Eaton. Lady Eaton, who aspired to bring high society and world-class culture to Toronto, was actively involved in the planning and design of Eaton’s College Street and the Seventh Floor. To realize her desire for style and elegance, she commissioned famed French architect, Jacques Carlu.
Carlu was renowned for his masterpieces in the Art Moderne style, known as streamlined monumentalism for its clean lines and grand scale. The Seventh Floor exemplified this style in every element, including the colour palette, architectural details, artwork, room appointments, as well as the glorious Lalique fountain gracing the centre of The Round Room. In fact, it is said that the sheer beauty and unique shape of The Round Room may have inspired the design of The Rockefeller Center’s iconic Rainbow Room.
In 2003, the space at 444 Yonge Street in College Park was reopened as The Carlu event venue after an extensive restoration.
Event Rooms
The Carlu has 4 event rooms, namely the Concert Hall, the Sky Room, the Round Room and the Clipper Room. The following room descriptions are from Carlu’s website:
The Concert Hall
The Concert Hall can accommodate large functions ranging from 600-1500 guests. The versatile space can be transformed from a state-of-the-art concert space, to an exquisite backdrop for large galas, conventions, award ceremonies and more:
The Round Room
The Round Room is said to have inspired the design of The Rockefeller Center’s iconic Rainbow Room. Its unique shape, paired with the Lalique fountain that graces the centre of the room, make it an impressive space:
The Clipper Room
From an intimate corporate reception, to an on-site bridal suite, the Clipper Room functions as a flexible lounge, dining and reception space that can be used independently or in conjunction with The Carlu’s additional event spaces:
Recognized as one of Toronto’s best examples of Art Moderne architecture, the style is in evidence throughout the space:
Exiting through the Carlu’s South Lobby we get one last look at the graceful Art Moderne details:
The Carlu has been designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, and has played host to royalty on several occasions as the preferred space for high profile social fetes, conventions, and corporate celebrations.
Historical data courtesy of The Carlu’s website
Pride Weekend in Toronto is soon upon us. In preparation, this month an explosion of rainbows and inclusion messages from local business and merchants have been appearing in the downtown core. Here’s some of what I’ve come across in the last few weeks:
Eaton Centre
Rogers Headquarters, 333 Bloor Street East
Manulife Head Office, 250 Bloor Street East
OrangeTheory Fitness, 160 Bloor Street East
160 Bloor Street East
175 Bloor Street East
Circle K, 121 Bloor Street East
The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA)
RBC, 2 Bloor Street East
Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor Street West
TD Canada Trust
A Pride Chicken at Nandos, 832 Bay Street
Ontario Nurses’ Association, 85 Grenville Street
Pride Bicycle Lock, Church Street
LCBO
Rexall, Church & Wellesley Streets
Scotiabank, Yonge & Wellesley Streets
Shopper’s Drug Mart, Yonge & Charles Streets
Jack Astor’s, Yonge & Bloor Streets
Toronto Public Library, Yorkville Branch
The Wine Rack, Church & Wellesley Streets
Dudley’s Hardware, Church Street
And, of course, the epicentre of it all:
the corner of Church & Wellesley Streets
Happy Pride Everyone!
On an oddly-angled section of Dundas Street East, just east of Yonge Street, sits a heritage building which recently has become nothing more than a hole in the ground.
Many will remember this building as the old Hakim Optical store from several years ago:
In June 2023, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU, formerly Ryerson University) announced the acquisition of two new properties, including 38-40 Dundas Street East. Prior to the sale closing, the City of Toronto deemed 38-40 Dundas Street East in a state of disrepair and required it to be demolished in order to protect public safety. The building has sat vacant since 2010 after its most recent tenant – Hakim Optical — vacated the property.
Despite its history tracing back at least 113 years, the building at 38-40 Dundas Street East lacks heritage protections, and, in its current condition, has been deemed non-salvageable.
Street Murals Found a Home
Despite the building being unsafe on the inside, the south exterior side was in good shape, providing a wide canvas for several murals over the years.
Here’s how the building appeared in October 2021:
In August 2022 we were treated to this new Made In Canada mural:
Then, in October 2022 we were greeted by Harry Styles, gazing down at us:
So Long, Harry…
And now – in June 2024 – we say goodbye to Harry and 38 Dundas Street East, as the demolition proceeds in earnest. When I passed the building last week, Harry was quickly disappearing:
A Bit of Building History
The construction date of 38-40 Dundas Street East has been identified as 1913 in several sources. However, there is the possibility that the extant building may have incorporated parts of an older structure predating the 1910s. Notably, 38-40 Dundas Street East is situated directly on the site of the former, long-time residence of Rev. Dr. Egerton Ryerson and family. Several historical resources indicate the former residence of the Ryerson family may have been heavily renovated and incorporated into the design of the existing building at 38-40 Dundas Street East instead of being outright demolished.
38-40 Dundas Street East appears to have been painted since at least the mid-1920s and it is possible the paint was obscuring details, such as evidence of an older underlying structure and/or alterations over time. Peeling paint on the rear elevation had revealed yellow brick (likely from the mid-19th century) on the lower levels with red brick (likely from the early 20th century) on the upper levels.
The property is one of two buildings sold by the City of Toronto to Metropolitan University (TMU) in 2023, along with the adjacent Toronto Public Health building at 277 Victoria Street, topped by the iconic Sam the Record Man sign:
Photo update
Here’s what the site looked like on June 29, 2024:
Reference: ACO Toronto
Last weekend played host to desiFEST, the annual celebration of South Asian music, art, food and culture, held in Toronto’s Yonge-Dundas Square. In this, the festival’s 18th year, the entertainment lineup consisted of exclusively Canadian talent. Mayor Olivia Chow was also on hand to address the audience; she was the first-ever Mayor to participate in desiFEST. The festival lasted over 12 hours, wrapping up at 11:00PM that night.
Here’s a bit of what last Saturday afternoon offered:
Dancers
BollyX hosted by Dance with Safa
Games
Music
Maple Masala Band
Shirjeel Jackson
Food (lots of it…)
If you’d like to learn more about desiFEST, click here.
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I am so glad this opened again, it is a favourite place for me. I am disappointed in the sterility…
Kinda creepy.
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I definitely side with you guys on this. When I saw the renovations for the first time I was disappointed;…