Toronto … a City I Love

Toronto is a city I love,  I've lived there more than once.  And when I'm not a resident I'm often a visitor.  I know the city well but believe I see it better now that I'm not always there.  On my frequent visits I spend as much time as I can wandering around, seeing what's different - and it's always different.  And I usually have a camera with me.  These images were taken mid-May over a couple of cold and rainy days.  

Toronto Courthouse and the McMurtry Gardens of Justice

Pillars of Justice by Edwina Sandys

Despite being the middle of May, there was both rain and sleet the morning I took this image, and the streaks of rain are visible.

Osgoode Hall and Old City Hall

Old City Hall Clock Tower 

Flowering Crabapple at Osgoode Hall

Some of the Older Places ...

The Rex Hotel, both a hotel and a well-known jazz and blues Bar on Queen Street West, looking somewhat small and surrounded by larger newer buildings. 

The Rex Hotel

The Brunswick House - known as The Brunny - was a restored 1876 tavern popular in Toronto for both drinks and music.  It closed on March 31 of this year.  A building of character but no longer open.  Rexall, a pharmacy, will be taking over the space for its flagship store.  The building is protected as it has a heritage designation.  Rexall will be doing further restoration with plans to open some time next year.

Another Toronto flagship that's closing - Honest Eds on Bloor.  A huge place that takes up more than a city block.  It's been around forever but the last day for bargain shopping will be December 31st of this year.  There is a proposal for the building, along with adjacent buildings called Mirvish Village, to be redeveloped into rental apartments, a permanent public market and retail space that would be divided into small units similar to the the existing storefronts on Bloor Street.  If the project goes forward as planned it could be a nice addition to the neighbourhood.  But many will miss this icon.

Honest Eds Shopping Emporium

Kensington Market, another popular shopping area that's been around forever.  Development keeps pushing up against its boundaries but so far the Market - with a lot of support from the community -  has survived.

Market Shopping

Casa Coffee in Kensington

Toronto Streetcar on the Queen Street Viaduct

Streetcars, the Red Rockets, run on many of the main streets in the city and provide a fast and convenient way of getting around.  The Queen Street bridge with its famous sign has been well photographed over the years.

The Ismaili Centre

A recent and beautiful addition to Toronto is the Ismaili Centre, built on the same grounds as the Aga Khan Museum, opened on September 12, 2014.  The building and it's reflection are both striking and peaceful.  It's simply lovely.

Toronto has much to offer.  It's a city with many distinct areas, each with its own character.  It's an easy city to walk with lots to see just about everywhere.  These two days, taking pictures and spending time with friends, was a real treat.  I'll be back soon.

The CN Tower by Night and Day and a Reflected Surprise

Last week I had an opportunity to photograph Toronto's CN Tower from a vantage point not available to many and to do so over a period of several hours.  I took a lot of images that night and through into the early morning.  

The first photograph was taken shortly after midnight and and includes both the moon and part of the Rogers Centre.  The CN Tower is lit up, as are the buildings and the Gardiner Expressway.  The city is vibrant, interesting and full of life.

Toronto's CN Tower, the Gardner Expressway and part of the Rogers Centre

These next three images were taken from the same vantage point at different times.  The first shows a similar image to the previous one, but without the Rogers Centre and with more of the newly-constructed Sun Life Financial Tower.  Although the CN Tower is prominent, it becomes less so as the sky lightens.  I've shifted the focus more to the Sun Life building and the reason I did that becomes clear in the last shot.

CN Tower at night

Not Quite Dawn

I like the night shots of the city.  Toronto is vibrant, and changing all the time, with new construction everywhere.  But I find the image that really delights me is the last one.  Morning has arrived and with it a glorious and unusual view of Lake Ontario and the Toronto Islands.  Remember…this shot was taken looking north and west; the lake is to the south.  This lake view is new, it didn't exist last year.  It's a reflection in a building that's still under construction.  This building may block part of the view of the city as you look north but to my mind it's given back something better - an interestingly lit building at night and a spectacularly different shimmering lake by day.  Beautiful.

Reflected Vista

I'm delighted and grateful that I was able to see Toronto in such a special way and that I had the opportunity to photograph it.