To start week 28 of the pandemic a friend and I, and our masks, and appropriately physically distanced, spent an afternoon in the Distillery District. The pedestrian-only Distillery District, set in quaint 19th century buildings that once housed a large whiskey distillery, is a popular destination in Toronto. The Gooderham and Worts Distillery was founded in 1832 and although it reduced in capacity, it did operate until 1990. Nowadays, its cobblestone streets are lined with restaurants, art galleries, bars, boutiques, outdoor sculptures and, when we’re not in a pandemic, dance, music and stage performance theatres. The 13 acre district comprises more than 40 heritage buildings on ten streets, and is the largest collection of Victorian-era industrial architecture in North America. It is also is a popular location for film and television productions. The area was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1988.
And what else do I see wandering the streets of Toronto? Of course, signs of the season changing - let’s welcome Fall (Autumn)...and just the usual assortment of interesting ‘things’. Always some beautiful things to see in a very urban environment!
This tree is directly across the street from my place - it’s just beautiful!
Just having a cup of coffee with a friend when this Bentley, from sometime in the 1950s, pulled up and parked.
I love urban environments - can you find the shoes hanging from overhead wires and a random shopping cart?
Bounded by stone and iron gates, lined with symmetrically placed cast iron lamps, and canopied by mature silver maple trees, Palmerston Boulevard is one of Toronto’s finest residential streets, with most of the houses built between 1900 and 1910.
Taylor Creek Park and ravine is one of the largest natural areas in the city. This park and trail boasts 182 acres of lush forest, a babbling riverway (the Taylor-Massey Creek is a major tributary of the Don River) and incredible natural beauty.
Although we’re technically only about 10-20% into our fall colours this year, things are still starting to look quite beautiful, especially in areas like the Don Valley.
No specific destinations during week 30 but I did get out for a walk whenever possible. Still some beautiful flowers to be seen, many of which are having a second blooming season due to the wonderful later summer/early fall weather we’ve been having, while at the same time signs of fall are definitely everywhere you look.
A couple of shots from a park near my home
These roses are growing so close together they look like a ready-made bouquet
This has always been one of my most favourite houses - it’s just around the corner from where I live
Down at the waterfront again today, but this time on the mainland side...
On the harbourfront, looking out towards the Toronto Islands
There are also some lovely gardens and park spaces down at Harbourfront
The skyscraper in the background is nicknamed ‘The Shard’
The Hockey Hall of Fame...here in Toronto
Toronto’s Flatiron Building was built in 1892. It is well known both for its narrow wedge shape and for the mural on its back wall.
St. Lawrence Market is a major public market, and in 2012 National Geographic named it the world’s best food market. This current building was opened in 1902 and incorporates the original building, built in 1845.
One of many urban beaches here in the city, Sugar Beach is located beside the Redpath Sugar refinery.
The major arterial route Yonge Street originates on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Yonge Street is known as ‘the longest street in the world’ but that’s because parts of it run concurrently with Hwy 11.
Trinity-Bellwoods park was originally the grounds of Trinity College, founded in 1852. These stone and iron gates into the park date from then.
There’s an exhibit here in Toronto right now called IMMERSIVE VAN GOGH. 52 projectors cover more than 600,000 cubic feet of space with moving art and music. From Van Gogh’s earliest sketches, to his most famous masterpieces, the works are projected along the walls, columns and floors. And of course, during a pandemic, we all have a circle on the floor to watch it from.
This statue of Norman Bethune is at the University of Toronto. Especially given current times, I really liked what is engraved on the bottom of the apron he is wearing. It says “I am content. I am doing what I want to do. Why shouldn’t I be happy - see what my riches consist of. First I have important work that fully occupies every minute of my time...I am needed.”
Old and new together...
In a nutshell, things are becoming disastrous again in terms of our COVID-19 numbers here in Ontario. In the last couple of weeks our numbers have steadily been on the rise and we’re now recording new, record-high, daily counts. It’s important to note that we are also testing substantially more people than we were last April and May, so our actual infection rate is still about half of what it was at the peak in the early days of the pandemic, but the rise in numbers is still incredibly worrisome, especially as we head into cooler weather when people are going to be inside more. As a response to the drastic increase in numbers, certainly ‘hot spots’ in Ontario, of which Toronto leads the pack, have now moved from Phase 3 of reopening back into a modified Phase 2 again. In these areas restaurants are again closed for indoor dining (outside patios and take-away are still allowed), and other institutions such as gyms, health clubs, movie theatres and casinos have all been closed again; and performances with a live audience, regardless of audience size, are cancelled. Outdoor gatherings are once again limited to 10 people with physical distancing measures in place. These measures are in place for 28 days...but realistically we’re expecting that to be extended.
At any point in time this would be disappointing, but especially right now given that this weekend is Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and another one of the ‘restrictions’ across the province is that we not gather for our Thanksgiving dinner with anyone who is not in our immediate household. Given that the whole point of Thanksgiving is for families to get together, many people have had to make disappointing, last minute changes.
Important though that we stay aware of what we do have to be thankful for...of which I hope some of these blog posts and photos have shown you.
Here’s a few more to end week 30 and the end of my time in Toronto. I think I’d like to take advantage of the possibility of ‘nicer’ weather (before the possible ‘gales of November’ blow) and head back to Bayfield again for another little while.
A location you might recognize...I’ve now photographed it starting last March with no leaves on the trees, through the spring and summer, and now you can see the leaves starting to change colour. And back to less traffic again as it’s strongly suggested we socialize less.
Gotta love us Torontonians...bring your own chair to wait for the bus!
This is definitely a sign of the times...a mask and PPE dispensing machine inside my local mall!
To end I thought I’d head back to my favourite, local, Beltline Trail again so you could see a few photos of it during the early fall. Depending on how long I stay in Bayfield there could be substantially fewer leaves on the trees when I’m back again.
And how is this for a great ending...look what I found!
I have to love this one...a stray hat with hand sanitizer!
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