This is Grace Church On-The-Hill, an Anglican church found in the Forest Hill neighbourhood. The Gothic building was designed by architect Eden Smith who designed many places in the city including many of the homes in Wychwood Park. This church was built in 1913 and is now heritage designated. Once again the doors were all locked but it is famous for the stained glass so I will try to get inside one day.
Taking part in Inspired Sunday. Click HERE to see more religious buildings from around the world.
This is the other end of the Foundry Lofts where the main entrance is. Because of the drop of the grade at this end we have an extra storey which provides the complex with underground parking as well as huge expanses of glass to let the sun shine into the atrium. I must try to tour one of the lofts when one comes up for sale!
This has to be one of the largest factories in the city that has been turned into lofts. Known as the Foundry Lofts, this was just one of the buildings belonging to the Canada Foundry Corporation and it was built in 1903 as a train factory and continued as such until 1923 when the complex was sold to the Canadian General Electric Company. The building wasn't used for much more than storage or movie shoots through the 1980s & 90s until being given heritage designation and being converted into lofts. The building is a whole city block long and that glassed in area at the top covers an atrium which runs the whole length and which acts as the entry hall for all the units. I was in the building in the 90s when it was totally open space and it was very impressive with a huge span across the entire structure. I'll show you the other end tomorrow.
We are back on St George St where it runs through U of Toronto for a view of another vintage house and its fence. This house was built in 1892 as a private residence but was bought by the university in 1939 and is now part of Woodsworth College. Both the stonework on the house and the fanciful fence are wonderful!
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
One of the things that makes Queen St West special is the variety of old buildings that survive there, and also the variety of uses they have. The three Victorian beauties on the right are a good example of that with their wonderful mansard and the decorated dormers including metal work. These three were built in 1884 while their neighbours to the left were built in 1874 in Second Empire style. I have to admit that at one time I was such a regular at the Epicure Cafe that they started pouring my order as soon as I came in the door. I still love it there!
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
When walking through the U of Toronto campus a couple of weeks ago (before the trees leafed out) I was struck by the dramatic sky behind University College. This Romanesque Revival beauty was built in 1859 and is the oldest college at U of T. I've posted many pics of it before which you can see if you click the University College label below.
I'm sure we have all had one of those days when you just want to scream and this mural in Graffiti Alley off Queen St West captures that perfectly. I'm not sure of the artist but it may be Mister Burdell, BRDL?
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE for more murals from around the world.
This lovely window belongs to the Caven Library which is part of Knox College at U of Toronto. I am not sure if it would be considered a bay window but it feels like one to me. I love all the Gothic details and the wonderful windows. Knox College is part of Doors Open this weekend so I am hoping to take some pics inside the library without disturbing too many people.
This is what you see if you look out to the right from yesterday's walkway at Knox College. Soon there will be flowers planted but even now it is a lovely sight. The taller section in the left background is the chapel which I showed you last Sunday.
Knox College at U of Toronto is u-shaped and this covered walkway (cloister) crosses from one arm of the u to the other creating two quadrangles on either side. I will show you one of them tomorrow. When you enter the door at the far end you are in the hallway in yesterday's post.
This is the main entrance hall to Knox College at U of Toronto. It is a delight to see it every time I walk in here. Those stairs on the left lead up to the chapel which I showed you last Sunday. More to come tomorrow.
This is one of the main entrances into Knox College at U of Toronto. Knox is a postgraduate college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of Canada and hence the banners stating "Faith Matters". This Gothic building was constructed in 1915 and has beautiful interior features some of which I will show you over the next few days.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE for more signs from around the world.
This is the view from the entrance hall of Whitney Hall, a residence at University College at U of Toronto. The hall was built in 1931 and here we are looking from the door on St George St through to the door looking out to the back campus which I showed you last Tuesday - where the field hockey will take place during the PanAm Games in July.
I spotted this fabulous piece during a recent wander along the laneway known as Graffiti Alley which runs along behind Queen St West. The artist for this one is Hunto, an Italian now based in London England. I love the colours!
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE for more murals from around the world.
This Canada Goose was taking it easy one day as I passed through a park that was quite busy with bird and human activity but no one dared disturb it since these geese can be so fierce!
This very large Catalpa tree is well known in west-end Toronto for the way it leans over Davenport Rd rather precariously but yet continues to hang in even through the really bad ice storms and snow loads we tend to get in winter. It doesn't even seem to lose any branches! It will soon be leafing out and will also be covered with lovely white flowers. It has been nominated in the Great Toronto Tree Hunt which is running now to celebrate the greatest trees in the city. I will have to watch to see if it wins in one of the categories.
I took this shot while up on the roof terrace of the Rotman School of Management at U of Toronto. The covered half of the terrace has a reflective ceiling giving us a rather unusual shot. The terrace has great views of downtown Toronto and of course the CN Tower makes an appearance in the distance.
Taking part in Weekend Reflections. Click HERE to see more reflections from around the world.
I spotted this fence in front of one of the old houses on St George St that have been incorporated into U of Toronto for use as various administration offices. This house was built in 1888 and the fence looks like it could have been from the same period!
Taking part in Good Fences. Click HERE to see more fences from around the world.
I don't eat a lot of meat so I haven't been in this shop but I do love the sign for Cumbrae's meat store on Queen St West. It looks beautiful inside with marble counters etc and a huge variety of meats on display.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
Last week I was taking a tour of a newly installed green roof on one of the buildings at U of Toronto and the view from up there was rather nice. Here we are seeing part of the campus in the forefront with Massey College and its modern bell tower on the left and the Soldiers Tower of Hart House to the right. In the background are government buildings including the Queens Park legislature buildings and the tall towers at the back are part of the financial district along Bay St. The green playing field belongs to University College and it will be used for field hockey during the PanAm Games which take place here in July.
This mural by artist Paul Aloisi was painted on the railway underpass at Davenport & Dupont in 2014. Its title"Synesthesia" refers to the phenomenon where the stimulation of 1 sense leads to experiences in a 2nd sense - here it is hearing and vision. The mural is meant to be a visual representation of the sound of trains passing overhead. If you have time check out his site (HERE) with a short youtube film - it's pretty cool.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This restful chapel is part of Knox College at U of Toronto and it is such a peaceful place to enter and escape the frenzy of the campus. Knox was built in 1915 and if you click on my label below you can see some more shots of it as well as read some info. The sun was blazing through the south facing stained glass creating a bit of a ghost in my pic - suitable for a chapel!
Taking part in Inspired Sunday. Click HERE for more religious buildings from around the world.
This is actually an indoor grove of mainly bamboo plants found in an atrium connecting an older building at U of Toronto to a new one. The planting area climbs up a few flights of stairs and there are several small seating areas amongst the plants. You can literally smell the fresh air when you are seated there.
This is another reflection shot taken of the Crystal addition at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). The angles are provided by the walls themselves - the camera was totally horizontal. The reflection shows yet another condo under construction on Bloor St!
Taking part in Weekend Reflections. Click HERE to see more reflections from around the world.
This is the addition that was added to the back of the Alliance Francaise building that I showed you yesterday. Designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, it was finished last summer and the bottom floor contains a theatre while the upper floors provide more classrooms for the centre. I took this pic in the fall when we still had leaves and green grass!
This Victorian building on Spadina Rd in the Annex neighbourhood houses the Alliance Francaise which is both a cultural centre and French language school that has been in this location since 1987. The building has classrooms as well as a gallery, and a new theatre that has been recently added (towards the right in this pic). I will show you a pic of the theatre addition tomorrow.
Taking part in Signs, Signs. Click HERE to see more signs from around the world.
There is something about quirky spaces that makes them very appealing and this little round room fits the bill. It is found on the U of Toronto campus where you can find many of the old homes along St George St have been incorporated into the university rather than being torn down. This old home is part of Woodsworth College and I wonder who gets to use this room.
A pic from my archives from last autumn, this is yet another mural by Elicser. The writing below the flying guy says "I was on cloud nine for a long time" and it seems like a happy vignette to me with him floating on air behind the woman on the bike.
Taking part in Monday Murals. Click HERE to see more murals from around the world.
This tiny church, which has had a few additions over the years, was a country church when first built. Now it is surrounded by homes right in the city. Built as a Church Of Christ in the 1900s, it continues as one with two congregations using it - one English-speaking and one Spanish-speaking.
Taking part in Inspired Sunday. Click HERE to see more religious buildings from around the world.
I love this little balcony at the top of this Annex neighbourhood home. What a wonderful spot to sit, read a book, and watch the action on the street below!
The May theme for the City Daily Photo community is 'Revolution' and I decided to go for a fun post rather than a political one. I was on the lookout for one of those playground play things that spun around while everyone hung on for dear life but it seems they have gone out of style. Instead I show you this spinning bee that was twirling away in the wind but of course the camera caught it in stop action!
Taking part in the CDP Theme Day. To see more examples of "Revolution" from around the world click HERE.
