Toy Soldiers

This steel & resin sculpture by Canadian artist Douglas Coupland is titled "Monument To The War Of 1812" and it is suitably located about a block from Fort York. It was installed in 2008 in front of a condominium complex as part of the city's art requirement for new development. The "two abandoned toy soldiers pay tribute to Toronto's history" and Fort York's part in the Canadian victory in the war of 1812.

Fishing

These giant fishing bobs are among my favourite art installations in the city. They were designed by Douglas Coupland and installed in Canoe Landing Park when it opened in 2010 and they seemed to have handled the weather and have avoided vandalism since. In the background you can again see some of the cranes that are being used to construct more condo towers downtown! 

Shot Of The Year

As part of the theme of shot of the year, this is my pic. It shows Douglas Coupland's installation of giant fishing bobs at Canoe Landing Park downtown. I love the colours and the sky.

I am having no luck doing the link for the theme - after 7 tries I give up!

Canoe Landing Park at Night

Since it was a clear night, yesterday was the time to go to the park after dark. Unfortunately the LED lights on the hill weren't working but the fishing bobs were under spotlights and many of them have bands of lights that were glowing. The beaver dam in the back of the pic changes colour (red, purple, blue, yellow) every few seconds so overall it was a successful journey. There were also a lot of people at the park with dogs running around which was good to see in this new downtown neighbourhood that was previously railway lands.

Big Red Canoe

This is the enormous Douglas Coupland canoe from Canoe Landing Park (hence the name). A large hill was created with earth from the surrounding construction and the canoe has been placed at the top of it looking down onto the Gardiner expressway and Lake Ontario. The canoe is visible from all over the surrounding area. The white bench visible beside it is one of a few that were built to represent icebergs and which glow at night. Apparently the hillside has had a network of LED lighting installed that form waves of white light after dark. A field trip to the park after dark is going to be a priority - have to see all these special effects!

Beaver Dam Fountain

This is the beaver dam fountain, designed by Douglas Coupland, which is visible in the background in yesterday's pic from Canoe Landing Park. Unfortunately all the decorative fountains and drinking fountains in the city have been drained for the winter so there is no water for the beavers. Apparently the logs light up at night in a myriad of colours so I will have to try to get there at night to capture that. Also, it seems there are waterjets, scattered about in the concrete amongst yesterday's bobs, which shoot up at random. Have to get back next summer!

Downtown Fishing

Probably the newest park in Toronto, "Canoe Landing Park", finally opened this summer in the middle of an area down by the lake on former railway lands that are being filled with condo towers. The 3 acre park has 2 playing fields, a 1 mile running path, and several art pieces by Canadian author/artist Douglas Coupland who was involved in some of the design of the park. I love these giant fishing bobs that he has designed and placed in a lovely area looking down on the playing fields. Just behind them you can glimpse the beaver dam fountain which I will show tomorrow.

Don Mills Clock Tower

This clock tower,designed by Douglas Coupland, can be found at "the Shops of Don Mills" a plaza newly redesigned and constructed in the north part of the city. The houses on the clock were inspired by the surrounding suburb which was developed from 1953 to 67 and was the first fully planned and integrated community constructed post WW2 in N America. The actual clock is in the digital read out on the tower below the houses.