Monthly Archives: January 2011
Iconic TORONTO – Tim Hortons, streetcars and snow
Pyongyang metro – ‘world’s deepest and most secretive subway system’
PYONGYANG, capital of Stalinistic North Korea, is home to the deepest metro in the world – 110 metres underground. In a country known for its human rights violations and chronic food shortages, cash was found to build two subway lines completely underground.
Tourists are usually allowed to visit only two spectacular stations – the rest are off limits. The showplace stations are underground palaces, with high arched ceilings, marble pillars, chandeliers and mosaic murals on the history of North Korea. Each station has a public toilet, and state radio programs are broadcast over loudspeakers. Hours of operation are limited because of power shortages. PHOTOS – Kristoferb, Wikipedia>
Joe Fafard’s “In The Pasture”, Toronto-Dominion Centre
Farm animal sculptures by Saskatchewan’s Joe Fafard are extensively collected. One of his best-known and largest works – “In The Pasture” – sits amidst tall buildings in TORONTO’s Financial District. Wellington Street West at York.
<MIRA GODARD GALLERY, Hazelton Avenue, Yorkville>
A Snow Day in Cabbagetown
Riverdale Park and Farm, the Cabbagetown neighbourhood, and a steep tobogganing hill, are a short streetcar ride from the centre of Canada’s largest city. Subway stop: COLLEGE, and then eastbound car #506 to Parliament Street.
“Gone forever” – Sam Sniderman & The Sam The Record Man’s store
Sam The Record Man’s block was demolished in 2008-10. Formerly TORONTO’s finest vinyl/DVD/CD/tape store – gone forever. The animated turntable sign is in storage, hopefully to resurface one of these days. Ryerson University is building on the site. Gould Street at Yonge.
120-year-old William Reynolds Block meets a firey end – 03/01/2011
In 1847, Mr. William Reynolds opened a bakery at the corner of Yonge and Gould Streets in downtown TORONTO. A grocery store was added in 1855, and then an impressive 3-storey, 6-unit commercial brick building, which combined elements of Second Empire and Romanesque Revival styles. This was the Empress Hotel, then the Express Hotel, the New Empress Hotel, and from 1947 – the Edison Hotel. Back in the sixties, the Edison bar was a favourite hangout for students from nearby Ryerson University. It’s all gone now. At 4 am on January 3, a 6-alarm fire broke out and 125 firemen answered the call. The Reynolds Block is no more.
PHOTOS – Toronto Sun and City Archives
Victoria Square Memorial Park and Military Cemetery, 1763
Our city’s oldest military cemetery was established by Governor Simcoe to receive bodies from nearby Fort York. His youngest daughter, Katherine, was the first to be buried here, followed by another 400 – including some casualties from the War of 1812. The cemetery was closed in 1863, and virtually abandoned until the late 19th century, when it was turned into a public park. Fortunately, a few of the earliest gravestones have survived, and they now form a wall of remembrance. In the centre of the park is an impressive monument to the War of 1812, sculpted by Walter Seymour Allward.
King West streetcar #504 to Portland Street, and then walk south a block.
The Union Jack flies over all.
Toronto Savvy 