Monthly Archives: April 2020
SINCE 1951 CANADA LIFE’S WEATHER BEACON HAS BEEN PART OF TORONTO’S SKYLINE
<PHOTO – Richard Lautens/Toronto Star> You know you’re in TORONTO when you see the beacon light atop the Stalinistic Canada Life Building on University Avenue. Forecast information is updated four times daily, seven days a week, thanks to Environment Canada. What do the lights mean? Green (clear); Red (cloudy); Flashing Red (rain); Flashing White (snow). Lights on the tower struts – Up (warmer); Down (cooler); Steady (no change)
More than 1,000 incandescent bulbs once illuminated the beacon, but these have now been replaced by energy-saving LEDs.
The fifteen-storey Canada Life Building, University Avenue at Queen St. West, remains one of TORONTO’s largest office buildings.
Construction began in 1929 and the building made its debut in 1931. One special feature – its windows can be opened from the inside.< PHOTO BELOW – “Raising the last stone” 1930, City of Toronto Archives>
BELOW – THE CHRISTIE STREET RAILWAY UNDERPASS & A WELLESLEY ST. OPTICAL ILLUSION
TORONTO & AREA’S WILDLIFE POPULATION IS INCREASING WITH THE CORONAVIRUS’S ARRIVAL
<The above photo has become an international hit – definitely in the Netherlands. Fox cubs are shown venturing out from their den under the boardwalk along Lake Ontario. Photo – Carlos Osorio/Reuters>
<Spotted in Northumberland County – a black bear; photo by Dave Thomson, Castleton>
<A coyote in the city. Photo – Dave @TuckerWasHere>
<A Canadian Beaver in Toronto’s High Park>
<And our every-day raccoons, squirrels, skunks, and numerous kinds of birds.>
These days you can hear them singing well before the sun comes up.
<ABOVE – editorial cartoon by BRIAN GABLE, Globe and Mail, Toronto>
MONTREAL WAS WET WHEN THESE PHOTOS WERE TAKEN IN THE PLATEAU NEIGHBOURHOOD
<Some of my favourite pictures seem to have rain involved.>
THE PHOTO BELOW WAS TAKEN NEAR AN ENTRANCE TO THE OLD GLOBE & MAIL BUILDING
<The background, with the red arrows, is a blown up news photograph; the arrows indicate where a cropping should occur; the foreground – parked cars and two Globe employees on their way in.>
‘BETWEEN THE EYES’ BY RICHARD DEACON, IS ON TORONTO’S WATERFRONT. YOU CAN’T MISS IT.
Richard Deacon, a London sculptor who does extraordinary things with extraordinary things. There’s a huge Deacon sculpture in our city, near Lake Ontario, at the corner of Queen’s Quay East and Yonge Street. 
Says Mr. Deacon: “I learned how to do technical drawing for public commissions like ‘Between the Eyes’, 1990 for Queen’s Quay in Toronto, but computing has changed all that. Now you can make a model, scan it, and produce the sculpture in a factory.”
TOM POWER, HOST OF CBC RADIO’S ‘Q’ PROGRAM HAS TAKEN UP RUNNING AND SEEMS TO LIKE IT
Native Newfoundlander, TOM POWER, is now a runner. He spoke about this to Gayle MacDonald of the Globe and Mail. “It’s a shock to my family and friends, but I’ve started running. I’m doing it out of sheer anxiety about my immune system. The life of a radio host isn’t the healthiest. We sit all the time, and I love chips. I run in the bike lane, facing away so I can see if bikes are coming and jump back if need be. I’ve been seeing alleys and streets around my neighborhood that I’ve never seen before, all because I want to be respectful and stay away from people.” <PHOTO – Toronto Star>
FRED KNAPP’S ROLLER BOAT WAS THE STRANGEST CRAFT EVER LAUNCHED IN TORONTO
This unusual boat measured 125 by 25 feet. There was an opening at each end where people could board. The inside remained stationary, while the outer casing, equipped with small paddle-like projections, revolved around it. This allowed the ship to roll sideways along the surface of the water like a rolling pin.
<PHOTO ABOVE – the inventor of the Roller Boat, FRED KNAPP>
In 1897, while a large crowd was watching, the ship demonstrated a top speed of 5 miles per hour in TORONTO Bay. The idea was dropped because the vessel was too slow and very expensive. <PHOTO above – City of Toronto Archives; WATERCOLOUR below by THOMAS HARRISON WILKINSON, 1847-1949>
LOOK FAMILIAR? – 5 PHOTOS FROM TORONTO SAVVY’S ARCHIVE COLLECTION #11
Toronto Savvy 