Monthly Archives: September 2021
WANDERING THE OUTSKIRTS OF REYKJAVIK I CAME ACROSS SOME UNIQUE, ICELANDIC PUBLIC ART
“SWAPPED” HEADLINES THE NATIONAL POST AS CANADIANS CELEBRATE ‘THE MICHAELS’ RETURN
Canadians Michael Kovrig (top right) and Michael Spavor (below) are safe at last in Canada, after 1,019 days locked up in a Chinese jail with lights always on 24 hours. From China, they landed in Calgary at 5:40 a.m. on Saturday morning, September 25th. They were flown in by a Royal Canadian Air Force jet from Anchorage, Alaska and were met by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who embraced both Michaels, along with Minister of Foreign Affairs Marc Garneau. China freed the two men in a deal which allowed Huawei senior executive Meng Wanzhou (on the left) to return from Vancouver to her home and family in China. The United States was very much involved in negotiating much of this.
TORONTO IS GETTING “A VANCOUVER BOOST” WHERE GERRARD STREET EAST MEETS YONGE
It seemed we were sunk when the Cresford Developments real estate empire collapsed. That left the city with a partly built block of Yonge Street, the best known and most important downtown thoroughfare. 
Over several months an expansive, deep hole was dug up behind an abundance of small, important businesses. Miraculously, Vancouver’s Concord Adex discovered a rescue opportunity. It gained court approval to remove from bankruptcy the project formerly known as ‘Yonge Street Living Residences (YSL)’, and replacing that with a 95-storey building named ‘The Concord Sky’. 
Living up to its name, this will be one of the tallest towers in Toronto when it’s completed in 2026. 
Isaac Chan, vice-president, Concord Adex Sales and Marketing, said “We managed to come up with a good solution that all parties are happy with. It’s taken a little bit longer than we anticipated, but these are complicated projects.”
BELOW – AN AMALGAMATION OF ARTS ON DUNDAS STREET WEST, DOWNTOWN TORONTO
SONG DONG’S ‘WISDOM OF THE POOR: COMMUNAL COURTYARD’ GIVEN TO THE ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO
This will take up serious storage space. It’s an “immersive” labyrinth of 100 Chinese doors assembled by Beijing avant-garde artist Song Dong (b.1966) – originally for the Venice Biennale – and now in the permanent collection of the Art Gallery of Ontario. The armoire doors were rescued from within the Beijing hutongs, a vast network of laneway housing either being demolished or gentrified, in a capital city that’s been expanding and rebuilding at breakneck speed. ‘The Wisdom of the Poor’ addresses the role of traditional architecture in today’s changing urban environment. 
<PHOTO – Song Dong, Pace Gallery>. 
<Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas Street West>
THE KIDS ARE CHECKING OUT A UTILITY BOX, AND THE ADULTS ARE BIKE RIDING ON SUMACH ST.
PORTER AIRLINES HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS FOR EASTERN CANADA – THEY’RE RESUMING FLIGHTS AGAIN!
Porter Airlines is resuming flights among Eastern Canadian destinations. They are – Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Moncton, Halifax, Quebec City and St. John’s. From September 17th Porter will be adding Boston, Chicago, New York City and Washington DC. Other destinations are on the way.
A SUNDAY AFTERNOON ON KING STREET WEST IN TORONTO’S FINANCIAL DISTRICT
MASSEY COLLEGE IS A “PLACE OF DIGNITY, GRACE, BEAUTY AND WARMTH”
MASSEY COLLEGE, 4 Devonshire Place, is a well-connected and financially endowed institution in downtown Toronto. 
Designed by Canadian architect, Ron Thom, and opened in 1963 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, this is one of the University of Toronto’s most beautiful buildings. The College was conceived by VINCENT MASSEY, 18th Governor-General of Canada, as a “place of dignity, grace, beauty and warmth”
Toronto Savvy 