#17 HARBOURFRONT
Parks, gardens, arts venues, and skyline views make this walk along Toronto's lakeside a local favorite.
DATE: Sunday, July 1, 2012.
TIME: 12:14 - 1:54pm
Harbourfront! Well this is a must for tourists in Toronto. No matter the season - there's always something going on at Harbourfront. Concerts, festivals, movies, skating, buskers on the boardwalk.... and its pretty much all FREE!!! I had a lot of fun teasing Alma about Harbourfront being a continuation of MY BEACH since (a) the walk literally starts where the western waterfront walk ends (b) this is west of Yonge, and everyone knows west of Yonge is westside and (c) this literally is my beach because I live in this neightborhood. I come down here for walks a lot and often eat at the resturants here with visiting friends. I am though looking forward to seeing what the card makers think are important sites.
I must say... this is one of my favourite areas in Toronto! I absolutely love being by the water ;) ... not in... just by...
There are plenty of things to do... so let's go! (and completely ignore Monica's comments above)
In case it hasn't been said, it's a scorcher out there
All smiles now... but just wait!
Alma had the brillant (and logical) idea of starting the walk backwards, so here we are at the corner of York and Queens Quay which is actually the end point of this walk.
I have my moments, I guess....
I have my moments, I guess....
5. Queen's Quay Terminal
... a small mall with a few lakeview dining options.
Umm, I wouldn't suggest this mall for a lot of heavy shopping. Remember, it's a tourist area so super expensive. And I can attest that the Sobey's here is considerably more expensive than the Longos just up the street. But they do have a games store I like walking through... I like games!
Yoou do?
Yeah, maybe they should call it a plaza instead of a mall. Makes people expect less from it... The Eaton Centre is a mall.
Ummm... if you're by the water during the winter time, Queen's Quay Terminal is the place to go warm up. There's a food court on the second floor, where there are huge windows overlooking the water. It's pretty.
There's a Tim Hortons too! For all your cold or hot beverage needs... Today, an ice cap and lemonade slushie were definitely in order!
It's baffling that there are always people lining up here for the water taxi. I think it's because some tourists don't know that you have to walk a block east to catch the ferry. I looked it up, and it's $10 per adult, $5 per child (the ferry is ~$7 per adult), and there is a minimum fare of $30 before the taxi takes off.
At my highschool, we had an annual Boat Dance in May. Think I went twice.... it was a lot of fun. It was a basically a dance boat cruise on the lake. If you were late, and still wanted to catch up, to the boat, you had to take the water taxi. And a few people did. Ahhh... boat dance. That's all I'm going to say about boat dance.
Hehe... Boat dance...
I had my OAC boat cruise around here too..
Yeah, that's all I want to say about that.
I had my OAC boat cruise around here too..
Yeah, that's all I want to say about that.
Try Il Fornello, the pizza parlor of choice for visiting celebrities like Barbara Streisand.
More name dropping! The restaurant is no longer called Il Fornello. It's now Bar Milano. (I usually go to the Watermark pub, but disappointing that they don't have the Irish Pub fries that we love so much.)
Not the greatest pic - but that's the restaurant to the right. You get a nice view of the lake as you enjoy your meal.
That's me! Well.. my hand, on the right...
That's me! Well.. my hand, on the right...
This is going to be another one of those "how many CN towers?" walks isn't?
hehe
But how can you not include it?!
hehe
But how can you not include it?!
Fun little fact. We're not standing on the true Toronto shoreline. The lake actually used to go up to front street. I believe boats could actually dock at the Royal York Hotel. As Toronto grew as an urban center, lake filling began in the 1800's and didn't stop until sometime in the first half of the 20th century.
Really?! That's so awesome! Imagine valet parking your boat at the Royal York?!
4. Harbourfront Centre
Once dilapidated warehouses and factories, these building are now a hotbed of cultural activies. Highlights include a Theatre Centre, the Power Plant Contemporary Art Gallery, York Quay Centre's gallereis, a seasonal skating pond, the Craft Studio - where artists can be seen at work - and Bounty Contemporary Canadian Crafts, where you can purchase the fruits of the artists' labors.
The cards don't lie, there is always something going on at the Harbourfront center. We came here on a grade 9 art trip back in high to make clay masks and have them fired up. It was a lot of fun. I made a comical sun..... I'm horrible at describing things like that so I'll just take a picture of it and post it. It still hangs in the laundry room at my parents place. What do you mean that's not a place of honour????
Thinking back... we went here a lot in elementary school. Got to see how silk screening was done and also how glass was made...also milk days, where you get a free small carton of milk.
One of my favourite memories though was in grade 5, when we got to see author Gordon Korman. I remember he was really funny and thinking he was sooo old. Yeah, I recall his age at the time cause the following year, I wrote in my journal telling my grade 6 teacher about Gordon Korman and how 30 is old. Her comment back was "30 is old?!"... I should bite my tongue now...
Canoeing! Fun, eh?!
This is where there is skating in the winter. Sadly, since I've moved into the neighborhood I actually haven't been skating here....but I just haven't been skating in general in a long time. This winter Alma!
I'm in! But I must warn you...
I don't think I remember how to skate since I clearly don't follow the saying
"it's like riding a bike".
I'm in! But I must warn you...
I don't think I remember how to skate since I clearly don't follow the saying
"it's like riding a bike".
That's me!
Well my head... on the left...
kinda looks like a painting...
This is the theater where the free outdoor movies play. This summer's theme is "Underdogs". They're playing movies like Zoolander, Whip It, Office Space.... I want to see Moneyball which is playing later in August.
Never seen an outdoor movie here... But there are so many festivals.
The girls and I always somehow make it to the Beats, Breaks & Cultures, where we'd watch the finals of the break dancing competition. A lot of talented breakers... some that I've seen try out for the Canadian version of SYTYCD too.
Looking at the harbourfront's website, it looks like they no longer hold that competition :(
That's too bad, it was always so entertaining.
This venue is also where most of the movie "This Movie is Broken" was filmed... and where Broken Social Scene did a free concert. Man I wish I attended...
The wave deck! Or one of them. This is the Simcoe one. It is the most extreme of the all of them. I think these opened up after the cards were published which is probably why they aren't mentioned.
I was amused to see that this private boat had a pirate flag up! I wanna be friends with these people. A boat and a pirate flag!
And they really know what they are doing - I was amused to see them hang the Canadian flag upside down, which is a sign of distress (they have been taken over by pirates!)
Did I really need to be in this picture????
Yes! Look how happy you are!
Yes! Look how happy you are!
Mon enjoying her cold beverage and shade... before heading back into the blistering hot sun!
Canoes!
kayaks!
Man and kayak
stranded kayak
If all the pictures of kayaks and canoes make you want to go on the lake...
well you can!
and we did!
Well not today...
We went a few years ago with a few friends and my cousin and his friends. It was a pleasant afternoon, paddling around the islands and then taking a lunch break at centre island to then paddle back. You think I was lying if I said that we played skipping and 'sorry frisbee', but we did and it was fun... Also since our group was relatively large, we had a canoe to ourselves. We didn't out row the other canoe, but it was nice to leisurely see Toronto and Lake Ontario from a different perspective.
I highly recommend it!
(and one can go paddle on a lake, that's near one's birthday and not call it a birthday celebration, even if there is cake... just saying... )
well you can!
and we did!
Well not today...
We went a few years ago with a few friends and my cousin and his friends. It was a pleasant afternoon, paddling around the islands and then taking a lunch break at centre island to then paddle back. You think I was lying if I said that we played skipping and 'sorry frisbee', but we did and it was fun... Also since our group was relatively large, we had a canoe to ourselves. We didn't out row the other canoe, but it was nice to leisurely see Toronto and Lake Ontario from a different perspective.
I highly recommend it!
(and one can go paddle on a lake, that's near one's birthday and not call it a birthday celebration, even if there is cake... just saying... )
Sorry for the sloppy pic - but I was trying to capture a shot of the retro street car. (It was so hot that day, and with our drinks in our other hands, we just didn't take the greatest pics in general. Quite frankly, Not sure we even stopped walking for any of them.)
One of the HTO parks (get it?!) These parks have a sandy area with umbrellas and chained down chairs and some water features to wash off your feet and get water for the moats of your sand castles. (I didn't know that... where?!) Last summer when I used to babysit Liam frequently at my condo, we'd come down here so he could dig. Great place with the Toronto skyline line including the CN tower and Skydome (that's right, I'm still calling it that) in the backround and the lake infront of you. He'd love pointing out the boats and watching planes land at the island airport. Just have to scour the area for beer bottle caps and cigarette butts from late night visitors to the park. But in general, this park is cleaner than the others - probably because of its proximity to the fire fighters marine unit (and the police station isn't far either). Anyhoo, I thought this opened up before the cards were published so not sure why they're not on.
My painting of Mon's seagull from before...
Hehe... Oops!
Hehe... Oops!
Doesn't that pug look happy?!
3. Toronto Music Garden
Various sections of which correspond to movements in Bach's First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello (audio tours may be rented at Marina Quay W.)
You Tube Link to the Music
The idea behind the gardens is that as you walk through the various sections listening to Bach's composition, the garden is supposed to reflect the music. (The path - whether it be winding or straight, the plants, the landscaping features...) It's a serene little park. Have never walked through with the music, and I'm ususally more interested in the shaded areas.
I've never walked in the park with the music either, but the idea of it sounds really nice. They actually have free concerts of varying music here in the park every summer. I've caught a couple performances and it really does add to the garden... creates a wonderful soundscape. So I can imagine how much Bach's music compliments the garden.
If I'm not mistaken, I think Yo-Yo Ma helped with the design of the garden.
As we posted the pics, I had a hard time placing this one. (Was distracted at the time with other things.) Days after the walk I realized I didn't make a Harry Potter reference this walk so to Alma's annoyance I'm adding one in now. See I didn't remember this moment because Alma performed a Memory Charm on me here. Perhaps she isn't a Muggle after all!
2. Little Norway Park
Named in honour of exiled Norwegian Pilots who trained here during World War II.
Don't miss the park's smell-a-month "Fragrant Gardens", where seasonal blossoms create an ever-changing atmosphere in the warmer months.
I have to say, I don't usually go past Bathurst and the conmmunity center on my walks by the Harborfront - unless I'm headed to the Ontario Place parking lot for free fireworks (though with Ontario place closed this summer and indefinately, don't know if that'll happen again). So learning about this place was nice.
Alex and I have ventured here a few occasions on our aimless walks....
This park is relatively quiet, but it's massive! A great place to get away from the noise of downtown. We've once passed by during softball game... and at night, all the birds literally cluster in the trees, chattering... conspiring... it kinda gave me the creeps.
Nice during the daytime!
Kinda awesome to see something like this...
...
Cool painted park bench. There are a few in this park. Which reminds me Alma, we're supposed to buy some chairs and paint them. It's on the list!
Yes Yes!
Yes Yes!
There are a few playground features in this park. There was a set of swings on the otherside of the totem pole - but not exactly beside the monkey bars. So I made a comment about how random they were. Alma used it as a way to complain about my beach. Ahhh, that Alma.
Doesn't it look like the height of this can be changed?! Kinda neat.
I didn't notice that till you pointed that out. Don't think I've ever seen that before. That is neat.
Doesn't it look like the height of this can be changed?! Kinda neat.
I didn't notice that till you pointed that out. Don't think I've ever seen that before. That is neat.
It's following us...
This bench had a totem pole on it!
Fun!
Monica felt something on that railing...
or was it her sunscreen?!
Whatever it is...
Look at the floor of the bridge!
We talked about how steep this path is and if one could go down it by bike/rollerblades.
I learned how to bike too late in my life, so... for me, no.
Another quiet area to sit and relax and watch the planes up close...
like the people in the picture!
You can be like the couple in the picture!
1. Coronation Park
...contains a World War II memorial, on which the word "peace" appears in 50 languages, and HMCS York, the building that houses Toronto's Naval Reserve.
Here we are at the eastern edge of the park, where obviously the baseball diamond is. We're hot and I'm parched but nonetheless we wanna do this walk right and find the memorial.
The tent was empty inside. It reminded me of the circus festival at the Harbourfront a few weeks ago in which my bro, sister-in-law and I took my nephews too. I was telling Alma about the ridiculous circus obstacle course we waiting in line for (for quite awhile). When we finally got in, Carl said it best: I could have made a better course in my backyard with the garbage in my garage. Anyways, the kids liked it.
Happy Canada Day!
The World War II memorial from a distance. Kind of cool - you can see its supposed to be either end of a boat.
yeah, very cool...
oh the artist behind it... so smart.
yeah, very cool...
oh the artist behind it... so smart.
The cards tell us the word "peace" is supposed to appear here in 50 languages but we can't seem to find it is in English.
Can totally sense that you're searching for it, in this pic!
Can totally sense that you're searching for it, in this pic!
Found it! In case you're wondering, my foot there at the end is supposed to represent an exclamation mark.
Well, we're tired and hot and our feet have blisters from poor footware choices, but we've come this far and figure we might as well get our pic of the Coronation Park Sign.
From behind we thought this might be it, but alas, it isn't.
The plan was get water - as we're parched from the heat. We ended up with some yummy street meat as well.
(I had to include the pirate)Alma's Rating: Like I said before, I love being by the water... so this walk is high on my list. I guess as many times as I've been here, there is always something different to experience... it never ceases to get old. So I'll give this walk a 4.5 as well!
O Canada, eh?
No comments:
Post a Comment