Hidden Gems
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Forest amongst the buildings
Native oak and birch trees shade out the harsh noonday sun. Squirrels forage for acorns amongst the serviceberry bushes and wildflowers. The sound of...
By Matthew Blackett -
Bloor West passage
At Bloor West just east of Symington, a new public walkway between a three-storey condominium and the Rankin apartment buildings provides an attractive...
By Matthew Blackett -
Walking, or sitting, in the clouds
Sitting on top of an underground parking lot just off the corner of Yonge and Temperance Streets, the Cloud Garden Parkette is a refuge, oasis, and an...
By Matthew Blackett -
Dogs and landscaping
In 1837, a block of land between Richmond and Adelaide, along Brant Street, was set aside to serve as a market square for the newly developing west end of...
By Matthew Blackett -
An architectural graveyard
In the eastern end of the city, along the shores of Lake Ontario, there is a geological wonder that stands tall and majestic. Created thousands of years...
By Matthew Blackett -
Hurricane Hazel leaves her mark
When Hurricane Hazel reached Toronto on October 15, 1954, residents of the Humber River Valley were hardest hit. Many of them lived in newly minted...
By Matthew Blackett -
Wychwood’s Taddle tales
Just north of Davenport Road, between Bathurst and Christie Streets, sits Wychwood Park, one of Toronto's first gated communities. It is still a...
By Matthew Blackett -
The Humber’s coolest restroom
The bike and pedestrian trails at the mouth of the Humber River tour through a varied landscape. One minute the riverside paths will take you under an...
By Matthew Blackett -
An honest bench in the Annex
On the edge of the sidewalk on Brunswick Avenue between Harbord and Bloor streets sits a loveseat-sized wooden bench with a small plaque on the back...
By Matthew Blackett -
Lost grandeur at the curb
Nestled behind the Edwardian factory buildings of Spadina and the Victorian storefronts of Queen, a little park sits in quiet contrast to the city around...
By Matthew Blackett