Skip to content

Spacing

Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

Green Space

The wind takes control of Lake Ontario

By

Read more articles by

If you walk down to Lake Ontario today you will see some rather large waves. The wind storm we’re experiencing has already closed off streets in the downtown area as well as the Burlington Skyway, highway 405 and the county roads around Orangeville. But down by the lake, you get to see the beautiful side of nature’s fury. I’m lucky to have a 24th-floor vantage point that allows me to watch the waves smash against breaker walls, soaking ducks and gulls trying to rest on the calm side of the barrier.

Spending some time by the lake in the winter can be a very private moment, something not often experienced in a city. Very few people use the waterfront during these winter months, besides the men cruising for a good time in the Green P parking lot beside the Toronto Yacht Club. On a day like today, the lake is a sight not often seen by Torontonians.

photo by TW Collin

Recommended

9 comments

  1. It was fun biking to work along the Waterfront heading downtown from the west end of the city. this morning. I’ll probably leave my bike at work tonight and take it back tomorrow when the wind is expected to be from the East.

  2. Spending some time by the lake in the winter can be a very private moment, something not often experienced in a city. Very few people use the waterfront during these winter months…

    Tell that to my fellow dog-walkers on the boardwalk in the Beaches! Although I’m always impressed by the indefatigable joggers, speed-walkers, and saunterers who come out at 7:30 a.m. in all weathers. Not to mention the city employees emptying the garbage bins.

  5. Electric Landlady >> The Beaches is the only area I’ve seen in the city that embraces the lake in winter. Its probably becuz its the only neighbourhood without a major impediment between it and the lake.

  6. woah. it’s unreal… looks like the ocean. where was this photo taken from?

  7. One of the funny things about Toronto’s historic lack of connection to the waterfront is that most of us are totally oblivious to what a spectacular body of water the lake is. It really is like our own private ocean; the unbelievable waves in bad weather, the almost tropical green parts of it take on in summer, and so on…I rowed in high school and so got some first-hand experience of the lake in many of its moods, and I hope that as the waterfront revamp picks up steam many more Torontonians will get to do the same.

  8. great picture, and a classic example of why one should be wary of the Lake – it can be deadly.
    And yes, we need better connections from mainland to water’s edge – but there’s such a set of well-used and big east-west travel-ways, it’s hard to cross over.