City
Incredible sights from Bay Street's lofty heights
After ascending roughly 50 floors of an unfinished condo on Toronto's Bay Street, we found ourselves facing a spectacular 360-degree view of the city. Far enough away from the downtown core, and yet close enough to see its entire breadth, we were blown away, once again, by the fruits of our rooftopping adventure.Many Torontonians view the sprawl of vertical living space stretching toward the lake as a blight on the landscape. As a hobby photographer, I tend to take a slightly different stance, viewing the construction of these buildings as massive metal and glass monopods. For me, these buildings don't obfuscate my view so much as they allow for more intriguing perspectives from which to gaze at my city...
City
Stopping to smell the roses at Concord Floral
For nearly a decade, just north of Toronto, a quarter-million square foot greenhouse has sat abandoned. I had heard of this place for some time, but never understood just how massive the complex really was and thus paid it little attention. The decay in this place is very unique, as it seems to follow the seasons. Where the plants have punctured the glass ceilings, there is growth. Most areas, however, lie either parched or completely dead.
City
The Last Days of the Downsview Hangars
With all of the recent controversy surrounding the demolition of the derelict hangars and control tower at Toronto's former Downsview air base, we thought a final visit to the site was appropriate.Coming around the south end of the property, we were amazed to see the haste of its demise, with an entire side to the building now missing. The open space inside the two main hangars is astounding. Perhaps it's the way in which such vast emptiness hints at what it once contained that left us in awe of the historic building.
City
Above the City at Day's End
I don't think I'm alone in looking up at certain buildings in the heart of downtown Toronto while walking by. Do you ever wonder while doing so if there is someone looking back down? An auspicious opportunity allowed us access to a beautiful rooftop which I had been eying for years.
The stunning view it offered was unique not only because of its breadth of view, or the fact that it had a jutting point overhanging the street itself, but because it allowed a twofold view: on the one side was a particularly "old Toronto" (due to the age of the building, no doubt and the fact that we could look down at decidedly "old-school" architecture). And, at the other, we could look up and across at what has happened since.
City
Exploring Railside Industrial Ruins in Vaughan
Just north of Toronto on surplus rail land sits the quiet industrial ruins of grain elevators. Very little information is available surrounding this quiet place, which looms ominously over the surrounding low-lying industrial landscape.Quite early one morning we decided to pay the site a visit, a friend having spotted it some weeks beforehand while passing nearby. The neighbourhood, housing mostly active trades, was vacant this early in the day. The thick gray clouds above us contrasted sharply with the industrial relic we sought, relegated now to the obscure obsession of a curious few.
City
A Ghost Ship on the Leslie St. Spit
Toronto's Portlands are home to many strange and beautiful things. Recently added to the industrial array is the partially deconstructed hull of a massive cargo ship. There is something terrifying about the prospect of an enormous vehicle torn apart. Forgotten vessels such as this have seen so much of the world, and yet reach such inglorious ends. To find an item like this in Toronto is even more bizarre, and immediately reminded me of the distant shores of Alang, where over half of the world's ships go to die.
