Sunday, December 8, 2019

Medusa And The Winged Lion

Today I have some odds and ends. The last time I did one of these, I featured a Medusa that looked a bit more friendly. This one looks more fierce. It's a nightclub up in the Byward Market, and this is their logo on the doors.


Back in the summer a fire broke out in the Market and destroyed three businesses. These shots from a few weeks back shows the demolition process. It could have been worse- alleyways on either side kept the fire from spreading to other buildings before firefighters could get it under control.


This shot was taken before the last game of the season for the Ottawa RedBlacks of the Canadian Football League. I happened to attend, though it's not a sport I go for. The team had a bad season, and did lose this game to Montreal, but at least they went down fighting, instead of getting mauled like several other games this season that had been blowouts. This is taken from the upper level of the south stands, while people were still filing into the stands.


Utility boxes in Ottawa are often decorated thematically in different neighbourhoods. Out in the Westboro area, the theme is nature.


I've never shown you this building before. The Plant Bath is a heritage building dating to 1924, at the intersection of Preston and Somerset at the north end of Little Italy. It has been extensively refurbished a few years ago, and expanded into a recreational centre with adjoining park. 


Out front is a monument commemorating the Vietnam boat people- the tens of thousands of refugees accepted into Canada in the 1970s and 1980s.


Taken a few days later, here's a close up of the monument.


Down the street on Preston is the Sala San Marco, a banquet hall. Two winged lions guard its entrance.


Back in the Glebe, a historic plaque is on the side of St. Giles Presbyterian Church, documenting the origin of the neighbourhood.


This is a sculpture in Centretown. The Listening Tree is a steel pipe installation by Jesse Stewart and Matthew Edwards, placed here in 2016. The pipes channel the breeze on a windy day and turn this into a sonic sculpture as well as a visual one.


I finish with another work of public art. Winston Square is out in Westboro, and includes this sculpture by Joanna Swim and Adrian Gollner. Winston Chandelier was erected here in a pedestrian square in 2017, and includes animals, plants, and constellations in its design.

38 comments:

  1. I love that utility box. The Listening Tree looks really interesting and bet the sound is too.

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  2. Oh, I remember one game in Braunschweig with a French team.
    Those guys came all the way to us and lost 53:0.
    And what I love about this game? They gave their best till the end and were shaking hand with every player when going home, and "we all" were cheering to them, too.
    Soccer? Lots of police every time, hooligans, too, awful (I see that as we live close by).

    The utility box is beautiful!

    Weren´t those times. People went to other countries to start a new life, learn the language, make a life.
    These days?...

    Love the Lion! And the sculpture as the christmassy chandelier.

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  3. I thought this was the hairdresser's medusa! 😅
    The winged lions are very beautiful!

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  4. A nice variety of photos, A fire is very frightening to watch!

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  5. Wonderful post with a lot af variety.
    Your photo of the utility box is absolutely my favorite today.

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  6. I like the utility box best of all.

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  7. There is a store at the Byward Market called Bodega - I shopped there last weekend - fabulous place.

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  8. I always enjoy variety in posts. These are great. Incredible utility box.

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  9. ...is the Plant Bath building near the Italian deli we went to? The utility box is so well done.

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  10. i really enjoy the butterfly and blooms. i see lots of lion around, often wonder what they do cost to line your drive? the dog are more friendly looking but maybe the home owner prefers a more royal (regal, i think that is the word i want?) look? ( ;

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  11. The statue of a mother and child resolutely striding forward is beautiful, but she sure doesn't look Vietnamese.

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  12. @Kay: it's different.

    @Iris: thank you.

    @Ella: it stands out.

    @Marianne: it is indeed.

    @Jan: thank you.

    @Anvilcloud: it's a good one.

    @David: it is.

    @Marie: thanks.

    @Tom: it is up the street.

    @Beth: thank you.

    @Francisco: thanks.

    @Barbara: I would agree.

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  13. I like the utility box best too!

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  14. Super series of random shots William, love the monarch butterflies on the utility box, so pretty

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  15. Your odds and ends posts cover a lot of territory. It's a good Ottawa tour.

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  16. Great series of photos. I love the painting on the utility box and that sonic sculpture.

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  17. I enjoyed this post, filled with odds and ends, all interesting. :-)

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  18. The Listening Tree sculpture sounds like fun to hear on a windy day.

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  19. A wonderful variety of excellent shots. The utility box is pretty to see.

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  20. lovely overview. I would like to hear The Listening Tree sounds.

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  21. @RedPat: it stands out.

    @Grace: thank you.

    @Red: thanks!

    @Sharon: thanks!

    @DJan: a pleasure to show.

    @Maywyn: definitely.

    @Bill: I think so too.

    @Klara: thank you.

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  22. I love your city ...without even ever having been there. Public art and monuments ...and something to do any time you want.

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  23. Love the 'boat people' monument ~ so glad Canada took them in ~

    Happy Moments to You,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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  24. Think how many statues there are all over the world featuring a mother with children, leaving their country.

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  25. I like the whistling tree and the decorated utility box:)

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  26. I like your mix and match today, William. How sad about the fire.

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  27. These are much fun.
    I didn't know there was a monument to Vietnamese refugees. So many worked so hard for them and with them. I had students who fled.

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  28. The utility box is simply amazing.

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  29. I do like the utility box … it looks great.

    All the best Jan

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