Into The Big Smoke

The Big Smoke is one of several nicknames given to Toronto, capital of the province of Ontario. When I was leaving southern Ontario from my trip, I had time before my train was due to leave, and so went for a walk, both on the surface and using the extensive PATH network that links downtown buildings beneath the ground. My path first led me to Brookfield Place, which I've never been in before.

I passed by the Ed Mirvish Theatre on Yonge Street. It dates back to 1920. At the time of my visit, a production of Anastasia was playing. While I admittedly liked that animated movie, would it be so hard for theatre producers to come up with original works as opposed to adapting movies or putting together a story based on a rock album?

No, that's just too much work.

Just up the street is Yonge-Dundas Square. It is in my opinion the most hideous piece of real estate in the country: garish billboards everywhere, visual clutter. I didn't notice until I was putting this post together that the old Sam the Record Man sign, which once stood nearby here, now stands on a building rooftop here.

These two shots are inside the nearby Eaton Centre mall.

The geese sculpture set is at one end. Flight Stop is an installation by Michael Snow.

Here we have the city's war memorial, standing outside Old City Hall.

Old City Hall is now used as a courthouse. It stands near the present City Hall, and is here in the background at Nathan Phillips Square. The reflecting pool presently hosts skating.

Here we have a view of the present city hall. I vastly prefer the architecture of the old one.

Moving along, I passed by Osgoode Hall nearby. Its origins date back to 1829, and today it houses courtrooms and the offices of the Law Society of Ontario.

I took another shot of it on my way back from the furthest point I'd gone to.

University Avenue is one of the big north-south roads of the city, and it's close by. Here in the centre of the avenue is a monument for the South African War, with the grand Canada Life building to the left. This monument was designed by Walter Allward and dedicated in 1910. A decade later he would set to work on his masterpiece, the Vimy Ridge memorial in France.

A Walk Among The Murals

The shots from today and tomorrow date to the latter part of October, when I had occasions to be up in the Hintonburg and Westboro areas. I came across a number of murals as I went along.

This is the Irving Greenberg Theatre Centre, home to the acting troupe the Great Canadian Theatre Company.

Several years ago Wellington Street was ripped up for a massive infrastructure overhaul in Hintonburg. It's the practice of the city to place public art along such streets afterwards. In this case it was hydrant sculptures. Two of them are here.

This last one, I believe, is in Westboro. It's a musically themed mural that does need a bit of a touch up. More of this tomorrow.

Ancient Greece And Modern Tech

I went over to the renamed Museum of History in Gatineau a few days ago to take in a couple of the temporary exhibits. One I thought I would make mention of now, since it closes on the 12th of October, and those in the area with an interest in the subject would want to take it in. The Greek government, in collaboration with four North American museums, has sent a large collection of artifacts on tour, covering thousands of history from Agamemnon to Alexander. No photography was permitted (more's the pity), but the collection was well worth the visit. The tour began in Montreal, and this was the second stop. For my American readers, the exhibit moves to the Field Museum in Chicago starting in November, and in the spring of 2016 it will be on display in the National Geographic Museum in Washington.

Contrasting the ancient with the modern, this is the projection room for the IMAX theatre here at the museum. All that equipment inside is used for the showings of the giant scale documentaries. The theatre always has at least two films running, with showings in English and in French. Some of the previous films that have been shown here through the years are mounted on the wall nearby as permanent posters.

I leave off with this view from the terrace outside the museum. I have more from here, but I'll be leaving that until the end of the month.

Theatricality

Two places from last year that I paid quick return visits to this year for Doors Open are both close to home. The first is in Old Ottawa South. The Mayfair Theatre dates back to 1932, and operates as a repertory theatre showing second run, classic films, art house, and cult films. For some strange reason they persist in monthly showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and a more recent wretched film called The Room, starring, written, and directed by a guy named Tommy Wiseau, who looks a) like he was hit by an ugly stick thirty thousand times, b) he's stoned, or c) both.

This weekend Jaws is on the bill. Cue John Williams and that music. 

The building is done in a Spanish Revival style, with false balconies and an inviting interior. Aside from movies, wedding services have been done here.

Up the street in the Glebe, I also visited the Avalon Studio, which I showed you as well last year. The old fly gallery of the Avalon Theatre was left alone for decades after the cinema shut down, the bulk of the building converted into retail space. The Avalon Studio opened up this space, now used as an intimate performance space with adjoining workshop rooms for actors. This is the second year the company has shown the space as part of Doors Open.

I like the old brickwork of the preserved gallery, and it's a terrific space, something very different for Doors Open.

Outside, the bare bones of the old Avalon Theatre can still be seen when you know it was there; the hardware store takes up the bulk of the old building, but other retail and cafes also thrive here. The portion housing the Avalon Studio can easily be seen rising at the right.

Projectionist Perch

Another holdover from Doors Open. I was in the Mayfair Theatre on that weekend; the first post is here. At the back of the theatre, the projectionist's booth was open for viewing. It was crowded when I peeked in, one of the staff members speaking with a couple of visitors about the equipment in here. It's crowded, as you'd expect out of such spaces, and yet it has touches you expect out of the Mayfair, like movie posters on the walls.

The Avalon Studio

Blessed Sacrament is a Catholic church in the Glebe. It was participating in Doors Open again this year. I haven't been inside before. The church dates back to 1932, and incorporates elements of Roman design, with an altar featuring Greek monograms.

A short walk away was another destination. The Avalon Studio opened last year. There was a full scale theatre called the Avalon in this part of the Glebe for decades, until it was gutted and turned largely into retail. The bones of the building are still there, though, and for some reason, the fly gallery of the old performance space was left untouched.

The guys who run the place were looking for studio space for acting lessons, and this place suited them. They're the two up above in this second photograph. They told me that the purpose of a learning center here has met their expectations, and that they completely underestimated the demand for a small performance space. The Avalon Studio is well booked for months to come.

The space is quite versatile for performances; depending on what's going on, music or theatre, they can fit between sixty to eighty audience members in here. It's a marvelously preserved old space, and for so long went unnoticed.

Doors Open

I'm starting up Doors Open posts today. Over two days, nearly 130 buildings in and around the city were open to the public, buildings of heritage and historical value. I'll give you the link for Doors Open events across the province this year. For those of you who are in the province, that's a handy guide for finding events later in the year. For those not here, bring that link to the attention of officials in your home town as an idea if you don't already have something like this going on.

My first stop on Saturday for Doors Open was Southminster United Church. It's an impressive old stone church with an excellent location overlooking the Rideau Canal. It dates back to 1931, and is a result of the union of two congregations during the era that started up the United Church. The church is built in the Gothic Revival style.

The sanctuary lets in a good deal of light.

And the organ is an impressive one, a Casavant.

There are plaques in the church for the First World War, covering the two congregations that amalgamated into this church. This one commemorates those members who perished in the Second World War, after the church was united as one.

Near the church was another location, but it was open for Doors Open just on Sunday, so this was my first stop that day. The Mayfair Theatre dates back to 1932, and is still independent, showing a mix of recent films, art house cinema, classics, and really obscure stuff (plus some real dreck like regular showings of The Room and Rocky Horror Picture Show). 

The Mayfair is a lovely place inside, with the interior still preserved from the era, including false balconies and Spanish Revival details. It's even occasionally used as a wedding venue.

One of the balconies had a full sized Alien standing in it.

And at the back of the theatre is mounted Han Solo in carbonite. Full sized, just like in The Empire Strikes Back. Apparently Boba Fett stopped by to see Midnight Run on his way to collect his reward.