Caves and ice skating along the Eramosa River

The drop in temperatures have been awhile coming with double digit negative readings first occurring in late January, 2021. But the cold has thickened the ice and people are walking on the Eramosa River in the Rockwood Conservation where two skating rinks were cleared of snow and skaters were taking advantage of the outdoor rink. The area is so unique that several movies, tv shows and commercials have been filmed in park - including Reign, Utopia, Cheaper by the Dozen 2, Camp Rock 2, a bunch of Murdoch Mysteries and many others. In fact there is a movie being filmed in the park in the early part of 2021. Update Feb 9: The filming is for the tv series Titans from the DC Universe - see photos at the bottom of the post.

Pure Canada - playing hockey on frozen lakes or rivers

This recreational area was home to a long abandoned quarry and the remaining quarry roads and trails pass by a series of caves near the north end of the park. The park is also well known for the caves and glacial or geological potholes including a giant one called the Devil's Pit or Devil's Well (which I haven't seen myself yet). With the ice suitable for walking we had a chance to check out the caves and cliffs found on islands that you usually don't get a chance to see.

Potholes even join together to provide alternate routes for the river

You can only see these caves when you are out on the water

Exposed cliffs of Silurian Age Amabel formations are composed of dolomite, which is what you get when limestone losses calcite and gains dolomites. There are a couple of high vantage points to get a good look at the surrounding area. 

A small fire in the cave provides warmth for the skaters and families

Remnants of the first damn by the waterfall

Soothing sounds of the waterfall

If you are going to walk in Rockwood Conservation Area you should also bring some ice cleats to keep safe on the paths and trails, or on the ice.

Update Feb 7, 2021: Hot movie set in Rockwood ongoing.

See more of the movie set and caves after the jump.

Festival of Cool at Harbourfront Centre

Site Alive Winter Edition is on at Toronto's Harbourfront Centre which is a bright light in the times of Covid. The programming includes the Festival of Cool by the Harbourfront Centre and the Waterfront BIA from 10am to 10pm - January 15 to February 7, 2021 and don't forget to follow the safety protocols.

From Harbourfront's website, "Dear 2021, please be gentle. While there are still restrictions and a lockdown happening in Toronto, it's important to stay home and stay safe, but that doesn't mean enjoying life is canceled. There is still lots happening on the waterfront from amazing restaurants you can take out or delivery from, deals and discounts and even a light exhibit for when you go out for some fresh air and exercise. The illuminated public art was installed to bring light to the waterfront during a challenging time. Harbourfront Centre security staff will be on-site to ensure health and safety protocols are followed, in accordance with the advice and guidelines of Toronto Public Health."

'Iceberg' in South Exhibition Common

"Iceberg is a playful, immersive work made up of a series of illuminated metallic arches that tell the story of an iceberg. Visitors “warm up” the ice monuments to create a visual and auditory symphony.
Creation and execution: ATOMIC3 and APPAREIL
Architecture in collaboration with Jean-Sébastien Côté and Philippe Jean
A production of the Quartier des Spectacles Partnership, created for the 3rd edition of Luminothérapie, Montreal, 2012."

'Sonic Runway' along the Boardwalk

"The Sonic Runway is a light-art installation that converts audio signals into patterns of light, shooting down a corridor of LED-lined arches more than 100-metres long at the speed of sound.
Creators: Rob Jensen, Warren Trezevant
Tour producer: Creos
Music: Classic Roots"

Welland Canal sprang a leak

First they shut down the Welland Canal for the season, no big ships plying the H2O Highway between Lakes Ontario and Erie, then whenever they need to do inspection and maintenance they drain the water out between lock sections. In January 2021 the water between Locks 3 and 7 has been drained, leaving a small creek running down the canal.

Up at lock 7 they have heavy duty pumps sucking the water out of the empty lock and back into the upstream channel. The locks aren't really watertight and the ducks appreciate the slower flows.

The lift bridge at Glendale Avenue

The signs say don't use your anchor around the pipelines

The view of the empty canal is pretty amazing. It is hard to believe that those giant Great Lakes steamers can make it through without dragging their hulls through the dirt.

See more photos after the jump.

Pine Sanctuary sculpture in Riverwood

A big ass, colourful sculpture sits in the entrance to Riverwood Conservancy park, just off Burnhamthorpe Road West in Mississauga. The aluminum sculpture by Marc Fornes / THEVERYMANY was created to help celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary

Blue, green and black stripes come together as they reach for the sky. You can get inside the sculpture and luckily it doesn't drop the pine sap onto your head.

From Marc's Linkedin page, "The delaminated, double-layered skin provides a moiré of colors, as well as shadows and speckled light to catch on the ground. This is a place for spontaneous play as much as it is a sanctuary for one to simply lose their time. There's no trunk holding up this arboreal structure. Instead, it opens up into a shady space. Macro shingles resolve into branches that touch the ground lightly around a covered grove, like a redwood hollowed out. The stripes of Pine Sanctuary adjust in density, so that gaps between them generate areas of porosity. In petal-like forms, the stripes merge together at the base, offering spaces where dancers and explorers and tree-dwellers of all kinds can tuck in, recline, or hide for a moment. 3,161 unique stripes accumulate to host these activities."

Barrier to Scarborough Bluffs

The majestic cliffs of grey, unconsolidated sediment rising high above the shores of Lake Ontario tends to collapse and drift on the currents. In August 2020 a large chunk of the bluffs broke free and fell in a billowing cloud of dust and debris. A close call because it did not fall on anyone.

In response the City of Toronto put up a fence barrier near the high vertical slopes along the beach advising people that there is "No Public Access" and "Caution Falling Debris". Of course people being people, they ignore the signs as they think about climbing to the top of the bluffs, perched precariously where they could be rescued by emergency services.

Enjoying the danger, two people walk along the small section of beach immediately below the towering bluffs

Even in winter the public loves to visit Bluffers Park and wander the parkland, hoping for sun and watching part of the eroding, 15km long Scarborough Bluffs which were created over 12,000 years in the past. As the City says, "The Bluffs’ edge is unstable. Stay behind the fences and use your common sense. Do not approach the edge of the bluffs". The material hasn't combined into a solid rock, it remains a relatively loose collection of sand, stone, silt and clay - ready to fall with a little effort when exposed to the elements. One day it will just be a gentle hill so you better see it before it is too late.

You can see how thin the top section of the bluffs as erosion wears away the backing of a section of the cliff

A pile of debris sits at the site of the latest collapse

The path to the bluffs passes a small storm sewer outlet so bring your rubber boots if  you want to visit

Protests in Toronto January 2nd, 2021

New year is here and so are the protests. The teachers had a Queen's Park car caravan protest and at two separate groups gathered, them marched onto city streets. The anti-lockdown protestors shouted out, waved flags and banners and handed out leaflets. The two groups are definitely on the opposite side of the impacts of covid.

The teachers were protesting lack of COVID precautions and support during their event, while two groups protested about the lockdown and assorted restrictions to freedom - one at Yonge and Dundas and the other starting at Nathan Phillips Square. They later joined together and apparently they are 

gathering every Saturday in Toronto.

Police were out in force, mostly bicycle officers, to control traffic as the protestors walked down the busy city streets, taking up one-half of the roadway. The freedom side seems to think that COVID is a fake problem, then they get into a crapload of conspiracies including the good old microchipping and vaccine issues and add in a dash of 5G concerns. Let's hope that everyone remains peaceful.

See more photos after the jump.

'See' tv series set in Ontario Place

Season 2 of the series 'See' with stars Jason Momoa and Alfre Woodard is currently filming in Toronto and production locations include the West Island of Ontario Place. The site of the abandoned log flume and Ontario North Now silos have been encircled with movie sets that resemble a small village with an imposing entrance gate.

The Apple TV+ streaming movie by Eye on the Ball 2 Productions Inc. shows a very challenged earth, set 600 years in the future where everyone is blind as the result of a virus. Everyone, that is, until a set of twins were born with sight. Jason is a chieftain who must protect the children from a nasty queen.

See more photos after the jump.