TinyTO model of downtown Toronto

There is a model of the city's buildings sitting in the lobby of Toronto City Hall, just off to the left as you come in, showing many of the city's iconic landmarks such as the CN Tower and Rogers Centre (note the dome is open) in white. It is modular and ready to be updated as the city evolves.

Humber College through their Centres of Innovation Network has recently partnered with the city to update the tiny model buildings to accurately portray the city's downtown skyline. Students from various school departments (Industrial Design, Interior Design, Graphic Design, User Experience Design and Game Programming) using Toronto's 3D Massing info.

The 3D model of the city core has 12 tiles (4×3 grid) with each tile being 1.2m x 1.2m with a model scale of 1:1250

Baldwin Steps by Casa Loma and Spadina Museum

Spadina Road runs between Queens Quay and Eglinton Road, broken by the steep grade at Baldwin Steps, just north of Davenport Road. The steps are situated in Spadina Park which is between two historic Toronto landmarks - Casa Loma and Spadina Museum.

Casa Loma's front courtyard

Casa Loma is an amazing piece of architecture and holds plenty of events throughout the year, including Christmas at the Castle. Entrance to the building is fairly expensive, especially when they hold special events.

Near the top of the Baldwin Steps - this view is always free

Looking down on Spadina Road and the City's skyline

See more of the area after the jump.

Magical ice buildup on Polson Pier

Sunset was encroaching on Toronto’s skyline as viewed from Polson Pier down Cherry Beach way. On the westerly facing pier water had blown over everything in the frigid cold and froze solid.

It is a weird fantasy world of ice, much like the houses coated along Lake Erie, with the added bonus of a beautiful view of Toronto.

Tommy Thompson Park on the Leslie Street Spit

The peninsula off Leslie Street continues to grow as concrete waste is still accepted into the landfill during weekdays, filling the man-made site since 1959 and adding to the original sand bar that existed when Toronto was still York. The southern part remains landfill while the northern part became Tommy Thompson Park which remains mostly naturalized. We even saw a beaver swimming alongside the shore looking for some trees to snack on.

There is a long, asphalt multi-use trail running the 5-km length of the spit, broken by a floating pedestrian bridge, perfect for cycling, hiking, roller blading or looking at nature. There is also pedestrian and nature trails along with an information kiosk and bathrooms with parking just off Unwin Avenue. Because the site is still a landfill it is closed to the public during the week and is open to the public evenings, weekends and holidays until 9pm.

A beaver swims along the shore 

From the park's website: "In the years between 1974 and 1983, the land base dramatically increased, as approximately 6,500,000 cubic metres of sand/silt were dredged from the Outer Harbour and placed at the spit. This resulted in the formation of the lagoons and sand peninsulas which now account for a significant proportion of the land base of Tommy Thompson Park. In 1979, another major expansion of land area took place, with the construction of an endikement on the lakeward side of the Headland. This provided protected cells for dredged material from the Inner Harbour and the Keating Channel."

The end of the spit features a circular pathway around the point and the rounded bricks, blocks and other concrete waste that provides a break wall to the pounding of Lake Ontario's waves. Interspersed in the waste are the metallic tentacles of rebar poking out along the water's edge. People have taken to building temporary brick structures and art forms based on bricks and blocks pierced by the rebar.

People were making tall towers from the construction materials used in the landfill, however as they were slightly dangerous they have been removed by the park.

The best view of Toronto's skyline is from Polson Pier

Looking from the small parkette on the end of Polson Street, known as Jennifer Kateryna Koval's'kyj Park, is the greatest skyline view of Toronto. The park is along the Eastern Channel of the inner harbour and you can see the lights from the office towers and condos reflected in the waters of Lake Ontario when the water is calm.

The view is also nice from the Toronto Islands but then you have to worry about the ferry schedule. Another good view is from Broadview Avenue.

CN Tower and Spotlight Toronto

You don't have to be a tourist to take a 58 second trip up the CN Tower, but it helps. With Spotlight Toronto you can enjoy over 35 attractions all winter long with two for the price of one offers - including the world's tallest free-standing structure at 553 metres which offers a spectacular view of the city and its far reaches.

The CN Tower is open from 9am to 10:30pm and the Spotlight continues on weekends until March 1st, 2020. The usual adult ticket to the look out level is $38 plus tax so the Spotlight price is a great savings and gets you up the tower during the less busy winter season. The fun starts when you crowd into one of the six elevators with windows that peek out and give you a view of the ride up.

The Look Out level

If you haven't been to the tower lately you have missed out on the renovations that have placed floor-to-ceiling glass Window Walls that run 360 degrees around the level, comprised of special glass 2.74 inches thick that adjusts darkness and makes photography easier. You can also get to the new Glass Floor and outdoor walkway which is one floor below the Look Out level. The glass floor is 346m above the ground and you can see the top of the aquarium with the sharks circling on the roof.

The outdoor walkway is screened in. It can get pretty windy and cold up there

Ripley's Aquarium is right below the tower

Standing on the glass floor with a mirror above

The CN Tower's shadow falls on the downtown core

A lot of times you can find buskers like army toy man and Spiderman at the base of the tower

Rogers Centre, the CN Tower and the Ripley's Aquarium of Toronto

It is a challenge to find some famous city landmarks which are partially obstructed behind towers and condominiums. When you look around the city's skyline you can see the impressive amount of downtown buildings, surrounded by low rise suburbs with small, random groups of buildings just popping up. The growth along Yonge Street leads north and is hard to miss. See some of the sights after the jump.

Toronto skyline at night

Colourful signs and the light show on the CN Tower reflect into the harbour beside the Portlands. I started down at Cherry Beach where you can follow a path in the dog park to the side of the Eastern Channel. Trees and the former high speed ferry property block a lot of the view.

From the west side of Cherry Beach

You can find great views from the park at the end of Polson Street

Looking west across the harbour you can see planes takeoff and land at Billy Bishop Island Airport

CN Tower at night

The fog has been blotting out the city lately but sometimes you can still see the tower at night. A great view is along the Union Station railway corridor, west of the big, pointy concrete structure.

A GO Train passes along the row of condos

A view from above

Took Ann and the kids to 360 Restaurant in Toronto's CN Tower for Mother's Day weekend - food was great but my goodness, it is expensive. Just over $500 for four people, with one drink per person, including tax and tips. Bonus for the great views though. The Yonge Street corridor runs a long way north of the financial district in core of the city center. Condos and office towers stand tall along the route.

See more after the jump.

Old Town Toronto Cavalcade of Lights

Carolers dressed in uniform performed in Berczy Park as the night time celebration of Christmas lights takes place in St Lawrence Market neighbourhood on Saturday, November 30. The War of 1812 soldiers gathered by the tree to sing songs of the holidays. On weekends the Victorian Carol Singers will be performing on weekends throughout the market area until December 21st.

"With the arrival of Santa and his parade, thoughts of kids young and old begin to turn to the holidays. Here in Old Town Toronto, the festivities begin with the annual Cavalcade of Lights celebration. Join us Saturday, November 30th from 5:30pm-6:30pm in Berczy Park and in St. James Park from 6:45pm-7:30pm for the tree lighting. Enjoy a hot cup hot chocolate or apple cider."

Bright coloured lights cover the trees

The Flatiron building adjacent to the park makes the trip to the area more than worth the trip

La Tour CN Tower

It is hard to imagine the #Toronto skyline without the CN Tower, it stands out like a … big tower thingy in almost all photos of the city. Opened in 1976 the 553.33 metre structure will soon be 40 years old (in 2016) and still attracts approximately 1.5 million visitors a year. 

Taking advantage of the smaller crowds at night we checked out the lookout and glass floor levels for several minutes before the fog completely shut down visibility. We got to see up close some of the 1,330 LED fixtures that put on an impressive light show and that add some much needed colour to the city. 

Great views of the city from the observation deck

Outdoor Sky Terrace bathed in red light

Some other features of the tower include the following. 

Edgewalk at 356 metres above the ground – billed as the highest external walk on a building, opened in 2011. 
360 Restaurant (revolves) 
Horizons Restaurant 
Motion Theatre Ride 
Movie Theatre 
Café and gift shop

See more of the space needle after the jump.

Building Toronto's Skyline

Two workers stand on an overhang on a condo under construction near the Air Canada Centre. Concrete, steel and glass buildings are quickly changing the face of Toronto and construction cranes have become a typical sight in the city.

Lines of condos are going up along the Gardiner Expressway 

The construction elevators and tower cranes that run up alongside the new structures give workers an adventure just getting to their work stations