Nuit Blanche 2011 setup at Toronto City Hall

With the Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2011 coming this weekend you can see various complex projects being put together in the week leading up to the all night art event. At Nathan Phillips Square in the shadow of Toronto City Hall I see several sets of scaffolding being assembled around the square.

Checking the Nuit Blanche website it looks like this could be Flightpath Toronto Installation by Usman Haque - London, UK and Natalie Jeremijenko - New York, USA.

From the Haque website "Inspired by the birds of Nathan Phillips Square, Flightpath Toronto is a participatory spectacle inviting the public to rediscover the possibilities and wonder of urban flight. For Scotiabank Nuit Blanche 2011, the square hosts an urban flightschool, an interactive visual airscape, and fly-lines that enable hundreds of people, enwinged, to re-imagine the city and the way we move through it.

By exploring the square through the eyes of its primary inhabitants, urban birds, can we reinvent our relationship to the city we build together? By reclaiming airspace as public space, can we consider other forms of transit, rediscover the 'sport' in 'transport', and excite imaginative possibilities for our urban infrastructure? Are we game to experience, through flight, a city that is fluid and three-dimensional?

Flightpath Toronto's swarms of flying people experiment with an urban-scale participatory proposition: one that demonstrates the pleasures of emissionless urban mobility and creates a shared memory of a possible future.

Flightpath Toronto is a collaboration between Usman Haque, architect/artist and Natalie Jeremijenko, engineer/artist, uniting his expertise in participatory urban spectacle with her expertise in bird flight and urban natural systems."

See more progress after the jump.

Canadian Tire Driver Scott Steckly 2011 NCTS Champion

The NASCAR Canadian Tire Series (NCTS) finished the season with a race at Kawartha Speedway (the Kawartha 200) and Canadian Tire Driver Scott Steckly and his #22 car finished second in the race and captured the 2011 NCTS Championship Title. This is Scott's second NCTS Title, his previous title was in 2008, and in this race he came in only 0.358 seconds after race winner DJ Kennington. In the photo above Scott climbs out of the 22 car and is given a checkered flag as the 2011 Champion at the September 24th race (Joe got some great shots of the race and the celebrations).

Knowing he is the champion, Scott enjoys a good burn out on the track at Kawartha.

Canadian Tire driver Scott Steckly is presented with the NCTS National Champion trophy.

Scott and his Championship team with the 2011 trophy.

Scott is one of those racers that is a pleasure to meet as he is really nice. Sometimes that might hinder his chances in winning but as you can see the two time NCTS Champion can still put the pedal to the metal and capture the top spot in the yearly points total. Thanks to Canadian Tire's Stephanie Bonk I was able to ask Series Champion Scott Steckly some questions about his stock car racing.

Scott, his family and team are surrounded by media after the race.

1. Does he like to travel during the season (ie what about out of province) and where is his favourite race track? Scott: Since we are so busy racing throughout the summer we don't get too much time to travel. Usually we get a couple weekends off and we can take some short trips with the kids. My favourite track is the Riverside Speedway in Nova Scotia.

2. Which does he like night time or day time races? Scott: I prefer racing at night. For one it is cooler in the car, but I also think it is better for the fans. They get to see the brake rotors glowing, flames coming from the exhaust and sparks flying from cars when contact is made. (note: One of my favourite shots that I took of Scott racing was where he was leading JR Fitzpatrick and the brakes were glowing a deep red - see the photo on my post here, James.)

3. Does he think being nice hinders him in racing? Scott: No not really, I just race my competitors they way I want them to race me and I believe that helps. When rivalries start it usually ends up with some dnf's and there’s no room for those in a 12 race series.

4. Road or Ovals? Scott: I prefer ovals because I started my career racing on ovals.

5. How long does he hope to continue racing? Scott: I plan on racing as long as I am having fun and I’m competitive.

This is Canadian Tires fifth year of sponsoring the NASCAR Canadian Tire Series and I was wondering what their intentions were going forward with the Canada wide stock car racing series.
What are Canadian Tire’s future plans in regards to the NASCAR Canadian series?
Canadian Tire Corporation: Part of our strategy to further our position as Canada’s automotive authority includes being a major player in Motorsport in Canada. We are thrilled with the performance of our driver Scott Steckly in the 2011 NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, and we are looking forward to the upcoming season.

The 22 car at the Honda Indy Toronto.

The top five racers at the NCTS Kawartha 200 were as follows.

1. (10) D.J. Kennington, St. Thomas, Ont., Dodge, 253 laps, 42.984 mph.
2. (4) Scott Steckly, Milverton, Ont., Dodge, 253.
3. (2) J.R. Fitzpatrick, Ayr, Ont., Chevrolet, 253.
4. (7) Kerry Micks, Mt. Albert, Ont., Ford, 253.
5. (8) Mark Dilley, Barrie, Ont., Dodge, 253.

Canadian Tire Driver Scott Steckly Reigns Supreme as NASCAR Canadian Tire Series Champion - see the entire press release after the jump.

Empress Cruise in Toronto

'Long live the fun!' Sweet. It was a beautiful day to be on the water boating around Toronto Harbour in the Empress of Canada cruise ship. We went with friends and it was very enjoyable, great views, food was nice and if you wanted to dance you can go to the top of the ship and boogie. I was taking pictures with my cell phone so it doesn't do justice to the great view of the skyline and the lights reflected on the water.

The view of Toronto's skyline from Polson Street as the sun sets.

The dock is at 11 Polson Street (head down Cherry Street and turn right onto Polson Street and go right to the end) and the parking lot is right there. I was worried about getting a spot because of the Cirque Du Soleil's Totem at Cherry Street and the Polson Pier concert but they had plenty of space available.

The Empress bow looking towards the City.

You have to book ahead because it is a popular attraction and we decided on the Saturday, September 24, 2011 8:00pm trip. The cruise lets passengers on board at 8pm and you line up early to get a seat because not everyone was guaranteed a seat (on our cruise everyone that wanted seats got one), it was first come first served for tables, dinner and desert. Looking online I thought that the earlier you got in line you would receive coloured tickets that would determine the order that you ate - not true. It was also not supposed to be a dinner cruise, rather it would be an appetizer buffet. So this is what really happened (FAQs and information follows based on my experience, check with Empress if you want confirmation or additional details) for our cruise.

1. Drive to the Polson Street parking lot at the end of the street and pay your parking fee (ours was $20).
2. Get there early to make sure you get a table. We were at least a half hour early and we were in the middle of the pack. The lineup starts at the gangplank in the far northwest corner of the parking lot, right beside the helicopter landing pad.
3. They grab your coupons and/or tickets and tell you that your tickets for dinner and drinks will be provided as you are going into the ship.
4. Save a table, seating is tight and tables are on the first and second floor - the dance floor is up top on the third floor.
5. Once you save a table head to the dinner line where you present your dinner coupon and the put together the plate right there with your food. We had chicken, pasta, salad and a roll and everyone in our party liked dinner. It is first come, first served and I think they had two stations, one on the first and one on the second floor. They have bars on all three levels, the one on the first floor closes soon after dinner is over as everyone seems to head up to the next two floors - especially to the dance floor.
6. Your cruise ticket comes with two beverage tickets - beer, wine and mixed drinks are one ticket, non-alcoholic drinks are half a ticket. Fancy coffees and liqueurs were $7 each.
7. Later, after dinner has been put away, they bring out a desert table on the second floor. You can get one of  such tasty offerings as brownies, nanaimo bars, etc along with coffee.
8. You could smoke on the open bow of the boat after it leaves the dock.
9. The ship cruises along the inner harbour heading west from the dock passing by ferry docks, Rogers Centre, Harbourfront, Ontario Place and the Island Airport before heading out of the harbour and into Lake Ontario. You circle around the south side of the Toronto Islands before coming back into the harbour from the Cherry Beach side. Total time from loading to returning is about 3.5 hours. The view from the water is great so bring your camera to get some great shots.
10. Their season runs from April 1st to December 31st and you can contact them at (416) 260-5665.
11. We got our tickets through a tenant/community appreciation event. We spent about $40 for the 'city lights cruisess' coupon book which included 8 tickets to the cruise. You had to pay a $14 departure fee, two drink minimum ahead of time, fuel surcharges and taxes so each person cost just under $40. At this price it is very affordable and reasonable to take a cruise and enjoy the dinner and dancing.

See more pictures after the jump.

Harbourfront Centre: Natrel Pool Canoe

The Natrel Pond at Harbourfront Centre is a cute little pool of water where people lineup to go for canoe rides during the busy summer season.

Colourful poles dot the docks at the Centre and are reflected in the water. 

Even in the rain plenty of people want to get out in the red canoes, huddling under umbrellas so they don't get wet.

It is fun to see so many first time rowers try to keep their balance in the canoes. These kids were playing beside the fountain, rocking back and forth while the spray shoots in the air. Finally they rocked a little to far to one side and the canoe tipped over and out they went. Luckily the water was only about a foot and a half deep and they had life jackets on to be extra safe.

Spiderman, spiderman

I had posted some photos of dew covered cobwebs found on the Toronto Islands, now I follow that up with some big old spiders, sitting in their webs waiting for dinner to drop by. I think these bad boys are big enough to eat people.

Distillery District Egg Beater

There is not too much art in the bricky and Historic Distillery District that is understated or that flies under the radar. It is an atmosphere of I am art - hear me roar, from the large spider to the giant egg beater ('Still Dancing' pictured above in Trinity Square which "is a 36 foot tall sculpture constructed in aluminum, steel and structural cast resins. It is the creation of internationally renowned artist, Dennis Oppenheim. ).  

The scary monster named Koilos, above, sits "Crouching in Distillery Lane, is Koilos, a fourteen foot tall sculpture constructed of hand cut sheet metal. Sculptor Michael Christian explains that Koilos, sits with its legs ready to move, pounce or play."

You can see additional posts of the Distillery District sculptures here: FEEL, the District, putting the egg beater together and Freaky Sculptures.

The Victorian Industrial revival setting is a place to be for wandering and watching, or even for taking pictures of large, happy wedding parties. There are lots of event held throughout the year so you should always take a chance and drop by - I saw an art festival there which featured works from westrockartmetal.com among many others.

The place is so hep cat cool that I thought these cones against the old building were not merely traffic cones but were instead a heart wrenching art installation that speaks out against the clash of traffic and the safety that rules and lines provide to humanity, with a hint of sexuality in the male/female tangle of rough plastic.

Big screw on the streets of Toronto

It looked like a countersunk wood screw running around outside the Eaton Centre on Queen Street West. You can trust the frisky crowd from Queen Street West to be so out in the open with their screws. I tried like heck to see a giant robertson screwdriver crunching everything in its path along the roadway as it homed in on the screw but no, just the big screw hanging out on the sidewalk (I would have loved to nail that baby, oh man I shouldn't post when hammered!).

Up close I was disappointed to find out that it was just a screw costume. They were promoting a website called 'How screwed are you dot ca' with a message to lower student post secondary education fees, create full time jobs and cancel planned corporate tax cuts.

With the Ontario General Election fast approaching on October 6, 2011 it is a chance for you to help determine the brand and size of screw that Ontario will get.

Last day of summer 2011

September 23rd marks the beginning of fall, or sadly, the end of summer. Isolated leaves are beginning to change, you know hair where there was none before, special feelings, etc. Leaves become so sad about winter that they jump off the trees, eager to end it all. I saw some trees near Ryerson University right beside the big boulder pool have started to go yellow.

I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but find your parka, gloves and boots because you never know when you will need them.

Dos EcoCab

The most interesting EcoCabs in the world, even real cabs dream of being an EcoCab. Welcome my friends.

I often see the plastic cabs riding in pairs as if they are scared of being alone. Maybe they get bullied and
must hang together to scare away their enemies.

Cameron House on Queen St West

Cameron House is "Toronto's original artmusictheatrebar" and has been getting a little face lift, a little nip tuck and a little sandblast. The Queen Street West beacon of fabulous still has a problem with ants though.

Croft Street Graffiti & the Great Toronto Fire of 1904

I was hoping it was Lara Croft Street with a little Angelina Jolie spicing up Toronto, but no, it was just Croft Street. It was spicy anyway with all its graffiti murals and vine covered buildings along the small width roadway.

The building at the corner of Croft Street and College Street tells the story of the Great Toronto Fire of 1904 and the death of John Croft, the only person that died during the conflagration that destroyed a chunk of Toronto and put many out of home and work. John was clearing ruins caused by the fire using explosives. When some of the explosives didn't go off, he set out to make sure they were out. Unfortunately the explosives chose to go off and John expired the next day from his injuries. In 1908 an alley way was changed from Ulster Avenue to Croft Street to mark the end of John.

The street is full of colourful graffiti and it is fun to travel down the roadway.

Monument to Multiculturalism at Union Station

Francesco Perilli's sculpture 'Monument to Multiculturalism' sits at Union Station along the Front Street entrance. The sculpture of a man was unveiled in 1985 by the Mayor of the time; Art Eggleton, during the Toronto's sesquicentennial (150th anniversary) and was provided by the National Congress of Italian Canadians on behalf of the Italian Canadian Community. The work features a man inside a partial globe, building it with the help of doves, or it could be a naked man caught by birds, whatever. See another view of it here.

Francesco said of his work "I conceived the monument to be cast in bronze, and, stylistically, in a postmodern vein. It represents a man who, at the center of the globe, joins two meridians; while the remaining meridians are held aloft by doves, a peace symbol in themselves. Moreover, the doves are symbolically meant to represent the cultural vitality of the people who, with the man, construct a new world, under the banner of dialogue and mutual respect.."

There is a plaque on the base of the monument which talks about the United Nations International Covenant on civil and political rights Article 27, shows an official statement on multiculturalism by the late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau (PET) as well as mentioning the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Article 27: In those states in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own religion, or to use their own language.

PET said that "It was the view of the Royal Commission shared by the Government and, I am sure, by all Canadians, that there cannot be one cultural policy for Canadians of British and French origin, another for the Original Peoples and yet a third for all others, for although there are two official languages, there is no official culture, nor does any ethnic group take precedence over any other. No citizen or group of citizens is other than Canadian, and all should be treated fairly."

And finally the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, part 1 of Canada Act, 1982 Article 27: This Charter shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the preservation and enhancement of the multicultural heritage of Canadians.

I love the different peoples that we have in Canada, and especially in the GTA, and how many people work together to live in peace as they enrich each other with their culture.

Turquoise and the fire escape

Blue-green walls and metal fire escape stairs - it's like being in the Caribbean waters, except for the bricks and stairs. Colour is good though, Toronto doesn't have enough colours. I think the city is scared of bold, vibrant colours. Interestingly enough Lady Gaga appeared in Toronto for the MMVAs wearing a Turquoise wig, she is not afraid of nuffin' (I said that because of her muffin, of which she is bluffin').

You can see a little turquoise in the planet Earth as shown in the Cabbagetown's Jet Fuel Coffee Shop sign. Then I'm thinking that it should be rocket fuel!

Pickets at Toronto City Hall

CUPE sent the big pink flying Squad bus full of workers to Nathan Phillips Square where emergency workers  joined other public service workers as they set up an information picket at the entrance to Toronto City Hall on Monday, September 19, 2011. Actually the bus is pretty cool. It has a great graphic showing a female worker in the style of a world war two factory worker poster. Toronto Council Executive Committee meet today to discuss 2012 budget cuts as part of a core service review.

The imaginary (not a real City Department) Department of Public Memory, City Service Division, works with citizens who posted stickers on a city map showing public services that they want to save. Reports are that about 400 public members are to speak at the meeting with their concerns of the possible cuts. Approximately 250 workers are expected to be cut from the TTC alone as they and other City departments seek to find 10% cuts in budgets.

Pickets form a large circle, moving counterclockwise (I thought that was only supposed to happen in the southern hemisphere?)

Media, including George Lagogianos from CP24, report from site. 

'Ignored by Ford?' poster.

My opinion is that there are savings available to be had, bureaucrats and politicians like nothing better than building empires and making rules that mean more staff and more costs. I think that they should make reviews like this every 5 to 10 years and really look at what they can do and what it costs to do something. Politicians should look at the requests to spend money or add bylaws and things (like more stop signs, traffic signals, etc) that cost money to install and money to maintain - usually against the advice of their own staff. Is 10% reasonable or is there other ways beside laying off staff, that is what they need to find out?