Video: Toronto By Numbers

I posted a video a few week's ago that my friend in England made while in Toronto (the video was later picked up and posted on the Torontoist as well). I thought I would share another video by the same friend, in which he sets a collection of numbers found in Toronto to music.

Watching this video (as I have done several times now; how could you watch it just once?) reminds me of all the small details that we might miss in our everyday goings about town. House numbers don't necessarily command our attention as we walk down the street, but as this video shows they are numerous (ha!), unique, and often beautiful.

It's the cumulative effect of such diverse details that make Toronto so visually dazzling at times. When I first moved here from Vancouver it would take me forever just to walk down the street in my Annex neighbourhood because my eye kept becoming caught left and right by the amazing architectural diversity and the detailing on the houses. Coming from the land of the architectural cut-and-paste (glass condos; Vancouver special house) it was refreshing to see such character. Sure some of the paint is peeling off the brick, and the wood may have a warped, bloated look at times, but each house seems to have its own unique stamp. If the devil's in the details, then beauty is as well.

A Video Homage to Toronto's Lost Buildings

A friend of mine who is currently residing in London, England made this video homage to Toronto's lost buildings. It's difficult to watch the video without wondering about the evolving face of Toronto, and how the decisions to demolish buildings can so change the landscape of a city.

One of the biggest changes to me is Trinity College in what is now Trinity-Bellwoods Park. You can still see the gates to the college at the south end of the park along Queen Street, but all traces of the building are gone.

It's interesting to note too some of the buildings we still have that were once threatened with demolition, or partial demolition, like Old City Hall. I think one proposal had the whole building gone with its replacement being an Eaton's Centre tower, while a revised proposal kept just the old clock tower. Thankfully neither of those were realized and the building was left standing.

But with the neglect, partial collapse, then fire and planned demolition of a heritage building on Yonge street recently, it's clear that we still have some ways to go in protecting our heritage buildings.