TLTV Ep 58 - Etobicoke Creek Trail (Part 2)

Finishing up our brief look at the beautiful Etobicoke Creek Trail, we'll pass a few more bridges, spot some colourful graffiti, and spy some thsitles wafting in the late afternoon breeze of a summer day.

TLTV Ep 57 - Etobicoke Creek Trail (Part 1)

The Etobicoke Creek Trail runs alongside the Etobicoke Creek, which is located in the west end of the city of Toronto, near the border with the city of Mississauga. Even though the trail is close to businesses and Pearson International Airport, you hardly notice it from walking through this picturesque valley. Plenty of wildlife can be found along the meandering banks of the Etobicoke River. Other sites include lush fields, cliffs along the riverbank, and a few pedestrian bridges. This place is an absolute great place for a leisurely stroll.

TLTV Ep 56 - R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant (Toronto)

The R. C. Harris Water Treatment Plant is both a crucial piece of infrastructure and an architecturally acclaimed historic building. It is located in the east end of Toronto in the Beaches neighborhood, along the shores of Lake Ontario. The plant was built by 1941 and unlike most modern engineering structures, was also created to make an architectural statement. Fashioned in the Art Deco style, the cathedral-like structure remains one of Toronto's most admired buildings. It is, however, little known to outsiders. The plant has thus earned the nickname The Palace of Purification. Despite its age, the plant is still fully functional, providing approximately 45% of the water supply for Toronto and the Region of York. In 1992, the plant was named a national historic civil engineering site by the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering. The facility's beautiful grounds remain open to the to the public.

TLTV Ep 55 - Bloor Street Bridge (Toronto)

There is a bridge near The Old Mill that carries automobile and subway traffic on Bloor Street over the Humber River valley. If you venture below you will discover quite an interesting place. The bridge itself is covered with unique graffiti, but you will also see tranquil bike paths, families canoeing underneath the bridge, and a few people fishing in the Humber River. Check it out...

TLTV Ep 54 - The Old Mill (Part 2 - Interior)

We're back at the historic Old Mill in Toronto. In this episode we'll venture inside and see some of the incredible sites that lay within. We'll venture down some of the beautiful hallways and staircases, see the chapel getting ready to host another wedding, watch one of the dining rooms being set up for a wedding and see a dining room that is all ready to host it's celebration. We'll also see a presentation being made to hundreds of guests in the extensive conference halls, and we'll finish off by passing by the little gift shop near the Old Mill's amazing restaurant.

TLTV Ep 53 - The Old Mill (Part 1 - Exterior)

In 1793 the Kings Mill - the forerunner to todays Old Mill - was built in order to process lumber for the first homes in Toronto. Today, the Old Mill Inn & Spa is located in the heart of the hiking and biking trails of the scenic Humber River valley, close to wildflower-filled woodlands and manicured gardens. It is now a Toronto landmark, a picturesque English-style inn complete with beamed ceilings, glowing fireplaces and original flagstone flooring. As an addition to its extensive meeting and conference facilities, the Old Mill offers hotel rooms and suites, an incredible restaurant and a tea garden. It also hosts numerous weddings much of the year. In fact, a common site at the Old Mill is to see brides and grooms getting married in the Old Mill's chapel and celebrating in one of the Old Mill's many incredible dining rooms. In this episode we are going to take a look at the exterior of the Old Mill. You will see it's charming facade, as well as the tea garden, patios, and some to the roadways leading to the entrance.

TLTV Ep 52 - Terra Cotta Conservation Area (Part 2)

We're back at the Terra Cotta Conservation Area. In this episode we'll check out more tree-lined paths and sit by a small lake. We'll also visit a secluded little spot where water from the lake pours out into a small stream. Finally, we'll look in on some friendly frogs near a nice picnic area. Enjoy!

TLTV Ep 51 - Terra Cotta Conservation Area (Part 1)

Situated on the rugged Niagara escarpment, Terra Cotta Conservation Area consists of 508 acres which is slowly being transformed back to its original beauty. To help the area recover from its former use as an intense recreation and camping site, in recent years an award-winning naturalized wetland has been created, replacing a stone swimming pool, while the forests have been enhanced by planting. The 308 acre Terra Cotta Forest adjoins the Conservation Area, providing a real sense of wilderness right next door the ever-expanding urban development.

Terra Cotta is a trail lovers paradise. A variety of trails take visitors past the forests, fields, lakes and ponds of the Niagara Escarpment surroundings, and link up with well-known Bruce Trail, and let you experience natural settings, so close to urban and rural developments. The trails at Terra Cotta accommodate all levels of trail users, from beginner to expert with a variety of terrains and distances.

TLTV Ep 50 - The Old Don Jail

The Toronto Jail (more commonly known by the nickname The Don, or in the media as the Don Jail ) is a provincial jail for remanded offenders in the city of Toronto. It was built between 1862 and 1865 (predating Canadian Confederation by two years) with most of the current jail facilities being built in the 1950s. Originally constructed to house 276 prisoners, its "rated capacity" is now 550, and its average prisoner load is about 620. In addition, as a "short-term" jail, it was not designed with adequate visitor facilities, exercise areas, telephones, lawyer meeting rooms, showers, or even laundry facilities. However, the average stay is 30-90 days, and many prisoners are kept there for months. Many attempts have been made to close it as politicians, international human rights organizations, prisoner advocate groups and even prison guards have decried its overcrowding and inadequate facilities. Guards at the jail have even walked out in protest of these conditions. Before capital punishment was abolished in Canada, the Don was also the site of a number of hangings. The Don Jail is scheduled to be turned into office space in the near future.

TLTV Ep 49 - The AGO (Art Gallery Of Ontario) - Inside

The Art Gallery Of Ontario (AGO) is one of the most prestigious art galleries in Canada. It was recently re-designed by famed architect Frank Gehry and now includes stunning spaces like the Italian Galleria and the spiral staircases jutting out the back facade and hanging over Walker Court. I recently photographed the new interior spaces for the architect, and this video will show you a sample of my images.