Grange Park: Let's go!



I know it's a little late. Better late than never?

Stop 1: Grange Park

 

Some sights and sounds. Aka me being creepy and trying to subtly catch people on video but not having the guts to do it.

 

 

OCAD. Kenny said he was part of a zine sale or something in the park? I forget now. :( And I've lost the cute book he gave me to upload onto here. Boo. Well I'm sure OCAD students do lots of cool things in this park. Curriculur, extra-curricular, and...extra-extra curricular I'm sure :)

I like this cursor from Dave Colangelo. gore-REAL-AH. Apparently there are other ones in Trinity Bellwoods. Hopefully when I make it there (in the next 10 years at the rate I'm going) it will still be up.

It's on a horsechesnut! I had always seen these trees around the city, but didn't know what they were. I learned on the job at High Park from the knowledgeable staff at Colborne Lodge. Native to Europe, likely brought over as early street trees...

 

Hypothesis! We won't see these much outside the downtown as we get to younger parts of the city. I'm excited to find out.

 

Real knowledge about horsechesnuts from Todd Irvine on Spacing Toronto.

 

 

What is this? Correct me please if I'm wrong but I think it's Common Mallow? Latin name Malva neglecta. Neglecta? How sad!

Yup, I don't think it's a particularly attractive plant, but Google images show its light purple flowers to be pretty. And apparently they are edible!
These people made MARSHMALLOWS from them!

Definitely want to try that one day. However, the Mallows are really good at sucking up nitrates, so that may not be so healthy for you? Are nitrates an issue at Dundas and Spadina? I don't know. Hopefully this isn't a dog/person's pee spot.

Keith Haring?

"Banker, philantropist, patron of the arts" says Wikipedia. He helped to found U of T, the AGO and the ROM. No wonder he's a sir.

 

In the shadow of the AGO's south tower. Apparently, Frank Gehry chose this blue titanium cladding from the sky. However, the sky looks a little too gorgeous in comparison right now. Still nice though.

On the day of the AGO's opening a few years ago, my mom and I were just walking by. They were letting people in for free! So we joined the line, which curled into Grange Park here.

 

Solid play structure. Classic. This is very similar to the one in the kindergarten yard at Willy (my elementary school). This playground is just outside the Alexandra Park Community Centre.

 

As I was sitting there - people I recognised came out! A grade 3 kid and his mom who came to High Park for a field trip when I was working at the Toronto Urban Studies Centre. We can discovered Plants and Early Settlers in High Park together! From park to park. But I didn't say anything. Maybe I should have. (If you are a Grade 3 teacher, you should do this field trip with TUSC! Fun stuff.)