Hidden Gems

Lately I have been complaining about the lack of aesthetic sensibilities in Toronto. Perhaps those 8 years in the DC area have spoilt me. Washington, DC, as many of you know, is a culturally vibrant city, with an artistic surprise waiting for you at every corner. The urban fabric consists of ornate mansions, richly restored townhomes and elegant apartment blocks from the heydays of the 20s, mixed in with ultra-modern condo conversions. The business district has its share of 70s bare-concrete edifices, but thankfully they're keep well-hidden by the height restriction. Overlayed on all of this are some of the finest landscaped parks and public spaces in the world, connected by criss-crossing avenues and parkways that're designed more for aesthetics than driver convenience. Every out-of-town driver in DC has at least once been stuck in this 'chakravyuh', only to end up in the ghettos of South-East. Even the ghettos are garnished with once-pretty townhomes, reminiscent of the vibrant residential neighborhoods they once formed - and will soon again.

Cut to Toronto. Largely ignored until the 70s, when paranoid bankers, fearing a separate Quebec, abandoned Montreal and relocated to anglophone Toronto. The urban landscape is dominated by 70s-style bare-concrete office blocks. Towering over these is the CN Tower - apparently the world's tallest freestanding structure. We're Canadian. We're big. We have penis envy so we erected the world's biggest phallic symbol. Whatever.

Largely absent from this landscape is green space (I'm sorry but High Park and Trinity-Bellwoods are sorry excuses). This city needs a heavy infusion of landscape artists, gardeners and nitrogen fertilizer. Heck - even Ottawa has some green patches in the middle of winter! Also absent are the grand residential neighbourhoods that grace every major North American city.

Anyway, the reason for my post is that lately I have been noticing a lot of urban art scattered around the city. Foil-cut figurines of kids climbing a large concrete column. Giant concrete sculptures shaped like buds about to bloom. Abstract sculptures that I can't even begin to describe. It makes me appreciate this city a little more. Also, today's wintry weather has left a silvery lining of wet snow on the bare trees, giving them an element of charm. Sitting in the back of a cab, riding up University Avenue, I was able to appreciate the architectural detail of the (somewhat) historic buildings with elegantly landscaped grounds. I just realized that's one thing I've been missing - being driven around the city, eyes free to wander and admire the hidden gems.