" Ossington Village " mandala # 28 completed + Mandala List Update

" Ossington Village " mandala was officially completed on March 20, 2011.

This area is the stretch that runs from Queen Street West and Ossington to Ossington to Dundas.
It also includes a bit north of Dundas and east and west of Ossington.

It truly resembles a little village, with cozy little spots for sweet meetings for a coffee or a martini or a bite with friends and family.
Looking down the side streets one can imagine the inspiration felt by Lawren Harris of the Group of Seven, who maybe sauntered by while looking all around and sketching his old Toronto homes in the snow.  And not far by hurried a young lady, who lived on Ossington Crescent, trying not to be late for her day shift at the York Knitting Mills at Queen and Shaw, c1930's, now The Candy Factory Lofts.  How many times a year she must have walked up and down Ossington or cut through Bellwoods Park with its deep hills ( now filled in) to Queen street West ?  Was the White Squirrel family  to be seen scampering by way back then ?

My mandala maps it all out in a fun organic way with characters and other icons representing  that location.
The facades of most buildings remain and this is a wonderful thing. Entrepreneurs are preserving them and we are able to walk into places where our ancestors perhaps once did.  Several garages eventually dotted the area and some are now being converted into unique stores........a must see !   Young designers show their wares and they are a privilege to behold.  There is no end to creativity.
Here, in Ossington Village, one is able to relish in sitting on a stool or booth in " The Lakeview Lunch " , for example, and imagine the day back in 1932 when it first opened.  Many banana splits and sundaes were topped with pure whipped cream and cherries.  Many milkshakes were made with the green machines sitting in the front window today.  Terrific names of new places call everyone to " Come and see, come and see what we've done to make you happy in Ossington Village.  We will keep your dreams safe here ". 
Thanks to the owners  up and down the street for keeping Toronto' s heritage alive and well for the future generation.Tradition rules.
Thank you to those who have lived there for the last 100 years for not destroying it.
I salute you !
 


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Here is an updated list of my " Toronto Neighbourhood Mandalas " :

  My, and many others'  ( whom I have encountered through showing my work ) love of Toronto has kept me going and after 4 years I have completed 28, as of March 20, 2011 !  Each one has " key " and I am now working on  King Street- East and West.  Can you guess what will be in the centre ?

So here is my Toronto Neighbourhood Mandalas' roll call , in order of creation since October 2007 :

1.   Kensington Market......................................Spadina to Augusta/Dundas to College/+side streets

2.   Queen West................................................Dufferin Street to University Avenue


3.   Church/Wellesley Village..............................Church Street from Dundas to Wellesley

4.   College Street.............................................Lansdowne to Yonge Street


5.   The Beach ( es ).........................................Woodbine to TTC loop


6.   Parkdale/Sunnyside....................................Dufferin to Roncesvalles, south on the Lakeshore

7.   Downtown Toronto....................................Bird's eye view: City Halls, Islands, Harbourfront,Osgoode

8.   St. Clair/Wychwood...................................Keele to Bathurst/Wychwood/Vaughan Roads


9.   The Annex..................................................Bathurst to Spadina


10.  St. Lawrence Market/TheMarket Block......King to Front/Church to Jarvis

11.  Yorkville.....................................................Yorkville/Cumberland/Bloor @Bay


12.  Roncy/High Park/Bloor West Village

13.  Cabbagetown..............................................Wellesley to College


14.  The Junction.................................................Keele and Dundas to Runnymede


15. Weston........................................................The Town of Weston...Lawrence area


16. Leslieville......................................................Queen Street East...Carlaw toWoodbine Avenue


17. Riverdale......................................................Danforth/The Don Valley/Queen Street East/Pape


18. Bloordale/Bloorcourt....................................Lansdowne to Christie


19. Dundas Street West..................................... Roncesvalles to Yonge Street

20. Etobicoke.....................................................Mimico/New Toronto/Lakeshore West/Bloor


21. Forest Hill.....................................................Eglinton/Cedarville Park/St. Clair/Avenue Road/CasaLoma


22. The Toronto Islands/Harbourfront.................Ward. Centre, Hanlan' s Point


23. Leaside.........................................................Eglinton/Bayview

24. Summerhill/Rosedale.....................................Yonge and east to Bayview


25. St. Clair/Deer Park/Moore Park/Davisville/Yonge and Eg

26. Downsview, aka " The Downsview Flying Club "...................Keele/

27. Olde, Olde, Toronto New....palimpsest.........Lake Ontario to Queen East/Yonge to The Don 


28. Ossington Village..........................................Queen West up Ossington to Dundas

29. King Street West

30. Scarborough

31. The Canadian National Exhibition

Each mandala includes bits of architecture, businesses, familiar places - now and of bygone days, including historical notes which may ring a bell to anyone who has lived or lives or visits that particular neighbourhood.

I have thoroughly enjoyed creating every single one of them, due to my love of Toronto, Canada, my birthplace.  People always ask me what is my favourite and I must say that they all are.  They are all part of the huge Toronto mandala with our hearts beating in the centre.  Namaste.

In my blog I will continue to briefly outline my inspiration and evolution in travelling  through these "Mandala Journeys ".  Try to find a few of my trademarks in each one of them. : )

" Olde. Olde, Toronto New " ..... Mandala # 27 completed ! (again)

It' s been too long since I last posted.  I completed " Olde, Olde Toronto New "...Palimpsest  , officially,  on January 27, 2011.  I kept going back as I added as many details from our history as I thought to be most important.
It tells the story of Toronto, in a small circle, from the Ice Age up until now.  There are
bits and pieces included which trace all those years.  The area noted in particular is that of The Town of York.

Treasures tucked in places everywhere, as I sought  information about Toronto' s beginnings.  Remember I was looking for treasures way back in my blog ?

We are so young.  The  married couple standing on the old Esplanade wharf represent new life as they look out toward Lake Ontario and dream of their future in this town. A young man c1919 also looks out at the lake and watches the ships come in from far away places.  He remembers all the picnics that his family had on the Toronto Islands as the ferry boat puts him under its spell.
The very first taxi drives by and the entrepreneur driving it conveys his hope and energy as he goes forward.  His dream has come true !  Once a slave in the United States,  he escaped jail and travelled to Toronto on the Underground Railroad.  Thornton Blackburn was able to live his dream in 1837 and own his own yellow and red 4-seater horse-drawn " City Taxi " . What an inspiration for us all !
This is only one story on my mandala.