The Billy Bishop Airport

My friend Marcia and I rode the Bathurst streetcar to Fleet Street, so that we could visit the NEW pedestrian tunnel to the Billy Bishop Airport.

The above artist rendering is courtesy of Urban Toronto.
Apparently, the 800 foot tunnel cost 82.5 million dollars to build. 

So here is the entrance to the tunnel that takes you under the Western Gap.

There are four moving sidewalks.....

And two sets of four huge escalators to take folks to and from the airport.

Once we arrived at the top of this, the last escalator, we were treated to a virtual mini museum of Billy's history.

Once we covered everything there was to see, we decided to do the return trip on the ferry.

This is us on the deck of the Marilyn Bell1, which was actually christened by Marilyn Bell herself in January 2010.

Marilyn looks like she is having a great time dumping Champagne on the ferry.

The Annex

Last month I took a tour of "The Annex" with the ROM Walks (Royal Ontario Museum).

This area was the city's first planned suburb for professional and upper middle class residents, with some unique Toronto architecture. We traveled over to Bedford Avenue, and north to Lowther, where Taddle Creek Park sits.
There is a large sculpture, called "The Vessel" in the centre of this small but busy park.

We then wandered along Lowther to number 26, which was designed for Barbara Gordon.
It features the elements of both Italianate and Gothic Revival styles.

In 1880 Ms. Gordon married Robert Parker, owner of Parker's Steam Dye Works (later renamed Parker's Cleaners).

Further along Lowther, we come to number 78, which is a residence now, but used to be the stables for the Eaton family.

The mansion at the corner (157 St. George) was built for Edward Eaton in 1898, but is now a U. of T. frat house.

Across the street, at 196 St. George, is The First Church of Christ, Scientist, which was completed and dedicated in 1916.
The architect was Solon S. Beman, of Chicago, who also built several edifices for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

South of here, at 135, stands the George Gooderham House, built for his large family in 1898, but today it is owned by the York Club.

According to our tour guide, this house is an example of Romanesque Revival style architecture, with its rounded-arched entrances and circular turrets.

From St. George we walked two blocks west to Madison Avenue. where there are still many, mansions lining the street. Almost all of the original structures have survived.

All pictures were taken by myself, except for this final picture, which is from Google Maps.

Finally, what visit to the Annex is not complete unless you visit the "Maddy" (The Madison Avenue Pub).