Two events marked this weekend….First, I finally made the blog personal…http://travtrails.com and second was a short walk before bidding adieu to Toronto. I decided to visit Islington Mural Village, inspired by post on the murals by Jackie in http://junkboattravels.blogspot.ca (detailed description) and I am glad I did.
I mapped my route and after one and half hour journey by subway from Don Mills station we were at Islington station. To be extra sure of the route I asked few people around of distance and site. One gentleman remarked ’Is this place in Toronto’ …I did feel like answering ‘no in Timbuktu” but refrained. The second gent, trying to be helpful, said ‘go left and left’ and we were back in front of station entrance. In all this confusion a resident, seeing us dawdle on the sidewalk, guided us to turn left on Dundas Street West (maybe first gentleman was right). The good samaritan asked us to follow her only to see her disappear in one of the high-rises. By now we were close to destination and few steps later there was the first mural on side of a local building.
We had planned to see the 25 “masterpieces” spanning five blocks of the historic shopping district, but cut short the walk midway. It was turning out into a hot and humid day, surprising for Toronto, and rested on one of the benches on the pavement, luxuriating in the ‘past’.
The murals depict the daily activities and historical events of the village such as Hurricane Hazel and rescue efforts, the War of 1812 and residences that have long been replaced by newer constructions. Each mural has a descriptive plaque on the sides and this is helpful in knowing the name of painter and the event.
My favorite was the ‘golf’ mural with the young boy aiming at a toad.
We walk along the boutique stores, pubs and local services with hanging planters and greenery a carryover of the village life that for a moment you expect to hear a horse-drawn carriage rolling down towards you.
Islington village is a visual juxtaposition of ancient and modern and to break the ‘antique’ spell with Spicy Pumpkin Coffee Latte at the The Second Cup.
For a more detailed history of the Village and murals visit http://junkboattravels.blogspot.ca
