Music Garden Park
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We are introducing a brand new series of Photo Essays! Have a look at amazing Photo Sets all shot by talented photographers. Explore the vibe of the city, its hidden treasures, meet the Torontonians! This time, let's have a look at Toronto through the lens of Viera Prievozníková!
Toronto: The City With The Most Parks
One beautiful thing about Toronto is that whenever you go, you're likely to find a park or at least a small parkette within walking distance. It's really important to expand green space for the sake of the community, and we know it. Parks provide us with a meeting place, a place for relaxation, and a nice relief from the fast-paced city. Even just for a short while. You can sit down comfortably below a tall tree and bring a book with you. Organize a cozy picnic for your friends and family. Take your dog for a walk — as there are many off-leash dog areas around the city. Let's have a look at some of the most popular parks of Toronto.
For more pictures from the Toronto parks, check out the first part of The Most Beautiful Parks of Toronto Photo Essay.
1. Toronto Music Garden
Visitors can appreciate the Toronto Music Garden on many levels. It's truly a lovely garden for a meditative walk, but there are stages that regularly accommodate musicians, dancers, and artists to entertain the audience. The award-winning three-acre public garden celebrates its 10th anniversary. Designed by Julie Moir Messervy, the landscape of the garden was inspired by “First Suite for the Unaccompanied Cello” by J.S. Bach. Such a unique concept for interpreting a genius's masterpiece and turning it into a lovely garden — the shapes and patterns here flow beautifully, creating a space with balance and inspiration. Referring to movements of the suite, the parts of the garden are different. For example, a birch forest stands for the "Allemande," an ancient German dance. Walking up and down the trails, you follow a certain dance path yourself. The "Gigue," an English dance, is interpreted as a series of giant grass steps that offer views onto the harbour. Each year, with the support of the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Harbourfront organizes the Summer Music in the Garden series with a long list of music performances.
Location: 479 Queens Quay West
Hand-crafted with ornamental steel, a circular pavilion shelters small musical ensembles.
Welcome to Toronto Music Garden
2. Toronto Inukshuk Park
This park honours Inuit cultures. It's named after of one of the largest inukshuks in North America, and the enormous art piece located in the middle is truly hard to miss. The Toronto Inukshuk was built to commemorate World Youth Day 2002 and the visit of Pope John Paul II in 2002. The monument is a stone sculpture or cairn used historically by the Inuit peoples. In the Inuit language, inukshuk means "in the likeness of a human." And it's true — the statue really resembles a person with his arms wide open. The structure stands 30 feet high with an arm span of 15 feet. Approximately 50 tonnes of mountain rose granite were used to create this Inukshuk. The park lies close to Toronto Harbour and so offers great views of Lake Ontario and its many yachts and boats.
Toronto Inukshuk Park and the monument
Toronto Inukshuk Stone Totem
Sailboats on Lake Ontario
3. Trinity Bellwoods Park
Most of this 14.6 hectare park located in the west end of Toronto lies in the original Garrison Creek ravine that still flows beneath the park. In the past, the old Garrison Creek emptied into Lake Ontario at the site of Fort York. In the 1950s, the creek was entirely buried, and the steep drop from this upper level to the lower part of the park has become a popular local toboggan run in winter. The heart of the park is the community recreation centre,Trinity CRC, located at 155 Crawford Street. It's nicely equipped with two indoor pools, a gymnasium, a fitness centre, an indoor walking and running track, and multi-purpose rooms — all heavily used by the local community. What's more, you'll find a volleyball court, eight outdoor tennis courts, a large playground, and a children's outdoor wading pool plus an outdoor ice skating rink.
Alongside the many recreation activities the park offers, there are some beautiful walks through the ravine. Don't be afraid to bring your pup with you, as the ravine (known as the dog bowl) is a designated leash-free area. Curious squirrels will accompany you on your walk. With the help of volunteers, the marked Discovery Walk and cycling trail was opened in Garrison Creek, and it runs through the park from the northwest to the southeast. Keep your eye on the program, because there are always many artistic, multicultural, and special events going on in the park!
Location: 155 Crawford Street
Trinity Bellwood Park
The park is well equipped with sports facilities
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Meet the Photographer
Viera Prievozníková
Viera studies marketing communication. She has been devoted to documentary photography and fine art photography for 2 years. Amongst other styles, Viera is fond of street photography, portrait photography and art nude photography. Viera uses street photography to draw people's attention to things often overlooked in everyday life.