This wedge-shaped park has long been both lovely, and right in the middle of things – next the spiffy ‘theatre’ Shopsy’s deli and my favourite long gone jazz piano lounge (cafe des copains) – right across from the still thriving St Lawrence Centre for the performing arts (where I actually leapt from the upper balcony a couple of years ago, to retrieve my pocket-watch, when the conductor asked whose it was, and I realized mine had gone AWOL over the intermission) – and framed on the thin edge of the wedge by the fat end of Toronto’s nifty Flatiron building, with it’s famous Op Art painting of peeling windows, facing park-ward.
This is also among the best integrated and most civilized large-scale condo neighbourhoods (primo entertainment in walking distance helps) and the retail strip along here is one of those lucky (expensive) spots with so much high-grade street traffic that nothing is ever boarded-up, unless it’s being renovated. And still they found a way to take it up a big step – and I quite adore this effort.
Around the outside of the fountain large dogs of diverse breeds, with individual mouth-jets, look up adoringly.
I especially – loved the way they were all keyed to the singular aim of their adulation – the golden bone above! Platonic idealism wins again! ;o)
Not just beautiful whimsical and outright funny – but also very nicely cooling in the summer heat – full-marks! More and more cooling fountains ‘springing’ up around town lately – sensible global warming planning that they can’t admit-to? – or are we just lucky enough to have an urban planner with a fetish down at city hall, that coincidentally happens to be great for the near-term public-interest?
Not altogether sanguine about the project
Of course such a tableau could not be complete without at least a little bit of critical cross-species commentary, in this case delivered most hilariously by the near catatonia expressed on the face of this appealing but clearly besieged wee critter.
Seriously – not happy at all about this gig.
Can’t help feeling for the poor bugger – all those gleeful and excited dogs, all that water everywhere – I bet he’s thinking – “I swear they never mentioned any of this on the job application!”
The soaking tom-cat’s sole ally. In charge of the equipment-shed – still nervous, even at safe distance.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
