Neighbourhood Tour Part 2

While Dutchie-kins was having her surgery yesterday, I thought I would take a walk and continue the Neighbourhood Tour. The tour starts from my building and heads North up Church Street, so named because of all the churches. The bottom pic is the Metropolitan United, and the top pic is of St. Michael's Cathedral. This area is in the process of a revitalization project, because across from the beautiful buildings are seedy little pawn shops that sprouted up in the '70's. Thankfully, these are dwindling in favour of new housing and businesses. Tucked in between the pawn shops is this funny little candy/toy store where, apparently, you can buy all your Oscar gear! A little further up Church Street is the Church-Wellesley Village, also known as Boys Town. Wood Street is so named after Alexander Wood who arrived in Canada from Scotland in 1793. He was a Military Officer, Businessman, Public Servant, Justice of the Peace, and Gay Pioneer! He was involved in a homophobic scandal in 1810 and sent back to Scotland, but returned 2 years thereafter and resumed all of his duties.
I liked the mural on the side of the club called The Barn. I'm guessing that this part of town is hoping that Brokeback Mountain will do well at the Oscars. FYI: Sunday nights at The Barn are Men Only Underwear Dances.
The Building at the lower right is Maple Leaf Gardens, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs up until 1999. The plan for this building is to turn it into a Supermarket, and museum. (Because the two just naturally seem to go together?!)
Heading West, is Yonge Street which at 1,896 Kilometers (1178 miles) is the longest street in the world! Yonge and Dundas is also the heart of downtown Toronto. Top left pic is of a fairly new Olympic Spirit Museum which overlooks the new Dundas Square. In the summer, local bands host free concerts on weekends.
I really like the two bottom pics. It was snowing like crazy so the pictures look kind of nice. To the right of the Tourist Trolley is the Eaton's Centre Mall, to the left, Toronto's Hard Rock Cafe with a local Toronto Radio Station DJ Booth at the entrance. Just beyond HRC is one of Toronto's many Theatre's. The Canon began it's history in the 1920's as a Vaudeville Stage and Canada's largest motion picture theatre. Even in the '80's, I remember it as a movie theatre called The Imperial 6. In 1989 the building was revamped to it's former glory and had it's first live theatre production. Phantom of the Opera played there for years!

The top left pic is of Old City Hall (It's Haunted!) and the top right is of the New City Hall, opened in 1965. From the air, it resembles and eye between two eyelids.
Last, but not least, I wanted to point out The Hudson's Bay flagship store. The company started out in 1670 as a fur-trading post. This year, it sponsored the Winter Olympics. See the pic of the Official Coats of the Atheletes in the Opening Parade?! The coats really weren't that great looking, but damn! Our athletes were!

Well, I hope you enjoyed the tour. I know I had fun putting it together!
Next time, I think I'll head South, to the Waterfront. I might have to wait for a warmer day, though!