By James Rayner
For a change of pace, this month I am going to describe a walk Joan and I took through the city centre in early December to check out the seasonal lights and decorations in the vicinity of the Eaton Centre. Along the way, we met a group of friends we knew from our Probus Club.
Our tour began at the Eaton Centre with its huge Christmas tree, the tallest indoor one in Canada…
…followed by the lighted reindeer statues.
We then went over to Nathan Phillips Square to have a look at the “holiday” tree—whatever that is!
Crossing over Queen Street, we looked at the Christmas windows at the Hudson’s Bay store.
Unfortunately, they no longer measure up to the delightful ones of yesteryear which featured many mechanical creatures preparing for Santa Claus’s trip to deliver toys on December 24th. Much of the display is video which, for me, just doesn’t do it.
After viewing the windows, we strolled down Bay Street to the corner of Bay and King Streets…
…where four of the big banks have their headquarters.
This is where the most impressive displays….
…and the money are to be found.
After touring three of the four bank lobbies, we went down Bay Street to Brookfield Place with its impressive vaulted ceiling. Maybe because of COVID, there was very little decoration—and few people. The old Movenpick Marché restaurant which at one time was ultra-popular is now closed and boarded up. So sad!
We exited Brookfield Place and crossed Yonge Street to walk along Front Street to the St. Lawrence market where we intended to have a traditional pea meal (corn really) bacon sandwich. Unfortunately, we were not allowed to sit and eat in the market although some of our friends had lunch in the adjoining restaurant.
The photos show the current market building which is built around Toronto’s first city hall that you can see in the façade…
…and the north market building which is finally under construction.
After lunch, we headed east through the St. Lawrence neighbourhood to Parliament Street and the Distillery District. Gaining entry was quite an ordeal as the entrance was closed off until we could show proof of double vaccination and a photo i.d. card. Once inside, we had a great time wandering around, sampling seasonal treats and browsing in the special shops and booths that make it such an interesting spot.
Getting home was easy as a branch of the King streetcar turns around at Cherry Street at the east end of the Distillery district; it took us to the Yonge subway at King Street and, from there it was easy to return home.
Probus Club of Kingsway-Islington 