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DesignTO on the Danforth: Buy Local, Think Global, and Hug Your Mom
With the promise of bubble tea and a browse at Book City, my daughter tagged along with me one Saturday in January to see a DesignTO Festival art installation. Most parents of teens will recognize this tried-and-true system of bartering for quality time. Ultimately, driving to the Danforth from Toronto’s West End was a win-win for me.
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Finding a Home on the Danforth
I stepped off the plane at the end of August, overflowing with anxiety from head to toe. As a Northern Ontarian who’d rarely strayed far from my hometown and who had only been to Toronto twice in my childhood, I’d somehow developed the inspiration to apply to Centennial College and move to the Greater Toronto Area—and this was a terrifying decision. Full of a swirling turmoil of homesickness and anticipation, I went from a born-and-raised resident of Thunder Bay to a student trying to find their place on the Danforth.
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You Don’t Need to Lift Weights to be Active on The Danforth
My doctors and gym teachers have always told me that regular exercise is necessary for a healthy life, yet I have never been able to maintain a positive relationship with it. I’m unproductive in a typical weight room. I never know what to do with the free weights and dumbbells; their versatility paralyzes me. I spend more time staring at the rack of weights and contemplating my next workout than actually exercising, and the scarcity of available benches and lack of general cleanliness are enough to keep me away from that area entirely. Plus, no matter which cardio machine I’m on, I feel like a hamster running on a wheel.…
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Finding Myself on the Streets I Never Walked
Some places change you without asking permission first. They slip into your life quietly, without warning, until one day you realize you are no longer the person you were before. They settle into the spaces you didn’t know needed filling, rearranging you from the inside out. And then, one day, you look back and see it clearly—the place where you stopped being afraid of your own life.
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The Pocket’s Tiny Forest is Bigger Than It Looks
My favourite jeans—medium-wash and wide-cut with two inches of fabric rolled up and safety-pinned “just until I get them hemmed”—have deep front pockets. As they are a rarity in women’s bottoms, I’ve committed myself to using them. They carry my trusty lip balm, rings discarded while I wash my hands, and the change from my café order with such ease that I often forget they’re there and send them through the wash. It’s a blessing and a curse. What I have yet to make use of, though, is the tiny pocket tucked inside the larger one on my right hip.
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Taking a Walk on Danforth’s Spiritual Side
I’ve been taught not to talk about politics or religion. Naturally, this made both of these topics more interesting. I grew up strictly agnostic (my mom confiscated a cross my grandma bought my brother when we were kids), so religion in particular was fascinating and forbidden. What are these buildings where all these people go? What do they do there? And why?
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Learning, Off the Danforth
The house is quiet in the mornings. Completely silent, save for the low hum of the refrigerator and the creak of my footsteps as I walk across the floor. The only light outside is from the streetlights; dawn is yet to come. As the rest of Victoria lie asleep in their beds, I make my much-needed 5 A.M. matcha before settling in front of my computer. This is the morning routine of a Centennial College student—specifically, one in the online publishing program, tuning in from Vancouver Island.
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Dear Danforth, Leash Your Dogs
As the owner of a grumpy Shih Tzu weighing a whopping fourteen pounds, it is terrifying when an off-leash dog begins to approach him while we’re walking. Whether it be a tiny terrier, a large Labrador, or any breed in between, my dog, Stitch, is not friendly and does not welcome these unrestrained guests very kindly. And then that other dog tends to retaliate to Stitch’s animosity by either barking or biting. In this hostile interaction between domesticated beasts, I’m tethered to my dog by a leash, but where is the other dog’s owner?
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Why Toronto Deserves Recognition in the Film Industry
For over 65 years, Toronto has been a go-to destination for filmmakers. Between its dynamic architecture, scenic neighbourhoods, and diverse green spaces, the city boasts a picturesque spot for the filming of TV shows and movies of all genres. This is shown by Toronto filming locations like Casa Loma, Roy Thomson Hall, and Sherway Gardens being used in shows and films such as X-Men (2000), The Boys (2019), and Mean Girls (2004), respectively. However, the filming contributions of Toronto’s scenic locations are often overlooked. Whether it be the bustling downtown metropolis or smaller surrounding neighbourhoods, like the Danforth, I believe proper credit should be given to the Toronto locations that…
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Getting the Measure of Deric Cahill
Driving east on Danforth Avenue early one evening in October, headed toward Comedy Bar, I could feel the last rivulets of summer dripping away. Sidewalks were crowded, and as shops and cafes decanted, restaurants filled up. Misjudging the location, I didn’t realize how far down one of Toronto’s busiest roads I’d be going. By the time I parked, the hand-holding passersby near Pape Avenue had slowly morphed into small groups of unhoused people near Main Street, huddled, sharing blankets. It felt like I’d travelled through multiple cities all on one street.
