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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.
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The Luminous Veil
This article contains discussion of suicide. Reader discretion is advised. I spent a lot of time on the bridge commonly known as the Bloor Viaduct. I passed through it twice a day, 5 days a week for 4 years. It has high-wire bars 5 metres tall, preventing anybody from getting close to the edge. It prevents me from getting close to the edge. It arches high above the trees, so that birds can see its span of 494 metres of concrete and steel, 40 metres above the Don Valley. It would be a nice view going down. I think about the exhilaration that would follow the cold wind in my…
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All Signs Point to Yes
Have you ever mulled something over for so long that when you finally made a decision, it had nothing to do with the pros or cons, but was instead based off of the result of an arbitrary coin toss?
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Have a Coffee, Put a Record on at the Press Vinyl Cafe
I visited Danforth Avenue for the first time on a mid-November day that could only be described as grey. Grey skies, grey fog, grey cars speeding by in a blur. Imagine my pleasant surprise, then, as I approached the Press Vinyl Cafe, which had a front window awash in the warm glow of string lights. When I entered the shop, I, too, felt a newfound warmth. Vibrant, hand-painted wall murals replaced the cloudy skies outside, and the constant thrum of traffic gave way to the twang of guitars from the loudspeakers.
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Intro
Welcome to On the Danforth’s first-ever digital issue “Dear Danforth.” This issue is all about connection. Mimicking the style of an advice column, each article employs a conversational and intimate style of writing that doesn’t shy away from heavier topics, but rather, approaches them with genuine and thoughtful discussion.
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Letter from the Editor
When the time came to apply for positions for On the Danforth, I admit that I didn’t jump at the opportunity to be Editor-in-Chief. While there was a large part of me that wanted to take the reins of this project, there was another part that was hesitant. On the one hand, the opportunity to lead a team in the production of a magazine issue sounded like an amazing learning experience, one that had my mind filled with ideas and the excitement to execute them. On the other hand, I was also aware that such a position would require a level of responsibility and leadership that I’d never performed before.…
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Letter from the Creative Director
I decided a few years ago to go into book design, a field that it turns out sits at an odd (but delightful) intersection of the worlds of publishing and design. I took an undergraduate degree in fine art, focussing my assignments as much as I could on book design. Now I’m in Centennial’s publishing program to hopefully balance out my education across the two fields a bit better. I decided that I’d spend the time learning to write quick and natural calligraphy, since I would be taking lots of notes for the first time since university, and that was a skill that would undoubtedly help me with making hand-lettering…
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Land Acknowledgement
Ever in acknowledgement and appreciation, On the Danforth Magazine accepts our duty to remain actively aware, pensive, and respectful of the land upon which we reside.
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List of Contributors
On the Danforth 2025 List of Contributors.
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Rebuilding My Routine: A Journey to Mental Well-Being in a New City
In the months leading up to my arrival in Toronto, I had been experiencing some trouble with my mental health. There was too much uncertainty, and I was questioning every single one of my choices.
