On Guard

A gaggle of Canadian Geese grazing at Exhibition Place, Toronto. 

Geese has a strong territorial instinct and usually, one member is always on guard to alert the group about any impending danger. If threatened, they can attack and can cause serious injuries. Sometimes, domesticated geese are used as guard animals due to this particular instinct.

Scadding Cabin

This log cabin is Toronto's oldest surviving house. It was built in 1794 and remained in use up to 1879. The cabin was originally built on the esat side of the Don River. The cabin is open to the public during the CNE (Canadian National Exhibition) each year.

Past and the Future

Fort Rouillé, the last French outpost in Ontario with Exhibition Places' windmill in the background. The Scadding Cabin, Toronto's oldest surviving house is also partially visible on the lower right side of the monument.

Shrine Peace Memorial

Shrine Peace Memorial at Exhibition Place, Toronto.

The memorial was presented by the members of the 'Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine' to the people of Canada in 1930. The AAONMS, an offshoot of Freemasons, was established in 1870 to promote fun and fellowship. The fraternity is currently named as 'Shriners International' and has around 350,000 members worldwide. The organization also manages the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Sculptures at Liberty Grand

Liberty Grand is an event venue inside the Exhibition Place. Formally known as the Ontario Government Building, it was built in 1926. Its marvoulous architecture includes several sculptures at its front entrance and around the building.

There are two massive lion sculptures at the both sides of its southern stairway. These are the works of Charles McKechnie and were made with cast cement in 1926.

The commemorative plaque on the right side honors defenders of York during the American invasion of April 1813. The one on the left is dedicated to Marilyn Bell, a 16 years old Ontario girl who crossed the full length of Lake Ontario on September 9th, 1954.  She is the first known person to do so.

Mercury and Minerva

Statues of Mercury, Minerva and other stone carvings on the southeastern side of Liberty Grand entertainment complex at the Exhibition Place, Toronto.

Mercury is the god of commerce, communication, and luck in Roman mythology while goddess Minerva represents wisdom and arts. Both statues are the works of Charles McKechnie and were sculpted in 1926.

Rose Garden

Summer is over and the Rose Garden at Exhibition Place looks deserted. Cold autumn winds are blowing and leaves are showing dark markings all around. But a few hardy ones are still here to enrich the surroundings with their splendor.

WindShare at the Exhibition Place

You can't miss the WindShare turbine, whenever you are in or around Exhibition Place. It is always looming overhead. This 299-foot colossal, installed in 2002, is the Noth America's first urban wind turbine. Being of an older design, its generation capacity is under one MW. 

On this rather windy day, it was rather disappointing to see it standing still. It seems like a silent observer, just examining everything around. The turbine was out of service for two years due to repairs and it was brought online just a few months ago. Perhaps it is undergoing some maintenance again.