It's Good to be Canadian

I hope you are all enjoying the Canada Day holiday today!! Since today is devoted to all things Canadian, I'd like to share some of my own snapshots taken in Toronto, many of them featuring our beloved Canadian flag.

All photos by Pamela Graham for CherishToronto.

Please do not copy without permission.

Inside City Hall

With another round of municipal elections completed this past week, I thought about getting more involved in the community. That's when it dawned on me that despite living in this city for almost 20 years, I've never been inside Toronto's "New" City Hall. That changed today when I popped in for a quick look.

New City Hall was designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell and his team: Bengt Lundsten, Seppo Valjus and Heikki Castren. Working together with Toronto architects John B. Parkin & Associates, the building was completed in 1965. Although considered by some to be too futuristic at the time, the design continues to feel modern in 2010.

The staircase radiates a distinctly Finnish aesthetic

with its gleaming teak & mahogany railings:

The stunning floors were cut in Canada
from imported Italian Carrara marble:

This nail relief sculpture is one of several
public art installations at City Hall.
"Metropolis" by David Partridge, 1977:

The copper nails at the core of the piece
represent the heart of the city:

More than 100,000 nails comprise the sculptural mural:

The handles of the double front doors
cleverly form a capital letter T:

All photos by Pamela Graham for CherishToronto.

Olympic Torch Relay Comes to Toronto

The Olympic Torch arrived in Toronto on Thursday evening, and it was a moving experience to witness such a symbolic event. With the Christmas lights illuminating Nathan Phillips Square, a large crowd gathered in front of City Hall to catch a glimpse of the cauldron lighting ceremony. It was a cold evening, and although the relay ran into some logistical delays, the hearty Canadians never complained during the 49 minute delay.

The torch finally arrived in the square, hoisted high by Olympic medalist Vicky Sunohara, member of Canada's women's ice hockey team in 1998, 2002 and 2006. Her arrival was greeted by a round of cheers and jingling tambourines. After the Olympic cauldron was lit on stage, the Canadian Tenors performed a beautiful rendition of O Canada, accompanied by the very patriotic crowd. It was an emotional moment in Canadian Olympic history which I will always remember.

Vicky Sunohara arrives with the torch.

Lighting the cauldron.

The Olympic Cauldron.

My souvenir tambourine.