Waterfront tour, part 3: HtO Park.

[JeffR]

This weird but interesting little piece of harbor playground opened in 1997. A note on the name: "TO" is a cutesy way of referring to Toronto, Ontario. Ht0 (or HTO, depending on where you see the name) brings in the fact that the park sits beside - wait for it - water. Too cute by half, I think, but it is what it is.

The park wraps around the Marine Fire station (which looks like a church crossed with a garage) on two sides:



Beside the park, the Peter Street Slip provides fishermen a chance to catch any of the many local varieties of toxic fish. (In all seriousness, water quality has improved somewhat and fish are generally edible, from what I've read recently. But I'm a socialist and a registered Democrat, so of course I'm suspicious of everything.)



The main draw of the park is this "beach" which my friend Don described as resembling a giant cat litter box. The land on the far side is the Toronto Islands, an archipelago that shields the bay from the cold and temperamental waters of the open lake, helping to make the city an inland port to be reckoned with during the heyday of Great Lakes shipping. I posted some photos from a day on the islands back in '07: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=280&topic_id=35432#top







This "beach" established the template for another one further east that I think is more successful, but we'll get to that one in due time.

This is looking west toward the Island airport and the western gap of the harbor, where we began the tour at Ireland Park:



Part 1: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x78298

Part 2: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=280x78456

Next stop on your tour: the Wave Decks.

[Celebration]

1. Thanks for the tour!

Hey I go for any kind of beach where the umbrellas are permanent rather than having to be rented.

Your photos make me want to visit Toronto. And, your lens (and you) do magnificent things with clouds.

[JeffR]

3. You're welcome.

And thank you!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. My dear JeffR!

Wow!

Wonderful...

And I too am admiring the clouds!

I eagerly await the next installment...

Thanks.

[JeffR]

4. Thanks, Peggy! The subjects of the next installment are really cool.

I think they'll make some friends here.