It’s around this time that I start to think about summer weather and getting out and about, taking some new crosstown walks, tuning up the bike, and generally exploring Toronto as it bursts into spring. The eastern forest of North America is one of the most verdant areas on earth – once it finishes the process of emerging from a cold dark winter and cycling through spring and into the full bloom of summer.I was reminded of this as I recognized a faint background image in a Pearson Education book and excitedly told my student that I knew exactly where this photo was taken – High Park, my stomping ground in the westend of T.O. Sure enough, as we looked at the photos of the main path through the orchard of cherry trees it became clear that it could indeed be the same place.
High Park is wonderful at this time of year. The mixed Carolinian forest with it’s stands of trees blending with Oak Savannah (a prairie grassland) is a sight to behold. Added to the abundant flora is the brief appearance of the magical cherry blossom. I explained to some Chinese students that the Korean and Japanese students like to gather with friends for little outdoor spring picnics under these beautiful blossoms. “Oh,” said one, as we looked at the photos, “sakura” – the Japanese word for these trees. A little international spirit and culture mixed with the vibrant parklife of Toronto – a magic combination that will arrive in the next week or so.
Most of these trees, a gift from Tokyo in 1959, can be found on the west side of the park. Maps of High Park can be found on the City of Toronto website.
On a related tangent, the City of Toronto announced the “Green Roofs” plan which is inspiring but also getting mixed reviews. Mandating the construction of green roofs for new buildings seems progressive and in-line with what Mayor Miller has been hyping as the future of a ‘new Toronto’ but the plan has its critics.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090415.GREEN15ART2239/TPStory/Environment
