First photograph found online of my “New” Labyrinth in Grange Park, Downtown Toronto.
First photograph found online of my “New” Labyrinth in Grange Park, Downtown Toronto.
Now that Toronto has lost its Grange Park “❤️” Heart Labyrinth, it is time for a new Grange Park Labyrinth…
I wanted to get to (re)painting this earlier, but I waited until Eid Al-Adha, which was yesterday, Saturday, was observed so I wouldn’t be distracted with Religious matters on my mind while I would be Labyrinth Making.
Eid Al-Adha is properly observed for four days, taking us to Tuesday July 12 2022 until sunset, but Saturday was the Eid Prayer day, and today my mind is now freely focused towards making this.
This time,
Rather than free-hand outlining a new Labyrinth Design in chalk, I invested a good number of hours this afternoon carefully measuring, calculating, re-calculating, twice in chalk, before painting it.
I chalked the design one and a half times.
The first time I used yellow chalk and measured widths of 24 inches for each Labyrinth Lane, but the centre was somehow not centred despite my careful calculations.
I stopped and began using my metal tape measure to confirm the actual lengths of the footpath, and for the the first time realized the paver bricks do not line up into what I assumed was a true square canvas space.
Reminded me of how many round Wading Pools in Toronto I assumed were round when they were in reality a kind of slight oval shape.
I was relieved at this discovery.
A minor mystery solved.
Now that I had my Centre of the Labyrinth indeed in the correct Centre location, I had to decide whether to keep the Seven Lane Labyrinth design or start all over using a different chalk colour so as not to confuse myself, for a different Nine Lane Labyrinth design.
Started over using blue chalk for Nine Lanes.
I also carefully measured each Labyrinth Lane width at 18 inches.
And that somehow was exactly enough space, with a Labyrinth centre measured to 36 inches in diameter, to fit comfortably.
It felt as if this was finally the Labyrinth Design that belongs here.
While that feeling was from my heart, my head agreed now that the true centre of the Labyrinth was finally confirmed.
Sunlight through the leaves made it difficult to properly photograph the light and dark tones while I was chalking out the design.
So I didn’t even bother to take more photographs.
I focused on completing the chalk outline.
With afternoon now approaching evening, decision fatigue had kicked in, and I began making mistakes.
I switched to green chalk then red coloured chalk to correct my mistakes made using the blue chalk.
Having done that, I walked the outline perhaps a dozen times, in and out, to make sure I still felt happy with this hopefully Permanent Grange Park Labyrinth design, InshAllah.
Yep, it was almost as good as I could hope, so time to paint !
Chalk twice, paint once.
That’s inaccurate as I usually add more than one coat of paint per Labyrinth Line, but for today, it’s paint once.
As people saw me stop painting the Labyrinth,
A number of them began to walk it . . .
After a short while watching people exploring, experiencing my freshly (re)painted Labyrinth,
I took a break away from Grange Park to visit a number of my other Downtown Toronto Labyrinths to see how much they had faded, and how many of them also needed repainting.
A few.
I returned a little while later right at the moment this little Muslim Girl in her hijab who had been doing laps counter-clockwise around the Grange Park Footpath all afternoon, approached and scootered past my new (re)painted Labyrinth.
The previous Labyrinth in Grange Park was a “❤️” shaped Heart Labyrinth.
The current, and hopefully permanent, Grange Park Labyrinth is Nine Lane Circular design with a “❤️” inviting you to enter it, walk the path, and arrive in the centre, where you will find another “❤️”.
I haven’t made an Eid Labyrinth since before the Pandemic began, and again yesterday on Eid Al-Adha Prayer Day, I still didn’t.
Yet, with the little Muslim Girl in her blue hijab, scootering counter-clockwise all around Grange Park while I was making today’s Labyrinth, it kept reminding me of the Pilgrims in Makkah, the Hajjis, performing Tawaaf around the Holy Kaaba.
Maybe this new Grange Park Labyrinth was technically an Eid Labyrinth after all..?
Eid Al-Adha Mubarak Everybody !
When the Fred Hamilton Playground Wading Pool is dry,
Which nowadays because it’s summer means evenings and overnight,
Lines of my Roxton Road Labyrinth painted on the surface of the wading pool remain visible,
Meaning this Wading Pool Labyrinth remains walkable…
For now.
Looks like I need to repaint the Red quadrant of the Medicine Wheel I painted inside one of the Labyrinth’s open canvas spaces last September…
First time seeing an aerial drone photograph of my Labyrinth at the Mouth of the Humber River, south east of the Humber Bay Arch Bridge, oriented this way.
You can even spot the arrow pointing towards the entrance/exit of the Labyrinth.
AND you can easily see The Heart in the Centre !
I'm frustrated that the city has money to remove a fun, kid-appreciated labyrinth in Grange park, but not to do important maintenance. #TOpoli pic.twitter.com/Bm45YgDtNy
— Brian McLachlan – Complete the Quest (@McLachlanBrian) June 30, 2022
Toronto has lost its Heart…Labyrinth, in Grange Park…
Yet grateful that thousands of Torontonians + Tourists were able to enjoy and walk my Grange Park “❤️” Heart Labyrinth before this again happened today….
Toronto doesn’t have the money to get water fountains going in a timely way but will send workers again and again to erase the labyrinth people paint in Grange Pk pic.twitter.com/Bov94U8d4Y
— Oliver Moore (@moore_oliver) June 30, 2022
And drive on the grass. https://t.co/JUW9gsIA8B
— christopher (@heychristofur) June 30, 2022
See also: the City putting portapotties in Trinity-Bellwoods the year *after* they destroyed the encampment
They could just give people water and toilets in the first place and save money and effort, but they'd rather be dicks about it
— 🐘 @nev@bananachips.club (@neville_park) June 30, 2022
For heaven’s sake, @cityoftoronto , where in the bylaws does it say we can’t have nice things and our tax dollars will pay to make sure of it? https://t.co/v9SP6tBfC0
— James Harbeck (@sesquiotic) June 30, 2022
Indeed, The City of Toronto removes park infrastructure, Labyrinths, at some cost to the taxpayer.
Whereas The City of Labyrinths Project installs park infrastructure, Labyrinths, at zero cost to the taxpayer.
Today is National Indigenous People’s Day 2022.
Video walk around of my Medicine Wheel Labyrinth painted on the surface of the wading pool inside Phin Park, in East End Toronto / Tsí Tkaròn:to.
I haven’t been able to return with enough time and energy to repaint this fading Medicine Wheel Labyrinth.
Hopefully, InshAllah, I can refresh all the colours in time for Orange Shirt Day on Friday September 30 2022.
“This is the large Labyrinth in the wading pool at Christie Pits park,
Created by Labyrinth artist, HïMY SYeD.
This wading pool was part of his vision of transforming Toronto into a City of Labyrinths.
I love this one,
Because he’s also painted smaller Labyrinths (as seen here) inside the larger Labyrinth.❤”
– Deb Svanefelt, Friends of the Labyrinth Community Network of Ontario
Haven’t seen my Grange Park “❤️” Heart Labyrinth captured from this perspective before.
Both the black and white and the colour photograph version tell their own story.
Moreso the black and white…
BUT(!)
This instagrammer tagged the City of Toronto’s official instagram account with these photographs, and that might be just enough of a nudge for someone official-ish to go ahead and remove my Grange Park “❤️” Heart Labyrinth.
Ergo,
Walk it while you can!
“Finally met the inestimable HïMY SYeD after randomly deciding to host a family gathering from far-flung areas of the GTA at Chinguacousy Park this afternoon.
Love and appreciate his work.”
Finally met the inestimable @LabyrinthsDOTca after randomly deciding to host a family gathering from far-flung areas of the GTA at Chinguacousy Park this afternoon. Love and appreciate his work. pic.twitter.com/a43JwIVmFN
— Robert Wakulat (@robertwakulat) June 5, 2022
Well @CityBrampton you do a solid job with your parks. Preschooler is beyond thrilled here at Chinguacousy Park. pic.twitter.com/vjHmJUhdvV
— Robert Wakulat (@robertwakulat) June 5, 2022
Was wondering whether you could spot my “❤️” Heart Labyrinth in the middle of Grange Park from the top floor of The Art Gallery of Ontario.
Now we know !
In Cree, trees are “who”, not “what”
– Tomson Highway
grange park in toronto-
"In cree- trees are who, not what."
– tomson highway #Toronto #ontario #cree pic.twitter.com/ecrMHgTeeN
— No2DOUGford❄️ (@WokeIndigenous) May 28, 2022