“Children enjoy hours in the Labyrinth playing hide-and-seek.” – William Meany Hedge Maze – Centre Island – Toronto

“The maze is a favourite spot during our annual visits to Centreville Amusement Park on Centre Island in the City of Toronto.

The children enjoy hours of playing hide-and-seek in the Labyrinth adventure of trying to find their way out of the black cedar William Meany Maze.

If you want to get lost for a while and then wander, looking for the way out, dizzying yourself with joy which reignites something warm and fuzzy, then you might enjoy a walk through the William Meany Maze on Centre Island.

A storybook icon come to life, this maze was originally a gift to the city from its Dutch-Canadian community, and was created by Peter Vanderwerf, a landscape designer, in 1967.

At some point, the maze fell into disrepair and was dismantled.

It wasn’t until the 2010s that it was brought back to life courtesy of the wealthy businessman, William Meany, originally from the neighbouring city of Mississauga, who had a nostalgic affection for the maze that he had known and loved as a young boy, and who donated more than $200,000 towards its recreation after visiting the city in 2012.

Working with the City of Toronto, Meany donated all of the materials necessary to rebuild the maze.

The construction started in May 2014 and was completed in September.

The precious gift included more than 1,200 black cedars, forming the maze walls, planted approximately 50 meters northwest of the original labyrinth site.

There is something magical about the William Meany Maze that makes you feel like a kid again – and it is quite obvious why it meant so much to Meany.

Restored in its original splendor, you can easily spend hours of fun here, totally disoriented, caught in dead ends, going in circles, and ultimately being fooled by optical illusions where what looks like a blank wall turns out to be the right path.

This Toronto Island Park gem is open to the public all year-round, free of charge.

Make sure to discover it for yourself, and you won’t regret it!”

Mike Gabriel, Vloggers Burgers

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Kerala Dust – Labyrinth – Wading Pool – Randy Padmore Park – Downtown Toronto

The colours of my Labyrinth inside Randy Padmore Park in Downtown Toronto have held up well over the winter.

I may not repaint it all this spring nor summer, it’s still looking good and very walkable.

The lack of circle aglets at the ends of the turn-arounds in this 15 Lane Labyrinth Design are missing.

It still feels okay when you walk the path without aglets,

Yet it would feel so much funner if I do get around to adding them in.

So maybe not repainting the Labyrinth itself, but adding in the Aglets is something more for me to do to complete this Labyrinth Design.

Giving myself more work…

…Something like an Own Goal.

Note to self: Haha HiMY! Now you’re even more behind in Toronto Labyrinth Maintenance.

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“I had the pleasure of joining a Jane’s Walk led by HiMY SYeD today. He wore a Labyrinth pattern shirt and had a Labyrinth pattern jacket as well.” — Richard Eriksson

“I had the pleasure of joining a Jane’s Walk led by HiMY SYeD today.

“He wore a Labyrinth pattern shirt and had a Labyrinth pattern jacket as well.”

Richard Eriksson

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Toronto City of Labyrinths Jane’s Walk – “Happy International Labyrinth Day” — Julie Maclean

Happy World Labyrinth Day Julie!

Thank you for joining my World Labyrinth Day: Toronto City of Labyrinths Jane’s Walk!

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“We need to know the Mayoral Candidates’ position on ending The City’s ridiculous removal of Labyrinths!!” — George Bell

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“Tonight’s Jane’s Walk through Parkdale Village and Exhibition Place shared ideas from Jane Jacobs’ 11 books. And it was led by HiMY, the guy who paints Labyrinths all over Toronto!” — Sarah Jensen

Many thanks to Sarah Jensen (@the.heartofbarrie)

For joining my Toronto Jane’s Walk

And for sharing images

ReGrammed from her two posts :

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr4gdO_M3dR/

&

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr4lpNbsKZV/

“I’m in Toronto for the weekend for Jane’s Walk Toronto.

A Jane’s Walk is a walking conversations inspired by writer and urbanist Jane Jacobs.

They’re held in hundreds of cities across the world.

(Including 5 of them in Barrie throughout May)

Tonight’s walk through Parkdale Village and Exhibition Place shared ideas from her 11 books.

And it was led by HiMY, the guy who (somewhat illegally) paints Labyrinths all over Toronto! @LabyrinthsDOTca 👏

This first half of the walk featured community gardens, one of the ping pong tables I’ve been eyeing up for Barrie and Trenton Terrace, home to the most adorable workers cottages (that were once affordable).”

Sarah Jensen, The Heart of Barrie

Grateful you found attending this evening’s Jane’s Walk worthwhile.

I did not make the connection between you and Barrie.

I know you have car-free days through the summer, I intend to pop up there in Barrie during one or more of them to chalk Labyrinths in the open car free public spaces.

I trust people will enjoy exploring & walking them.

Thank you for joining my Jane’s Walk!

“Such a great walk to start the weekend, thank you!

I’m based in Barrie, but in Toronto fairly often, especially the Parkdale area.

It’s one of my adopted neighbourhoods.

I enjoyed learning more about it and Jane.

We’d love to have you come to Barrie and create Labyrinths!

We’re running our car free Open Air Dunlops twice a month, starting June 10th.

Let me know if you’re coming up.”

Sarah Jensen, The Heart of Barrie

Our Jane’s Walk began in front of the Parkdale Labyrinth

Inside Masaryk Park in Parkdale, Toronto.

I shared that since Childhood, Jane Jacobs was fascinated with Mazes and Labyrinths.

Cities as Labyrinths, without dead ends, rather than Cities as Mazes with many dead ends, is something that informed Jane Jacobs on her understanding of The City and its Streets, which comes through and can be found in her writings.

Jane Jacobs had at least one book about Mazes and Labyrinths on the shelf in her personal library at home, at the time of her passing in 2006.

Labyrinths and “Mazing” of streets by using one-way streets and forced turns for vehicles to improve quality of life inside residential neighbourhoods was something I did my best to express at the start of my Jane’s Walk.

Our Jane’s Walk made it as far as Fort Rouille located inside,

Or rather located as an interrupted concrete outline on the ground,

Within present day Exhibition Place.

Our final stop was opposite Ontario Place.

Here I suggested that “Ontario Place For All”,

The group aiming to save Ontario Place,

Should rename themselves as:

“Ontario Place for All, Austria Place for Some”

Because during the Spadina Expressway era,

Whenever the group was mentioned in print or on TV,

It included their SOS mandate:

“Stop Spadina Save Our City” [ Co-ordinating Committee ] .

Likewise “…Austria Place For Some”

* * *

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“HiMY SYeD leading a Toronto Jane’s Walk celebrating Jane Jacobs’ urbanism and philosophy through her books…” — Olivia Chow

Grateful to Olivia Chow,

Who joined 34 fellow Jane’s Walkers on my

The 11 Books of Jane Jacobs All in One Jane’s Walk

Almost everyone ( 30! ), including Olivia, stayed til the final walk stop opposite Ontario Place.

“HiMY SYeD leading a Toronto Jane’s Walk celebrating Jane Jacobs’ urbanism and philosophy through her books.

“We are imagining the Spadina Expressway nightmare and are grateful of Jacobs’ role in stopping it.

Olivia Chow

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“Nice to see Olivia Chow on a Toronto Jane’s Walk led by HiMY SYeD on the topic of Jane Jacobs’ books on Cities.” — Ushnish Sengupta

“Nice to see ⁦Olivia Chow on a ⁦Toronto Jane’s Walk⁩ led by HiMY SYeD on the topic of Jane Jacobs’ books on cities.”

Ushnish Sengupta

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30 Days of Biking – Day 9 – “Taking some time enjoy the 8 degrees of Springtime” – Bicycle Mayor of Toronto – Grange Park Labyrinth – Grange Park – Downtown Toronto

While I’ve been blogging 30 Masjids in 30 Days of Ramadan 2023,

It’s been 30 Days of Biking for Bicycle Mayors around the World.

Toronto’s Bicycle Mayor is Lanrick Jr Bennet.

On this Day 9 of 30 Days of Biking around Toronto,

Lanrick took some time to enjoy Springtime by the Grange Park Labyrinth.

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“Looks like HiMY SYeD was here” – Wading Pool Labyrinth – Ed McCleverty Equal Access Playground – East Toronto

Grateful for your acknowledgement Monica,

Of my “East Toronto Labyrinth” in Ed McCleverty Equal Access Playground.

 

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“Thank you! We love your work. ❤️” – Norm Di Pasquale – Grange Park Labyrinth – Grange Park – Downtown Toronto

 

You are most welcome Norm,

Happy Labyrinth Walking!

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Perspective – A Child’s Height View from the Heart in the Centre of The Grange Park Labyrinth – Grange Park – Downtown Toronto

Perspective.

What Grown-Ups sometimes, oftentimes, miss seeing…

A Child’s Height View from the Heart in the Centre of The Grange Park Labyrinth . . .

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“X Marks the Spot.” – Puppy Love – Labyrinth – Mouth of the Humber River – Humber Bay Arch Bridge – Toronto

X Marks the Spot.

Or is it a Heart ?

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“The Labyrinth 🌀🤔” – University of Toronto Run Club – Wading Pool Labyrinth – Christie Pits Park – Downtown Toronto

I often say,

“Children Never Walk a Labyrinth,

Children Always Run!”

The UofT Run Club also likes Running around my Christie Pits Park Labyrinth.

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Five Years – Vancouver Public Labyrinth – False Creek Seawall – Habitat Island – Olympic Village

Almost five years,

Since I placed the first stone and began building the Vancouver Public Labyrinth.

Alhumdulillah,

It’s still there, and still walkable.

By now,

Thousands upon Thousands of Footsteps have trodden this well worn, and well visible, path.

InshAllah,

It will see at least another five years!

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