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Children never walk a Labyrinth,
Children always run !

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Christie Pits Park,

Where Labyrinth Walking counts as Daddy Daycare!

Bonus,

This little one is wearing same Red & White stripes which Sarah’s little brother Toby wore in the Jim Henson film Labyrinth.

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“Today I walked down to the neighbourhood labyrinth at Christie Pits park. It’s painted on the conical wading pool, and on this day the benches were filled with Chinese elderly (joyously) shouting at each other.

“I have a long relationship with this particular labyrinth, I’ve probably walked it 100 times. I used to walk down to this park and hoop the labyrinth each morning before I started my day. It was a commute for me, forcing me to move, experience the weather, and get dressed like a normal person.

“I love the way that the circular shape of the whole labyrinth is so simple, so predictable, but the path inside is not. Even after walking so many times, I can’t predict the path. Or more exactly, when I started the practice I decided to not worry about where the next bend would lead, to not worry about memorizing the path so I could do it more efficiently, but to just do it, to enjoy, and to be lost for as long as possible.

“The Christie Pits labyrinths are made by the same artist who makes most of them in the city – HiMY. I love finding them as I walk around Toronto, they encourage taking a few minutes to wander in a small space, to be present, and to be curious.

“I have a few rules that I set for myself – take a breath at the start and set an intention. At the centre I take another moment to reflect before I turn around and retrace the path. I take a conscious breath and moment of thanks at the end. No crossing the lines, and no talking. The last one was made so that I would focus on the practice, cause especially when a hoop is involved, people are curious about why I’m dancing on this concrete circle and will ask me questions.

“Sometimes I feel like a slave to lines painted on the ground, but it’s those days that I most need the wandering.

“Sometimes, like this morning, I see another walker start the labyrinth, but quit before they reach the center. They often seem frustrated at how long it’s taking, or confused that it’s not a maze – there’s no choices to make and the only way to control how quickly you get to the centre is to change your speed. I like not having to make any decisions.

“A few years ago, Mo and I made a video of hooping in a labyrinth. Mo started in the middle and I started on the outside, and we wandered through as a cyclist learned to ride backwards….”

Re-Blogged from Sadie‘s blog, Circle Nerd.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/#!/jjarmasz/status/130013627775324160″]

Toronto has become a City of Labyrinths.

Presently, we may have the greatest physical number of labyrinths of any City in The World. This Jane’s Walk will help us understand why.

Since 2002, the Toronto City of Labyrinths Project has been aiming to place a semi-permanent labyrinth within walking distance of every Torontonian.

This Jane’s Walk will follow a path into and around Christie Pits Park, where a number of the Project’s examples exist.

All four of the most popular labyrinth design patterns will be shown:

• 1. The Thousands of years old ancient classic seven-circuit Cretan design
• 2. The 800-year-old Chartes Cathedral 11-circuit pattern
• 3. The Contemporary Santa Rosa Labyrinth design
• 4. The inner-Chartes seven-circuit pattern

Background in-depth history of each of the four major designs will be provided:

• • The story of how High Park got the first official City of Toronto Labyrinth
• • The efforts of the Labyrinth Community Network in creating The Toronto Public Labyrinth in Trinity Square Park
• • Why labyrinth walking is a critical period in the development of decision making abilities in children growing up, which they then carry into adulthood.
• • The Connection between bodies of water and labyrinths. (Garrison Creek)

Using chalk on paved open space, people will be instructed in how to make their own labyrinths, which we will then enjoy walking in to and out of.

Before returning to our starting point where this Jane’s Walk will end, we will see one bonus example of Giant Outstallation Art:

• Toronto’s Giant Outdoor Subway Map and the story of why it’s there

A limited number of printed materials will be available on a first come first served basis as keepsakes of this Jane’s Walk.

Saturday May 7, 2011 6 p.m.

Meeting Place: Traffic Island in Front of Christie Subway Station Main Entrance

End Location: Like all Labyrinth journeys, we will return to our starting point to end the walk (Traffic Island in Front of Christie Subway Station Main Entrance).

Public Transit Directions: Christie Subway Station Main Entrance, Christie Street, North of Bloor Street West, Koreatown/Christie Pits Park

Accessible: Partially accessible – curbs, uneven terrain, busy sidewalks

Parking Available: Green P Parking behind Christie Subway Station

JanesWalk.net/walks/view/toronto_city_of_labyrinths_project_janes_walk/

“this week after gymnastics we met the kids’ cousin at Christie Pits park for some playground action. it was a fine spring day.

“a highlight: walking the labyrinth.”

“bears like it, too.”

Re-blogged from Sarah Rosen’s blog Sweet Things.

It is the halfway point between the twin holidays of Christmas and Family Day in Toronto.

The Friends of Christie Pits Park have organized Winter Fun Day, an afternoon of skating, storytelling, pizza, and hot chocolate.
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The Christie Pits Park Wading Pool Splash Pad Labyrinth is now done.

The circuits are painted in azure blue and royal purple with 10 undefined rectangular spots for future artwork, designs, secret messages or whatever. I doubt I will do anything more with this one, so hopefully someone will fill in the empty spots with some wonderful unexpectedness. More Photos

This is the first labyrinth I had painted since before the TOStrike began near the end of June. The Christie Pits Park wading pool was renovated just in time to coincide with the beginning of the TOStrike.

A new splash pad feature has been installed by the private park contractor. It’s a red button thing that kids can press, and for anywhere from 30 seconds to three minutes in length, like magic, water gushes into the air from the four or five hidden water jets.

A new green metal designed water fountain also replaces the old school pebble design. It sorta matches the metallicness of the splash pad red button thing.

The above photo shows the labyrinth painting in progress from Saturday afternoon.

Elsewhere in the Park, the garbage was being removed from the ice rink. The rink had served as a temporary garbage drop-off and open air landfill. The Friends of Christie Pits Park had opposed the use of any part of the park as a temporary dump site. More Photos