Modern Ruins Photo

Photographer’s Note

This photograph was taken in Parkdale, a neighbourhood in Toronto that is low-income, although it was once prosperous and appears to on the road to gentrification. To me this old bike was in some ways symbolic of its present state. (There is a nice history of Parkdale through old postcards here.)

Once upon a time Parkdale was quite a tony neighbourhood, located near the western end of Toronto's Lake Ontario beaches. In the mid-50's, however, the Gardiner Expressway was built, an elevated highway that cut Parkdale off from the water. The construction also resulted in the destruction of a popular amusement park. Parkdale began a slow decline, from which it has yet to emerge. (See the Parkdale link, above, for an interesting history.)

The effect of the Gardiner is especially clear when you compare Parkdale with its east-side counterpart, known as The Beaches, which has a similar history but never lost its access to the water and therefore remained a desireable neighbourhood with extremely high property values.

Parkdale's present population is a mix of recent immigrants, refugees, and working poor attracted by low rents; artists (drawn there by the same logic); addicts and alcoholics; and an increasing contingent of hopeful middle-class newbies who see the yuppification of Queen Street spreading westward and who are waiting for the wave to wash over them, cleaning the place up a little and adding to the value of their properties. (More about this process in my notes to B&W in Colour.)

I sometimes think that -- to outsiders -- Toronto is seen largely as consisting of the CN Tower, The Skydome, and maybe the Eaton Centre (see Prayer for a Mall for a view of the Centre and the theme Toronto is a Trip! for more shots of the city that aren't in the travel brochures).

Personally, I like Parkdale. While I'm happy to see some of the older buildings restored from their state of disrepair, I hope it keeps some of its local character, and especially its multi-ethnicity.

More Parkdale pictures may follow.

(Note: No desaturation)

snuggleaphagus, Djipi, digi-mom, Andre-H has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

msadventure (632) 2005-06-27 14:57

I like the antiquity of this bike on the marble floor. Good note.
I'll be visiting Toronto in October to run the marathon. I hope to do some sightseeing as well.
:)

snuggleaphagus (4132) 2005-06-27 15:06

The title is great. I love the detail you acptured on the rusty part of the bike, and the flatire is great too. Thw dusty and forgotten feeling comes accross very well. The chain presumably to keep it from being stolen did it's job almost too well.
Well seen and photographed. Excellent fra ing too.

[2] +

Ina (2669) 2005-06-27 15:55

I love the colors in this ols rusted bicycle... Composition and idea is good too... TFS...Ina...

[2] +

devimeuxbe (54041) 2005-06-27 15:59

Hi Lee
It's beautifull and a great idea to show this old bicycle in a dynamic situation.
Incredible sharp.
Well done
Bertrand

AnimeshRay (8870) 2005-06-28 13:46

Love the texture of surfaces here, and the warm color. Very nice effect. I wish there was a cat behind the bike, but of course that is just way too much to wish for!

Elise_d (1943) 2005-07-29 13:31

I agree with Animesh; there might be some "alive thing" missing in your shot. Or maybe just a pair of gloves or something to break the lines. But I do like the texture, the light and of course, your funny title and note. Well seen and cropped...

Andre-H (1405) 2006-01-05 21:23

Way to capture the other side of the story. I too have a strong interest in researching, and photographing the elements of a place that we aren't supposed to know about or see.

I also like bike photos, especially when the subject is rustic - or, in this case, rusty.

Andre