Winter Stations at The Beaches

After 16 months in Toronto we finally made it to The Beaches! It was a beautifully sunny day yesterday so we decided to head down to the lake and check out the Winter Stations design competition that was ending this weekend.

Winter Stations is in its second year, and aims to encourage people down to the beach in winter by transforming the lifeguard stations into art installations. The seven installations along Kew, Scarboro and Balmy beaches all focus on the theme of freeze/thaw. Fortunately for us the thaw has now very much happened, but it was still a chilly 1°C on Saturday.

Toronto Beaches The Belly of a Bear — The Belly of the Bear has proven to be the most popular and photogenic of the art installations. Once you’ve clambered inside, you’ll find a fur lined room.

Toronto Beaches Lifeguard Station — Not much need for lifeguards to be on duty at the Lifeguards Station, when temperatures are only hitting 1°C!

The Beaches Boardwalk Toronto — It’s easier to walk along the boardwalk than on the sand!

Toronto The Beaches kites — Kites were out in abundance on a windy day.

Floating Ropes Toronto Beaches — Floating Ropes – giving you a place to hide, until your legs give the game away.

Toronto Beaches Flow — The ‘Flow’ encourages you to pick a wooden star off, and then throw it back on the pile. Just try not to overdo it and take someone out on the other side!

Our final stop was the sauna, designed by a couple from the UK, which provided a warm escape from a chilly day.

Toronto The Beaches sauna — It might not look like much, but the sauna was surprisingly warm inside…

The Beaches is a bit of a trek from our house, which is one of the reasons why we’d not made it down here before now, but we’re glad we finally did. It’s a great part of town, with the residential streets and the stretch along Queen Street East, with its cafes, independent shops and yoga studios, making for a very pleasant walk after paying the beach a visit.

Emma and Stewart

5 thoughts on “Winter Stations at The Beaches”

You should come down this way when it’s warm. Worth renting a paddleboard and getting a different view on the beaches.

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Emma and Stewart says:

March 21, 2016 at 10:05

Will definitely be down again when it’s warmer and the paddleboard sounds like a great idea. Are there places to rent them nearby?

I wish we lived closer or there was better transit!!

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1. boristoronto says:
  
  March 21, 2016 at 10:22
  
  There is a company in the area called wsup. You rent on their website and they meet u at the beach with the board waiting for you. Not a bad way to spend an hour or two on the water.
  
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I love the idea of the Thaw! I’m sure my kids would like to try it out. 🙂

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Emma and Stewart says:

March 21, 2016 at 12:52

I’m sure they would, it was being enjoyed by kids and adults alike. There was something quite satisfying about the way the stars interconnected as you threw them on the pile 🙂

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