So I’m standing above the site of the old quarry behind the Toronto Brickworks, tripod set up with my 70-200 mm, shooting across the ponds and paths below, captivated by the Z cut into the far hill, when I hear a voice behind me: “What are you taking a picture of?” It’s an elderly woman out for walk. I tell her I like the pattern in the side of the hill and the contrast between the yellow construction materials and the green foliage. “Oh that,” she says. “I thought maybe you were taking a picture of a bird or something.” I explain that I shoot whatever grabs my eye. “Oh,” she says. “Well, it may be interesting to look at, but I think it’s just dreadful what they’ve done to the hill. They’re building one of those on this side, too, you know. Up to Chorley Park. Horrible the way we’re losing all this natural space.” I stare out across the former quarry — now reclaimed land — and scratch my head. Maybe I’m missing something here.
Mostly I ignore local politics. Nimbyism tends to dominate the way people think about local issues and, to be blunt, I haven’t got the patience for it. I have even less patience for Nimbyism in Rosedale (where I walk my dog each day for the simple pleasure of letting her shit on rich people’s lawns). The good residents of Canada’s wealthiest neighbourhood have their signs out screaming red and white: Stop Chorley Park Switchback. You’d almost think it was a real issue.
Part of the concern is that the city has already removed trees from the site, but without consultation. And so things have ground to a halt to hear from the public even thought the trees are already gone.
I can appreciate the indignation local residents would feel. At the same time, decrying the loss of natural space in the middle of city doesn’t really fly, especially when the “loss” is land that was reclaimed from a quarry. If you go down into the paths behind the brickworks, you can see that the natural space is a bit of an illusion. A lot of the vegetation grows from spongy material that’s been laid over the rock.
In fact, I’d hazard to guess that most of what we describe as “the natural world” is sustained by similar illusions.
Signs protesting the Tar Sands. Now that’s something I could get behind. Then again, without the Tar Sands, how would the good residents of Rosedale fuel all their Porsches?
