Ward's Island Community Pebble Mosaic Project

Officially open!

2015-10-13T08:52:00.002-04:00

The Arythmics band, stilt dancers, flag waver and hooper extraordinaire paraded the guests from the Ward's Island ferry docks to Willow Square, celebrating the installation of the restored Victorian-style Landing Stage and the completion of the Willow Square project. Thanks to the ongoing support of many Islanders and friends the space has been transformed from a garbage transfer site and parking lot into a community hub. It took a village to create a Square!

Waiting for the ferry

Parading to the Square

Some of the folks who helped make it happen

Bruce Smith told the story of the search for the original Landing Stage

Plenty of great food!

Thanking all the contributors

Warren Hoselton explained the restoration process

Come and Celebrate Sunday October 4, 2 p.m.!

2015-09-15T16:01:00.003-04:00

We invite you to share in the celebration of the installation of the Landing Stage
at Willow Square, Ward’s Island.

Sunday October 4, 2015 at 2 p.m.

With the restoration of the Landing Stage and the completion of the gardens, benches
and a new sign, the development work is now complete.
Together we have accomplished much: It takes a village to create a Square!

Music • Refreshments • Entertainment

City guests can catch the 1:45 ferry to Ward’s Island
More information: 647-545-0829

It's finished!

2014-11-20T07:50:00.005-05:00

We are very happy to announce the completion of the restoration and installation of the Victorian landing stage in Willow Square on Ward's Island. Thanks to the City of Toronto, Clifford Restoration, Stevens Burgess Architects and a lot of Islanders who never lost faith (although some of us ALMOST did), it was completed in time for the first snowfall of the season.
Photos by Jim Belisle

Except for a few pieces cast to match by the restoration team,

all the wrought iron is original from over 100 years ago

The wooden slat benches were incorporated with the restoration

A new 2' diameter pebble mosaic has been added

Getting closer

2014-11-12T09:07:00.001-05:00

Allyson W got this shot yesterday of the new benches and the pavers going back in.

Still no roof yet.

Day 2 of the installation

2014-11-09T16:53:00.002-05:00

Starting the day

Adding the ridge beam

Metal worker Jason McCann centring the first piece of scroll work

Placing the (very heavy) peak scrolls

Jason reproduced the pieces that were missing, matching the existing ones perfectly

The first time these restorers had seen a photo of the original Stage in situ

It's going up!

2014-11-07T10:59:00.005-05:00

It's been a long wait between the pouring of the initial foundations, which were deemed insufficient for the task, the construction of the second foundations, and the raising of the structure of the Landing Stage. It is now going up, and a beautiful thing it is.

The Landing Stage in its original position at the Eastern Gap, Ward's Island

Bruce Smith, the man who found the pieces, and had the plan

Positioning the supporting steel posts

Detail of one of the refurbished roof supports

The roof supports going on

One of the benches

Landing Stage foundations are in!

2014-09-05T16:40:00.001-04:00

The holes have been dug for the foundations and the concrete poured. They are now curing, in preparation for the installation of the restored Landing Stage at the end of next week. In case you missed it, here are a few photos.

The garden is looking fabulous, thanks to Grahame Beakhust.

The Landing Stage will be installed in the east end of the Square

Proper foundations!

They hit the water table

Digging deep

The uprights will bolt to this

The Englars keeping an eye on things

They got it right

Topping up with concrete

South side of the garden

The Official opening of Willow Square!

2012-08-04T21:28:00.000-04:00

Willow Square Opening 2012 from Kathleen Doody on Vimeo.

Photo: Sean Tamblyn

Planting the paperbark maple trees

2012-08-01T20:00:00.000-04:00

Day 9: Finishing up

2012-07-16T17:03:00.002-04:00

Laying the mosaic squares

Adding the sand

Wetting it down

Finished and ready for planting

A toast to Willow Square!

Day 8: Massimo, the main man, doing the installation

2012-07-13T10:51:00.000-04:00

Finishing up installing the paths

Day 7: Ready for the paths

2012-07-12T09:02:00.002-04:00

And some trees waiting to be planted...

Day 6: Preparing for the mosaic squares

2012-07-10T22:56:00.002-04:00

Day 5: The road is finished, the Square begins

2012-07-09T18:22:00.001-04:00

Day 4: Laying the pavers

2012-07-07T20:03:00.001-04:00

Day 3: Adding the fill

2012-07-06T11:03:00.001-04:00

Day 2: Levelling for the Square

2012-07-05T00:20:00.003-04:00

Phase 2: Day 1

2012-06-29T09:10:00.000-04:00

Ripping up the asphalt. Photo: Kathleen Doody

City Parks has removed the asphalt from the former parking lot and garbage transfer site. Phase 2 begins

Wow!

2012-06-25T19:44:00.002-04:00

Photo: Kathleen Doody

It doesn't look like much now, but . . .

We are amazed, grateful, in awe of our neighbours and friends. We are there. Together we have raised the $14,000 that we need to install the second half of the Willow Square.

City Parks has moved the concrete pavers from the former parking lot across from the WIA, relocating them to the field until they can be installed. The cuts have been made in the existing asphalt, and tomorrow or Wednesday the asphalt will begin to come up. The installation crew can come next week and begin to further excavate, fill, and lay the paving stones. We booked them on faith, and hope, for the first week of July, wishing to have the Square ready for Gala weekend, and now we can go ahead. Thanks to our donors.

The area will be kept as neat as possible while Phase 2 is under construction, and there will be paved access to the clubhouse from the north (ferry dock) side. However, there will be some inconvenience to people, especially with wheeled vehicles. There will be a slight drop from the sidewalk to the sand along Withrow for about a week. The installation crew will install the "road" area first.

Thank you. Keep checking the blog for photos and updates as the work progresses.

Willow Square Update - so close!!!

2012-06-14T22:31:00.002-04:00

Photo by Vivian Pitcher

The fantastic tulips in the new beds have now made way for four Paperbark Maple trees, with rhododendrons and other shrubs, perennials and ground cover coming soon. Thanks to Sheila Murray for obtaining the donations of the tulips from TradeWinds International Sales, and shrubs from Humber, Sheridan and Putzer’s nurseries. Also to Grahame Beakhust for sourcing the Paperbark Maples as well as for his fundraising efforts, to Jerry Englar for his brilliant site plan, and to all the gardeners who are helping out. Thanks to Loblaws for its contribution of $500 from the garden centre.

We are now getting close to raising the $14,000 that we need for the installation of Phase 2 of Willow Square, due to the generous donations of many Islanders. Phase 2 will transform the area formerly used as a parking lot and garbage transfer site. The Sandbar Sisters/Hoedown crew turned over the proceeds from Saturday’s event, the $500 matching funds have been received, and many private donations have put us just $2400 away from our goal. We would really like to have Phase 2 installed, with the pavers, small mosaic squares, and planting beds, before Gala Weekend. The installers are ready to proceed the first week of July, we just need to have the rest of the funding in hand.

The Church has generously offered to issue tax receipts for donations to the project. Cheques should be made out to: Church of St. Andrew-by-the-Lake, with a reference on the cheque to the HKMF and the WIA Pebble Mosaic Project. The Church will redirect donations to our project, and issue tax receipts in January. Cheques can be dropped off at Joyce Roger’s home at 25 Seneca or Kathleen Doody’s at
9 Channel.

Thank you for your support,

Kathleen, Penny and Jerry

The Word on Willow Square

2012-03-19T11:16:00.005-04:00

After all the work of the last two years getting the first part of the square built and installed in front of the WIA, we took a few months rest to savour the achievement that so many people brought to life. Then we got back to work with the city to see if we could make Phase 2 happen this spring and summer. Phase 2 of Willow Square refers to the area on the other side of the square in front of the Willow Garden, the proposed location of the restored Landing Stage and pebble mosaics squares made in the workshops last winter. This is City land and we wanted to make sure that the Landing Stage would be under their future care (and insurance) once it was restored.

We have met with City Planning (Public Art), Economic Development and Culture (Cultural Assets), Heritage Toronto, City Parks (Warren) and Pam McConnell’s office. We were thrilled to find there was a lot of interest in the project and the Landing Stage and we received some helpful advice on how to move forward. Some money has been made available to start the project by hiring an historical engineer to research the Landing Stage and develop a plan for its restoration. Parks will be able to provide some in-kind services and we are hoping that the City will recognize the cultural value of the Landing Stage and commit to its reconstruction. We will still have to raise some money for installation but it seems a manageable amount, somewhere around $12,000. Heritage Toronto has offered to make their charitable status available to us for fundraising. All very hopeful but the timing is unclear right now until we have the engineer’s plan.

We have also been working with the WIA to look at joint fundraising for this project and the work that will need to be done to repair and renovate the clubhouses over the next several years. Meanwhile we have spray painted the design of Phase 2 on the ground of the former parking lot and garbage transfer site. Take a look. And with our early spring, all those thousands of bulbs that were planted last fall in the gardens have been uncovered and are starting to poke through the mulch. Keep a look out for those flowers – they should be spectacular. Jerry Englar has done a beautiful landscape design for the Phase 1 gardens, with small trees, shrubs and perennials and we are hoping to get those in the ground in the spring.

Penny, Kathleen and Jerry

The Willow Square

2011-11-07T15:12:00.002-05:00

Thanks to many people wielding shovels and barrows, the earth has moved

and the Willow Square is ready for spring planting.

Celebration at Willow Square

2011-10-30T15:56:00.000-04:00

The first gathering to celebrate the mosaic's installation!

Click to see Sheila Murray's pictures from the day

Tidy up time

2011-10-29T23:04:00.002-04:00

Installation - Last Day!!

2011-10-28T17:17:00.000-04:00

This is it...