Waterfront Festival 2017

This year, the Waterfront Festival was held on the Canada Day long weekend. I was able to get out to it on Monday, July 3.

This year was a rather more modest affair than I've seen in the past. The weather, particularly on Monday, was ideal, and there were lots of vendors out, both at Sherbourne Common and HTO Park. But there were really only two major attractions this year, which I'll share with you in this posting.


HMCS Toronto

The Toronto is a 1990s-era patrol frigate that is normally based in Halifax.

I've always wanted to see what one of these types of ships looked like, and fortunately, I was at Sherbourne Commons just after 10 am, before the crowds got very large (I remember feeling a little sore during last year's Festival that the lineups were way too long to board the ships they had on display then).

First, here's a view of the bow of the Toronto, with her enormous anchor quite prominent:

Then another view along the port side:

And, also from dock level, a shot of the funnel, with the crow's nest, rigging and various antennae.

Visitors are first guided to the front of the ship, which features this rather imposing 57 mm Bofors gun. It is used for anti-missile or anti-aircraft purposes, but can also fire on surface vessels.

Here, a crew member explains the gun's controls. I didn't get too many details, but the gist was that the gun's operation is largely automated.

Here's a view from the bow, looking east, of Toronto's harbour.
There is a small rescue boat at left, and the shipping channels in the distance.

Next was the rear of the ship, most of which seems to be taken up by this large helipad. The ship commonly uses a Sea King helicopter on her missions.

And then, the stern.
There are twin machine guns here, at middle right and left of the picture.
The anchored mechanism in foreground may be part of the "bear-trap" system for landing and launching the helicopter.

A closer look at one of the rear machine guns. There appear to be lots of ways to swivel and position it.

Here's a detail of the handle of the gun. I looked around it for some time, but couldn't see a way to hold on to it!
Perhaps the various swivels and wheels put it into a position, and then you fire it from the handle at centre? Your guess is as good (or maybe better) than mine.

But I do believe it's a 50-caliber machine gun...

At deck level, roughly amidships (this is as low as visitors were allowed to go) is the area where the ship's surface-to-surface missiles are fired from.
This series of brackets holds the missiles themselves ready for use - they're empty here, of course.

Here, a crewman explains the operation of the missile launcher. The control panel is just right of centre. The missiles here can be fired at submarines or surface vessels.

From the port side of the ship itself, another view of the funnel, crow's nest and antennae:

These machine guns are mounted on both port and starboard sides of the ship. They look a little more straightforward to operate, and are even equipped with a shield!

Next, we were invited onto the bridge. Another crew member was explaining the operation of the ship from the bridge.
Once again, I didn't get any details, but as you can see, much of it is probably automated and computerized these days.

From just one of the bridge windows, you get quite a clear view of the bow and the landscape (or seascape, as the case may be) ahead:

This is actually where the ship is steered from: a computer console, complete with trackball, and a steering wheel about the size of a race car's.

The little girl was having a great time, playing at steering the ship!

From the bridge, we went on to the starboard side of the ship, and here's another view of the funnel from there.

Visitors moved (gingerly) along these narrow walkways and steps, down to the starboard deck.
We got a good view of the RHIB (Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat)s there, seen at lower left of pic:

Very impressive were these missile launchers on the port side: the missiles are launched from these tubes, with the exhaust coming out of the openings on either side. The exhaust tube lids are down on this side, though one was open on the other side.

They use Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles.

And, once again on dry land, a view of the stern of the Toronto from the dock.
You can see both machine guns that I showed earlier, as well as the Canadian Navy Ensign fluttering in the wind.

The Toronto is on active duty, and, in 2013, was apparently involved in a high-seas drug bust in the Persian Gulf!

It was fascinating to see one of these vessels up close, though it would have been a blast to see the engine room and living quarters, though I assume, as an active ship, things below decks need to be kept running 24/7, and visitors poking around may not have been helpful.


Before the next attraction, as a kind of reminder of the spring and summer of 2017, there has been an unusual amount of rainfall since April. As of this date, it is still higher than normal, with only one or two days a week (if that) of dry weather.
The Toronto Islands are essentially flooded, and have been effectively off-limits to all but residents, and may be for the rest of the summer.

At HTO Park, I got a couple of shots of normally-dry areas along the lake shore that were roped off for safety reasons. Bear in mind that this was the first weekend of July, and water levels should be nowhere near this:

Even though it's not really threatening, it's still pretty disturbing.


Well, on to the next feature: This was a controversial choice for this weekend, but I found it so charming (as did all the children who saw it), that I didn't mind.

It was the giant rubber duck.

You may know that a Dutch artist, Florentijn Hofman, created an enormous rubber duck that, in different configurations and sizes, has been an attraction in various places around the world since about 2007.
This version was created by a promoter, and is actually higher than any of Hofman's creations, at over six storeys.
One of the controversies was over the cost, and there are conflicting estimates of that, from $71,000 US, to between $120,000 and $200,000 Canadian!

So, here are a few shots, so you can see for yourself:

You can see Lake Ontario washing over the edge here, too.

It is enormous! Look at the boat at left in comparison.

Hofman's intent with the original piece was to bring happiness to people, and it certainly had that effect on those that I saw looking at it and photographing it.
Children especially found it quite a treat: I passed by a child in his father's arms approaching the piece, pointing and exclaiming, "Da big rub-ber duck-ie!"

The right-wing press had a field day, of course, a typical knee-jerk reaction to any government spending - not taking into account that the cost covers the entire tour this piece is taking to other cities in the province over the coming weeks.
They're welcome to complain - it is a free country - but I doubt (m)any of them made an effort to see the joy and excitement on those children's faces.
And we'll leave it at that.


And that was this year's Waterfront Festival.
There are lots of things happening around town, the province and the country in this Canadian Sesquicentennial year. Here's hoping we get better weather for the rest of the summer, so we're all able to celebrate in our own way.