Spring In Victoria Park

At the beginning of June I decided I had been inside long enough so I took a cab and went to Victoria Park. Before I took my PhotoWalk, I met with a friend whom I had not seen since this virus stuff came into being. It was a great time of visiting and when she and her husband left to go do things that they needed to do, I went into the park and walked for a while.

While I was waiting for my friend I sat in the shade of the pillar behind me in this first photo. I also took some more photos into the park and outside the front as well. You may notice that I didn't have sunburn when I first arrived, but in the second picture I definitely did. When I got home was when I discovered just how burnt I was. There was a good breeze the whole time we sat out front, and also while I was in the park. Over four hours of exposure for the first time this year did a number on me, but I do not regret one moment of the PhotoWalk.

The actual PhotoWalk only took about an hour and a half, and while I was in the park, I discovered that there are many of my favourite flowers open right now, and more to open in the next few days if it stays hot. So I will be making another trip, but earlier in the day.

 You can also see the windblown hair that is longer than it has been in probably 15 years or more. I'm actually thinking of letting it grow longer yet.

I was able to capture, with my Sony CyberShot DSC H300 camera, one of the purple Magnolia blossoms near the entrance to the park.

You can see some construction of a building that actually obscures the direct view to City Hall that I used to have from here.

These lilacs are inside the park area.

This photo is of the entrance right beside the pillar I was sitting against when I took the first selfie.

This was the view to my left from where I was sitting on my walker.

This wall tells one that it is actually Victoria Park. Maybe I should mention that this one is in the city of Kitchener, Ontario.

Here are a couple of photos that I took over that first low wall into the park

Once my friend and her husband left, I got going into the park, and this is the Magnolia bush that is right inside the entrance off Joseph Street.

It was somewhat challenging to go into the park as there are a lot of people who use it to ride their bikes in and I could not believe how busy it was with people, even though the Covid-19 restrictions are still in effect. Because I use a walker for stability and mobility purposes, I was often able to get off the path and out of the way of bikers etc for safety purposes.

These are the bushes on the right hand side as I entered the Park.

I was able to get up close to this magnolia to capture it.

I had noticed some purple Irises when I was waiting for my friend, and here I did manage to capture one of them in this photo.

As I was walking along I noticed some beautiful flowers further into the park, but first, I had to get to the purple irises I had seen before. 

Here the irises are seen among all the other flowers, and shrubs

Here is a closer look at the Irises.

Some hostas that are really grown since last year when I was in here before.

The flower beds are really overgrown compared to other years.

And then I spotted another purple Iris bush in a different flower bed and was thinking it would be nice to get back here to capture it when they are all open.

And of course, I had to get a closeup of this one.

I guess I've never been in this part of the park when this Snowflake Viburnum bush is in full bloom, or I just didn't notice it before.

I took several shots of the flowers closeup as I love them. For some reason I had thought they are an orange blossom bush, but when I got home I looked them up online and discovered that they are actually a Snowflake Viburnum.

These are just a few of the purple alliums I saw in the park, but they had the best setting for a photo.

Looks like somebody forgot their steamer trunk in the park. lol

A different angle of the Snowflake Viburnum, and all the purple Alliums. 

These golden coloured Irises were what I had seen upon entering the park, but decided to detour and get them after some of the other flowers I had seen before these.

Another angle of the flower bed the Golden Irises are in. 

A close up of one of the golden Irises

A close up of one of the golden Irises

A close up of one of the golden Irises

A close up of one of the golden Irises

A close up of one of the golden Irises

A close up of one of the golden Irises

A close up of one of the golden Irises

Once I had all the pictures of the irises I wanted, I headed toward the main part of Victoria Park where the statue of Queen Victoria is. Here are a few shots I took before I got to the clock tower.

This is a pond that is kept dry on off season, but it was good to see it operational.

I had come to this point after I was by the pond and was going to take a picture of the clock tower, but before I was able to do that I heard a cardinal scolding someone severely, and spotted it in the tree over the memorial. But I could not get a shot of him.

So I turned and captured a shot of the Clock Tower without a lot of people around it.

I had moved down in front of the memorial and hoped I might be able to capture the cardinal who had decided to quiet down now, but I could still see him flitting around in the lilac and green tree here., but first I took a shot of the clock tower from here. 

The cardinals in that tree behind the memorial, but I was not able to shoot fast enough so that you could enjoy his red coat too. Sorry. He was elusive today.

Some of the houses that have the park as their back yards.

At this point I was trying to decide how much further I was going to go before returning home for the day.

I decided to trek on and here is the path that I had to take to get where I was going. 

Looking over across the open field where many events are often set up during the year. It was nice to actually see it clear at this time of year.

When I walk through the park, I am thankful for my trusty walker that gives me an opportunity to sit whenever I am feeling breathless, or just needing to capture a shot and want the stability of sitting to capture it. This happened a lot today as I have not been out walking for far too long!

I really like the shade of these trees and the opportunity to be out of the sun for a brief time. 

Even just seeing the shade here makes it feel cooler in here on a hot day.

Here are two different pictures of the statue of Queen Victoria, after whom the park is named.

This is a different angle across the open space of the park from where I was sitting when I took the photos of the statue.

The red roof of this pagoda adds a bit of variation to the greens and blues of the skies.

This is taken toward the sun and does have a bit of sun ring in the picture. But at this time of day it is hard to not have that happen when I am taking a shot from this location by the Boathouse.

This one was taken more to the South, actually toward St. Mary's Hospital area.

And then toward the east side where I often see the swans but there were none there today.

Before I could see the workers I was able to hear them. It looks like they are replacing the roof on the Boat House.

This is a shot of the bridge that I will be taking some photos from and also crossing to the island for a brief visit.

A shot of the island from the area by the boathouse.

A different angle taken toward the east side of the lake. 

I got a good shot of the statue of Queen Victoria from down by the Boathouse. 

This is a shot of the statue, and also the cannon that is in front of it, which I was not able to capture as well from the other angle that I took the first two shots from.

Canada geese, and where you see them you have to be cautious where you step.

The island and Canada geese in the foreground.

A different angle of the bridge.

Getting closer to the bridge, and from a spot where I was seated on my walker.

A clear shot of the island. Lots of green to be seen today.

The Boathouse on the left and island on the right.

Another Snowflake Viburnum bush, but the sun was really bright behind it.

After treading very carefully I approached the Snowflake Viburnum bush, and also the lake.

More Snowflake Viburnum flowers closeup.

More Snowflake Viburnum flowers closeup.

More Snowflake Viburnum flowers closeup.

And then I spotted another Snowflake Viburnum bush. I wonder how many there are in Victoria Park.

One more shot back to where I had come from before heading onto the bridge.

Looking ahead and avoiding pedestrians and cyclists.

My first shot taken from the bridge.

I've been trying to figure out if the lamps were on in this shot across the bridge.

This time I didn't try to avoid the posting about actions to be taken during this virus stuff.

On the other side of the bridge.

Down into the park and the street that runs through the park.

This is one of my favourite islands to take a photo of in the park.

Capturing the gazebo across the bridge on the island I had taken shots of earlier.

Another shot of the Boathouse from the west side of the bridge.

This shot was taken from the centre of the bridge.

A shot of the western end of the main island.

Looking out onto the trail that takes you right around the whole park if you want to take it all the way.
For me that is not an option today, but hopefully next time I come.

One angle of the gazebo and the trees around it.

A trail that takes one to another bridge that takes you to the other side of the park.

Looking across the bridge to the north side.

And also the other direction from the spot I am now sitting at.

A look down into the east end of the main island.

Looking aback across the bridge to where I will be heading very shortly.

A couple more shots before heading toward the former bus terminal.

 

 

I'm on my way back toward home

A couple more pictures before leaving the park today.

Earlier I had spotted these irises while I visited with my friend, and made a mental note to capture them before I left the area for home.

 

A couple more quick glances back toward the park before I go home.

 

The former transit terminal is looking very desolate with the barriers around it.

Looking toward the park as I sit and wait for my cab to arrive.

One last glance just before the cab arrives toward the city.