The difference between early fall and early winter is illustrated in these two photographs; no prizes for guessing which one was taken today. The park literally teems with billions of creatures (mainly insects) at the end of summer while on a day like today wildlife seems strangely absent, even though a fair number of animals stick around by hibernating or finding winter food.

In addition to seasonal differences, the two photographs are about 8 years apart which can be seen by the growth of the bushes on the left.

29 September 2004.

Looking at today’s image, it’s hard to imagine anything surviving but in less than three months, the park will begin to stir as the sun’s warmth returns.

6 January 2013.

Off topic rant/ The apartment building in the photographs is one of a pair of notorious carbuncles built on Weston Road in the 1970s. These have been the subject of many a city compliance order and have become in some ways too big to fail. The landlord was recently given $1.8 million of taxpayers’ money to fix up the place. Hopefully the gift of a GO Station moving onto the doorstep should spare the taxpayer from further assistance to this alleged capitalist enterprise. /rant