As a born and raised Beacher who has enjoyed the Winter Stations installations since its inception a decade ago, I can attest to this annual project's transformative impact on the neighbourhood.

Over the years, one of the most remarkable aspects of Winter Stations has been its ability to breathe life into a community that often feels deserted during the winter months. 

The Beaches is undoubtedly one of Toronto's busiest neighbourhoods during the summer, drawing crowds from across the Greater Toronto Area to the picturesque shores of Lake Ontario and the vibrant Queen Street East strip's incredible patios and boutiques. 

But, once warm weather leaves (and the crows with it), the community undergoes a stark transformation, becoming a sleepy little town, almost in a state of  hibernation and seemingly completely separate from the rest of the city.

This installation, Nova, was contributed by the Toronto Metropolitan University Department of Architectural Science Design Team, and takes imaginative inspiration from a star crashing into one of the lifeguard stations and illuminating Woodbine Beach throughout the night. 

One of the many great things about Winter Stations is the chance to change all that and bring a burst of vibrancy and activity back to The Beaches in the cold weather, inviting residents and visitors to explore the community in an interactive and artistic way during the off-season.

The theme for the 2024 edition of Winter Stations is Resonance, marking a decade of art, innovation, community engagement. and invites reflection on impactful moments and cherished installations from past years.

Contesting designers for this year's competition were encouraged to reinvent and reimagine previous installations, infusing them with fresh ideas and their unique artistic vision.

Designed by international design team Xavier Madden of Australia and Katja Banović of Croatia, We Caught a UFO!, is inspired by the 2016 Winter Station project In the Belly of a Bear, aiming to transport the public into a whole new world.

Referencing rumors of UFO sightings across Lake Ontario, the installation features a UFO caught under a net, wrapped in aluminum foil.

Visitors of all ages are invited to explore the UFO and climb into the main space with pink windows that transform the beach into a new landscape... or planet. Ultimately, the installation stimulates imagination while providing shelter from the wind and cold.

Over the years, Winter Stations primarily kept its installations at Woodbine Beach, which, while captivating against the backdrop of chilly Lake Ontario, did little to drive foot traffic to the businesses along Queen Street East. 

However, this year marks a significant shift with three installations being placed along the main street of The Beaches, including the western-most piece at Woodbine Park, Making Waves, designed by Adria Maynard and Purvangi Patel. 

This whimsical installation is designed to embody the concept of cause and effect, illustrating how small actions can create significant impacts. Inspired by kinetic sculptures, the design features interactive elements that move when cranks are turned. 

Two of the most beloved installations from last year's Winter Stations have also found new homes in parks along Queen Street East: Conrad in Ivan Forest Gardens and Delighthouse in Kew Gardens next to the library.

Likely one of the most popular installation in the history of Winter Stations, Conrad holds a special place in the hearts of many Torontonians, myself included. 

This beloved installation, which pays tribute to a raccoon who died on a Toronto street in 2015 that Torontonians named Conrad, has become an iconic Toronto symbol of resilience and compassion. 

Locals spent February eagerly watching the installations being built and playfully interacting with them on the beach leading up to the grand reveal that took place over the Family Day long weekend.

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Last week, I took our dog Tuli down to Woodbine Beach to explore the installations ahead of the rush over the long weekend. Our favourite was undoubtedly A Kaleidoscopic Odyssey, which can be found furthest to the east.

Tuli and I had a blast playing in the mirrors. This installation, designed by Brander Architects Inc. invites participants to challenge the boundaries between reality and imagination.

The traditional kaleidoscope's scale is magnified 84 times to human scale, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in its wonder, while deliberate space between the sculptured parts intentionally breaks the closed-loop system commonly associated with kaleidoscopes.

Another installation that is catching a lot of attention is WINTERACTION, a collaborative installation between the University of Guelph Department of Landscape Architecture and Ashari Architects in Iran.

Admitedly, when I came across it, I didn't think the installation was actually finished being built, as its physical form is extremely simplistic and frankly underwhelming. But reading the sign, I realized that this interative installation requires a phone to get the full experience.

Through an augmented reality labyrinth journey, participants are provided with the opportunity navigate from confusion to inner peace, symbolized by a virtual tree at the center that dynamically evolves with interactions.

This was my first AR experience, and you need to download an app from the QR code on the sign, but once downloaded you're seconds away from getting the full experience of WINTERACTION.

I had a blast trying to find my way through the virtual maze, and, surely from afar I looked quite confused, walking in circles and abruptly stopping when meeting a virtual dead end. Ultimately it was fun and just the kind of interactive experience I hope for at Winter Stations.

Continuing our walk, I enjoyed speaking with others who had come down to check out the installations along the shoreline. One local, Patricia Petruga, said she comes down to the beach almost everyday, "as long as it's not too icy," a sentiment I can relate to.

Patricia Petruga is a big fan of the Winter Station project, and, like many, is most entranced by the interactive ones that encourage play and a full sensory experience. Photo by Erin Horrocks-Pope.

This year, one of Petruga's favourite installations is Nimbus, a large bubbly cloud incorporating saturated blue ropes beneath it designed by David Stein, who was inspired by the "airy strands" that made up Floating Ropes, an installation from Winter Stations 2016.

The crowd-drawing cloud installation has already been a frenzied focus for local photographers and visitors. Though I think one of Nimbus' biggest fans is Tuli himself who had so much fun playing with the ropes with his other four-legged friends of the day.

Petruga expressed her delight to me in the interactive nature of the installation, "It's so fun to move the ropes aside and stand under the cloud. I love how the ropes are different textures - some are curled while others just hang straight down."

She further emphasized that the most memorable installations throughout her years of experiencing Winter Stations are those that encourage sensory engagement and active participation.

The western-most installation was designed with that exact concept in mind. Bobbin' offers visitors a space for contemplation amidst whimsical memories, featuring slats that create a dynamic boundary between the 'bobbing zone' and the beach surroundings.

During my outing with Tuli, I was lucky to meet some of the designers of Bobbin' from the University of Waterloo while they prepared the installation for the official grand reveal on Monday.

Members of the University of Waterloo Design Team constructing the Bobbin' station located at the west end of Woodbine Beach on Friday, February 16. Photo by Erin Horrocks-Pope.

Max Perry, a first-year Masters of Architecture student, emphasized the design team's appreciation for past projects' designs with the goal of sensory experience and playfulness at the centre.

Drawing inspiration from playground-like projects such as Sling Swing and Life Line, and reflecting the forms of HotBox and Introspection, Bobbin' incorporates materials from previous student projects and salvaged materials.

"I think it's really cool to get to be a part of something that is such a big deal to the city," Perry said, highlighting his gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to Toronto's public art scene as part of the Bobbin' design team.

As visitors navigate the installation, experiencing the sensation of bobbing up and down, they are encouraged to gain a fresh perspective and resonate with both the present surroundings and past Winter Stations installations.

This year's Winter Stations were unveiled in two parts: the Queen Street East installations opened to the public last Thursday, while the Woodbine Beach installations had their grand opening ceremony on Family Day Monday. 

This week, as I witness the delight and wonder sparked by the Winter Stations on Woodbine Beach and along The Beaches main drag and the influx of foot traffic, I feel hopeful that some activity will return to my beloved sleepy-winter neighbourhood. 

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For years, I've felt that Winter Stations belonged beyond the beach, and seeing it finally happen makes me optimistic about the future of our community and the small local businesses that make it such an incredible place to live and visit. 

The Delighthouse installation which made its debut during Winter Stations 2023 can be found next to The Beaches Toronto Public Library in Kew Gardens.

Paul Bieska, executive director of the Beach BIA, is also hopeful that by spreading the installations along Queen Street East, more people will decide to make the short walk from Woodbine Beach to explore The Beaches' main business area. 

"We're hopeful that with so much to see, both locals and visitors will turn their trip to see this year's Winter Stations into an experience complete with shopping and dining at our unique local businesses and eateries," Bieska says, adding to my sentiment about the extension.

In my opinion, the simple act of bringing art and creativity up to the streets of The Beaches and not just down by the lake, Winter Stations, acts as an opportunity to further enrich the lives of residents and day-trippers and bring much-needed support to our local economy.

As Winter Stations continues to evolve and grow in years to come, I hope to see even more free public art installations along the Queen Street East strip, where they're needed most, in the coming years.