Categories
Toronto Public Library Pilgrimage of 100 Branches

Skylit Highland Creek (1994): Home of the Glamorous She-Dragon

2011

A number of years passed between my first sojourn to Highland Creek and later visits, but I did not forget the distinctive ceiling that resembled an unfolded sauna. Thanks to the the ceiling’s skylight and the generous number of high windows, Highland Creek was as radiant with natural light as ever.

2015
IMG_0200
2015

Not far from the skylight, four lucky readers had settled in the same number of armchairs in front of the hearth. Two coffee tables were piled high with the remains of fireside browsing material: magazines, craft books, and a photo digest of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Later I added to the stack after I photographed two books from Highland Creek’s small multilingual collection.

Closer to the entrance, a glamorous dragon called Desdemona batted her lashes at incoming library patrons. I liked the she-dragon’s sparkly green scarf and the way it complemented her hide-tone. With purple talons matching the shade of her ears, wings and back-plates, Desdemona was the best-accessorized dragon I have ever seen.

2015
2015
2015
2015

From a high shelf in the Children’s Section, the dragon’s tail received the solar benefit of south-facing windows, something that a reptile in a cold climate must appreciate.

2015
2015

Highland Creek’s multipurpose room contained some interesting wall art that referenced the previous summer’s reading program, Destination Jungle. Thank goodness nobody had torn down the art at summer’s end, for I would have missed the opportunity to see the denim-clad monkey, fluffy cuttlefish, and the melancholy frog.

2011

Highland Creek, thank you for the opportunity to bask in the presence of your skylight, hearth, and bright mural!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *