Note that the directions and tips covered in the following pages result from monitoring experiences during past years. You may find a slightly different location that works better for you. If you have additional directions or tips, please let us know at londonswifts@gmail.com.

South Collegiate Institute

(371 Tecumseh Ave E, southeast corner of Belgrave Ave) Drive or walk up to the raised parking deck behind the school. Access the deck from the east side of Belgrave St. Sometimes, you can drive a car onto the parking deck. However, the low gate at the bottom of the ramp may be closed. If so, park on the south side of McKenzie, which runs west from Belgrave opposite the driveway behind the school. On McKenzie, parking is free (no time limit in the evening). Step over the gate and walk up the ramp to the parking deck or walk up the stairs to the left of the ramp. Position your chair to view the chimney against the northwest sky. Try to find a spot that will minimize interference from the two or three security lights located at points along the outside rear wall of the school. Children and others frequent the deck in the evening, so choose a location that minimizes disturbance from passersby. People who pass by are often curious about what you are doing, so be sure to have swift postcards or business cards available to hand out. Perhaps even invite them to linger to watch the swifts too.

Latest comments: As far as parking at South is concerned, if the small parking area is full, there is street parking on McKenzie Ave and Tecumseh Ave – it is a very safe area.

King’s College Wemple Building

(266 Epworth Ave at Waterloo St)

At its north end, Waterloo St meets Epworth Ave, coming in from the west. Straight ahead is the Wemple Building of King’s College (at this point, you are too close to see the chimney at the back of the building). To the right (east) is King’s parking lot P2. Parking along Waterloo St is free in the evening. When there is little evening teaching activity, use the free on-street parking. In September, however, when evening classes resume, you may have to go some distance south on Waterloo. Do not park in the driveway to parking lot P2, even if you remain in your car. A good viewing spot is from the lawn near the sidewalk leading from parking lot P2 to the Wemple Building. This location provides a view of the chimney silhouetted against the northwest sky. You may be able to place your lawn chair in the lot; if you do, avoid interfering with cars. Alternative parking can be found at King’s parking lot P1 (located just west of the Wemple building on the north side of Epworth Ave. The arms at the gate into this lot are usually up in the evening, year-round, permitting free access. The Wemple chimney is visible from the northeast area of lot P1, silhouetted against the eastern sky. Unfortunately, as light levels drop, it is much more difficult to see swifts against the sky. You may park (for free) in lot P1, then walk eastward along the sidewalk in front of the Wemple Building and set up lawn chairs near lot P2, as suggested above. Security personnel sometimes stop by; some have become quite interested in swifts. Keep a supply of swift postcards or business cards. Binoculars are not advised at King’s, as the upper floors of the Wemple Building may be used for student accommodation. Barn Swallows nest around the building and forage for insects while in flight. Use this opportunity to learn to distinguish swallows from swifts. Barn Swallows have forked tails, usually fly lower, may sit on windowsills or visit nests under awnings, and have a distinctive flight pattern and somewhat different vocalizations. They often retire for the night a little before swifts do.

Update 1: The King’s College parking lots 1 & 2 had gates down and were marked as “by permit only “.  Parking Lot #3 which is on the west side of Waterloo Street accessed south of the Wemple Building and across from the Seminary had the gates open but the lot is signed as paying via the HONK app.  The sign says rogue cars will be towed.  

Update 2: There should be available free street parking on Waterloo Street.

Labatt Warehouse/Garage

(183 Simcoe St, west of Clarence St)

The best observation location for this chimney is approximately in front of the house at 195 Grey St (or several houses to the east). Grey Street is one-way, westbound. On-street parking (on the south side of the street only) is free. There is considerable foot and bicycle traffic in this area, and there is no public space for setting up lawn chairs that would avoid blocking the sidewalk. At times, troubled individuals pass by during a swift monitoring session. You may wish to stay inside a car (or from a lawn chair on the street immediately in front of a parked car). There are some very nice neighbours on this street. Be sure to have some swift postcards or business cards on hand. The chimney, which rises above Labatt’s warehouse, is located behind a high wooden board fence and is silhouetted against the northwest sky. Sunsets from this location can be especially gorgeous.

L & H Smith Fruit

(22 Maitland St, south of Nelson St)

Smith Fruit is the last building on the east side of Maitland Street at its south end. A small visitor parking lot is located between the front of the Smith Fruit building and the street. In the evening, monitors usually park towards the south end of this lot, and view from their vehicle or chairs set up in the parking lot or on the nearby lawn. This gives a good view of the chimney silhouetted against the northeast sky. Unfortunately, no location allows safe viewing towards the northwest sky. Watch for security lights on the building and, if possible, avoid looking too directly towards them. There are nearby homeless encampments. Residents heading home for the night walk southward down Maitland.

Phoenix Building

(300 Wellington St, north of the northeast corner of Horton St)

NOTE: THIS CHIMNEY IS USED BY SWIFTS BUT NO LONGER HAS A SAFE MONITORING LOCATION.

This free-standing chimney is located just south of the Phoenix Building. For many years, the preferred viewing spot was from a car parked in the east-side parking lot at Tim Hortons, 296 Horton St. Tim’s is on the north side of Horton, the third building east of Wellington (east of the car rental business on the corner). Parking spaces are usually available towards the rear of the Tim’s lot (don’t block access to the drive-through). Avoid looking towards the security light on the northeast corner of the Tim’s building. View the chimney against the northwest sky. Some swift monitors pick up a coffee or Timbits before starting a session. At this location, pay particular attention to your safety and security. This parking lot is regularly used as a congregating place by people experiencing homelessness. It is advisable to back your car into a parking space and stay inside your vehicle. A second person and a cell phone are desirable. Otherwise, if you have a problem, Tim Hortons and its staff are very close at hand. An alternative monitoring location is from an empty parking space at Enterprise Car Rental at 288 Horton St (northeast corner of Wellington), two doors west of Tim’s. Look north or northwest to see the chimney. There is no guarantee of parking spaces. People regularly walk through this lot but don’t tend to linger as much as at Tim’s. Still, it is wise to remain in your car while monitoring and have a cell phone and a buddy. A third alternative monitoring location is the small parking lot on the southeast corner, directly across the street from Enterprise Car Rental. There may be an empty parking space that faces north towards the chimney. This location is farther away from the Phoenix chimney. Bright traffic and commercial lighting near the corner impede chimney viewing. Viewing from within a parked car and other safety precautions described above are recommended here. When arriving for a monitoring session at Phoenix, come early so you can size up which of the three possible viewing locations seems preferable to use that evening.

First-St. Andrew’s United Church

(350 Queens Ave at the northeast corner of Waterloo St)

PARKING: If there are no church activities, it is okay to park in the church parking lot east of the building.  Otherwise, park on Waterloo St (free parking in the evening).  See sign on front lawn for locations of 4 chimneys.

2 CHIMNEYS ON EAST SIDE OF CHURCH PROPER: FSA-SE and FSA-NE (round slim chimneys) are located at SE corner and NE corner of big, steeply sloped roof.  View both chimneys from near the curved driveway but do not block driveway. One possibility is to place a lawn chair(s) on the narrow strip of lawn between the driveway and the old house to the east. For safety there should be 2 monitors present.  

2 CHIMNEYS ON ADMINISTRATIVE WING (east of church proper):  FSA-N  (big, square chimney, 2 protruding tiles, overlooking rear driveway) and FSA-S (rectangular chimney, 3 flues, behind small cross motif on roof peak, overlooking curved driveway).  View both chimneys from church parking lot CLOSE TO GATE IN CHAIN LINK FENCE ON NORTH SIDE OF LOT.  Ensure chimneys are silhouetted against the western sky (not against other buildings or tree foliage. If other cars are using the lot, ensure lawn chairs do not block parking spaces or the movement of cars. For safety there should be 2 monitors in the lot.  If not, monitor the N and S chimneys from near the curved driveway.

If you ever feel uneasy monitoring at FSA, leave the area immediately.

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Old North Public School

(formerly Ryerson) (940 Waterloo St at the southeast corner of Victoria St) This chimney is best viewed from the school parking lot. The entrance to the lot is through a narrow laneway that runs eastward from Waterloo just south of the school. Within the parking lot, set up your lawn chair(s) or park your car (the view is best if you back in towards the fence or portable classrooms on the east side) where it is easy to see the chimney silhouetted against the northwest sky. Try not to look directly at the security lights on the school, though these are hard to avoid. If the lane has a chain across it when you arrive, find a parking space on a nearby street and carry your lawn chair in. There are free on-street parking spaces along Victoria St on the north side of the school, and along Waterloo St somewhat south of the driveway into the school parking lot.

Update 1: The Old North PS chimney is still standing.  The gates to the school parking lot may be open.  There may be construction vehicles in the lot while some windows are being replaced.  There is street parking on Victoria Street east and west of Waterloo Street.

Hunt’s / Flanagan’s Building

(471 Nightingale Ave)

If no one is around, you can park in the driveways on the west side of the street to the south of Nova Craft Canoe, 471 Nightingale Ave. The six-storey, century-old warehouse is on the west side of the street. It towers above the Nova Craft Canoe building, in front of it, close to the street. The short, but wide, chimney is on the east side of the building. Parking is free on the east side of Nightingale. Ensure that utility lines and posts, streetlights, and security lights don’t interfere with your view of the chimney. Due to the height of the building, it can be challenging to see entries and exits occurring on the far side of the chimney. While the chimney is far away, you will likely see many swifts.

Elborn College

(1201 Western Rd, west side, just north of Sarnia Rd) Elborn College, a sprawling building with a large footprint, is located 100 meters northwest of the intersection of Western Rd and Sarnia Rd. When driving north, turn into the second driveway on the west side of Western Rd north of Sarnia Rd (before the Ivey Building). Parking spaces line the driveway on both sides. Parking is free after 4 pm. Select a parking space towards the end of the lot nearest the building, but not too close. It should allow a good view, looking west or northwest to the big stone chimney. Try to avoid looking towards overhead lights and security lights. View from a car or a lawn chair. Barn Swallows sometimes nest on the north side of the building and can be seen foraging in the area.

Huron College – O’Neil/Ridley Hall

(1349 Western Rd, UWO) (large octagonal chimney) From Western and Sarnia roads, go north on Western Rd and turn left at the second set of traffic lights.

At the traffic lights, travel west 50 meters and turn right in the first driveway. After 25 meters, there is a drop-off circle. Park on the north side of the drop-off circle. Stay close to your car and, if asked, say you will be leaving soon. Look eastward for the tallest chimney. It is eight-sided, and there is a sign about Chimney Swifts on the wall near the base of the chimney. 

In 2023 and 2024, monitors have turned right into the construction zone and parked in the drop-off circle. Follow the blue line. The chimney is in the red circle. As long as we are near our cars, campus security does not mind.

Choose a spot on the lawn near the courtyard behind the Huron building. Bring a lawn chair to sit on. It is always preferable to view a chimney against a northwest sky, but that is not possible at this site, where the chimney is silhouetted against the eastern sky. As the sky grows darker, this makes it much harder to see entering swifts. Because students may be living in this building, binoculars are not advised here. Barn Swallows nest around the building and forage for insects while in flight. Use this opportunity to learn to distinguish swallows from swifts. Barn Swallows have forked tails, usually fly lower, may sit on windowsills, and have a distinctive flight pattern and somewhat different vocalizations. They often retire for the night before swifts do. Huron is also a good place to observe Common Nighthawks. Listen for their distinctive “peent” and watch for their erratic moth-like flight as they catch insects overhead at dusk.

Kingsway Academy, N and S chimneys

(370 Huron St) (2 big square chimneys at the rear, on the east side)

Access to Kingsway is via a laneway on the north side of Huron St, directly opposite the north end of Colborne St. There is a gate to the parking area at the far (north) end of the laneway (no parking permitted on either side of the lane). Follow the blue line from Colborne and Huron until you can see the two chimneys on the east side of the building.

Though it is possible to monitor the chimneys from your car, a much better view can be obtained by walking southward across the lawn and placing your lawn chair where the chimneys are silhouetted against the northwest sky. You can see both chimneys from the same location in the parking lot. Sitting under the trees to the east of the building is fine if you can handle mosquitoes. Parts of the Kingsway building may be used for student accommodation, so binoculars are not advised.

Update 1: Kingsway driveway is gated and marked $8 for parking entry. There is 2-hour parking on Waterloo & Colborne Streets south of the Wemple Building at King’s College.  All signs indicate a 2-hour limit 8am to 6pm.  After 6pm is open parking on the street.  

Update 2: The committee has asked about reimbursements for the $8 parking fee, if it is still in force after May 1. Street parking is far away.

388 Dundas St

The Fred Astaire Dance Studio is on the northwest corner of Dundas St. and Colborne St. Both chimneys can be seen from the studio’s parking lot. However, we can not use it except on Sunday nights. Use Catholic Central High School’s parking lot across Colborne St. from the studio. Sit either inside or outside the fence. It is not possible to monitor both chimneys from the same spot.

Sit close to the parking lot entrance to monitor the Dundas St. chimney. To see the Colborne St. chimney sit further south. 
The photo was taken from across the street.

423 Colborne St

Swifts use the closer chimney on the old house on the west side of the street.

Public parking is not permitted in the dance studio lot. No one seems to mind us parking in the school parking lot on the east side of Colborne.

Place your lawn chairs on the wide grassy area between the sidewalk and the wrought iron fence. Find separate locations that provide the best view possible of each chimney. Because of apartments at 423 Colborne, do not use binoculars. Choose locations so that your chimney is silhouetted against the sky.

ICORR

(700 Richmond St) (squat square chimney, well in from edge of flat roof)

UPDATE: From Marguerite Annen, May 21, 2025

This is a bit of an unusual location. There is a great deal of ambient noise, from traffic (including trains), people, sirens and other birds. When I was looking at birds, I could not hear them, but I did hear them when they were directly overhead, but couldn’t look at them because I had to keep my eyes on the chimney. It is hard to say exactly how many birds were in the area because, for the most part, I focused on the chimney, and the birds were initially quite high, but there were at least 11 at a time, all appearing to be eating voraciously. The three birds that eventually went down the chimney were consistently around throughout the evening. The other birds would come in different groups and then fly away for a while. The last bird to enter flew extremely fast in an oval pattern away from the chimney, then back, at a low altitude, around and around unbelievably fast, apparently eating as much as he could until it was almost dark and he finally dove into the chimney.

Binoculars are a must for this location. The chimney is so far away, and the birds so quick, that it is easy to miss them if you don’t use binoculars.

Information from 2024

The ICORR building is located on the east side of Richmond, immediately north of the CPR tracks (southeast corner of Piccadilly). Because the building is five storeys tall, to see the short, stubby chimney from the ground, one must be far away. One recommended viewing spot is on the sidewalk near the rear door of the Park Hotel, 242 Pall Mall St. Look north across a middle-of-the-block parking lot to the ICORR building. Immediately in front of you are marked parking spaces. Beyond these spaces, on the right is the Chamber of Commerce building (244 Pall Mall) and on the left the back of the Lone Star and other Richmond Street businesses. Alternatively, viewing may be done from the sidewalk along the west side of the Chamber of Commerce building, located in the interior of the block. The sidewalks behind the hotel and beside the C of C building are wide, and few people pass by, so there is plenty of space to set up lawn chairs. Find a spot where the chimney is silhouetted against the northern or northwestern sky, and away from other roof infrastructure and tree foliage. Due to the distance involved, especially in poor lighting conditions, binoculars are recommended for viewing and counting swifts entering the chimney. Free evening parking is available along the south side of Pall Mall Street, across from or east of the Park Hotel. To reach the viewing area from Pall Mall St, walk in a driveway that runs along the east side of the hotel; turn left (west) at the back corner of the hotel and follow the sidewalk almost to the rear door of the hotel. Or, at this point, turn right (north) to find a spot on the sidewalk on the west side of the C of C building. Pay-and-display parking is available in the middle-of-the-block parking lot behind the hotel ($2 per half hour in the evening; credit card only; license plate number must be entered). If spaces are available, it may be possible to park directly behind the hotel or beside the C of C building, in a position where you may view the chimney from your vehicle. Access to the viewing area in the interior of the block is also available from Richmond, through a driveway at the north end of the plaza on the east side of the street at 660 Richmond St, or via a pedestrian walkway through the middle of the plaza. Be mindful of your safety at this location.