Wuikinuxv First Nation House Post Replica

  

Location: Museum subway station

Date photo taken: 27 February 2013

This column is a replica of a house post from the Wuikinuxv First Nation in British Columbia. The original, which was carved from a cedar log, is part of the Royal Ontario Museum's collection which is only steps away. It is one of several striking columns that represent cultural treasures housed in the museums overhead that were unveiled as part of the renovation of the Museum subway station completed in 2008. This platform design, so strikingly different from any other in the city, is the result of Arts on Track, a project spearheaded by the Toronto Community Foundation, which put donated money toward this subway improvement. 

Church Wellesley Village Sign

Location: Intersection of Maitland and Church Streets
Date Photo Taken: 26 October 2012
Image #1 in the Neighbourhoods Series

Long before Toronto became the grand metropolis it is today the area was populated by small villages. These were eventually swallowed up as the city grew but branded street signs now help to identify where these villages once stood. These signs also provide Business Improvement Areas and other neighbourhood groups the opportunity to identify their particular area. Many signs employ colour or graphics to impart a bit of the flavour of the community but as these existing signs age they will be replaced by the city’s new standardized signs. The new signs are made of extruded aluminum and covered in a highly reflective blue surface. The top panel still allows for a neighbourhood designation but a customized look will no longer be an option. The small numbers at the bottom of the sign indicate the street address closest to the intersection. 

For a map of Toronto’s neighbourhoods, check out the one created by the Toronto Star.

Church Wellesley Village is Toronto’s largest LGBT community and the BIA hosts a number of street festivals and events throughout the year. The area is centered on Church Street, roughly between Gloucester St. and Wood St.

Bell Box - Heidi Burkhardt

Location: Isabella Street, west of Church
Date photo taken: 3 February 2013
Image #1 in the Bellbox Series

Back in 2005, in response to a complaint about offensive graffiti on a local telephone box, Councillor Joe Pantalone proposed a project that would see local artists paint murals on Bell phone boxes. For the pilot project, he enlisted the help of Style in Progress and together they worked to get well-known graffiti artists to paint murals on 10 phone boxes, with financial support from Bell Canada. And so the Bell Urban Art Project was born. While many of those original artworks have since been painted over, the idea has spread way beyond its Queen West roots. Painted boxes can now be seen in many neighbourhoods throughout the city, each with its own style and story to tell. This box was painted by Riverside artist Heidi Burkhardt.