Location: Barbara Hall Park, Church north of Wellesley
Date photo taken: 1 July 2021
Tucked in a beautiful green space behind The 519 Community Centre on Church Street stands Toronto's AIDS memorial. The thirteen pillars contain the names of people, most from the local community, who lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses. For me, the experience of walking along the path, noting as the number of plates needed per year swelled, was visceral. The memorial was designed by Patrick Fahn, but it was the work of Michael Lynch. He and a group of other gay men developed the idea of a permanent memorial, a place where friends and family could gather. By its existence, it "counters the silence, denial, isolation and rejection that are so often connected with AIDs" and it also provides a focal point for the annual AIDs Candlelight Vigil, usually held each year in June. Friends and family can submit names for the memorial to The 519.
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