Rainbow Tunnel Mural Restoration
Erik Haites’ Gift Secures Rainbow Tunnel’s Future for the Next Five Years
Mural Routes will restore Toronto’s iconic Rainbow Tunnel, October 5–9, led by muralist Rob Matejka and a team of artist assistants
TORONTO, ON — September 24, 2026 — Mural Routes, the non-profit arts organization responsible for the care of Toronto’s beloved Rainbow Tunnel, today announced a five-day restoration of the tunnel’s mural running October 5 to 9, 2026. The project is made possible by a generous donation from Toronto philanthropist Erik Haites, whose gift will fund the tunnel’s upkeep and maintenance for the next five years. Located on the East Don Trail beneath the Don Valley Parkway, the Rainbow Tunnel is one of Toronto’s most photographed and best-loved pieces of public art. Haites’ contribution ensures this landmark, first painted more than 50 years ago, will stay vibrant and well cared for through 2031.
“This gift means the Rainbow Tunnel’s future is secure for years to come,” said Kim Dayman, Executive Director of Mural Routes. “Mr. Haites’ generosity lets us do more than patch up damage — it lets us plan for the long-term care this landmark deserves.“
“It is a pleasure to support the rehabilitation and maintenance of the Rainbow tunnel.” says Haites “I have fond memories of the tunnel as a milestone while rollerblading on the Don Trail. Initially just getting there was a goal, but as I got better it became a colourful marker of my progress in both directions.”
About the Restoration
The work will take place over five days, from Monday, October 5 through Friday, October 9, 2026. It will be led by muralist Rob Matejka, joined by a team of artist assistants, who will handle surface preparation, colour touch-ups, and design repair across the tunnel’s interior and both entrances. Erik Haites’ donation goes beyond this fall’s work: it establishes a dedicated fund for the Rainbow Tunnel’s upkeep and maintenance through 2031, helping protect the mural from the wear, weather, and vandalism that have challenged it for more than 50 years.
About the Rainbow Tunnel
Painted in 1971 by then-teenager Bc Johnson, as a memorial to a friend, the Rainbow Tunnel began as an unofficial mural on a former CN rail tunnel along the East Don Trail near Lawrence Avenue East. Johnson repainted it by hand each time the City removed it, and community support for the mural grew over the following decades. In 2012, Mural Routes led an official restoration and expansion of the artwork in partnership with the City of Toronto, repainting the tunnel’s south entrance, interior, and north end with new rainbow and nature scenes.
More than 50 years after it first appeared, the Rainbow Tunnel is now an officially recognized public artwork and one of Toronto’s best-loved hidden landmarks, drawing visitors from across the city to its 65-foot passageway beneath the Don Valley Parkway.
About Mural Routes
Mural Routes is a Toronto-based non-profit arts organization dedicated to the creation, promotion, and preservation of community and public murals across the city, including the ongoing care of the Rainbow Tunnel since 2012.
Media Contact
Kim Dayman, Executive Director
kim@muralroutes.com 416-698-7995
