Join us on Friday, October 21, 2022, 4-7pm, outside 2111 Yonge Street (Yonge/Hillsdale), for the Celebration of the “Midtown Yonge BIA Connects! Through Community Animation and Art” project as well as the unveiling of the “Meet Me at the Red Canoe” mural by Marg Cresswell.
Thanks to the generous support received through the City of Toronto’s Main Street Innovation Fund, the Government of Canada and FedDev Ontario, we have supported the Midtown Yonge BIA with the creation of five beautiful new play-based murals along Yonge Street, led community art pop-up sessions, and created a Local Landmarks Map (to be presented during the celebration!). With support from City of Toronto’s Outdoor Mural and Street Art program and wall space provided by Glen Corporation, we are excited to welcome a new large-scale public art mural at 2111 Yonge Street by the incredibly talented Toronto muralist, Marg Cresswell.
We will be meeting outside at the mural location at 2111 Yonge Street (Easy Financial) and will have live music performances by Toronto group Murray Drive Band, as well as light refreshments and tasty treats catered by the amazing local Padaria Café.
The Midtown Yonge BIA is currently undertaking “Midtown Yonge BIA Connects! Through Community Animation & Art”, an ambitious project to define a shared sense of community identity through public art.
The BIA believes public art is key in building their business community back better from the pandemic, enlivening the streetscape after years of development, making the area more welcoming and friendly, and fostering place-making.
In essence, the Midtown Yonge BIA is undertaking a community consultation project that engages residents and local business through art and play-based placemaking.
Mural Routes will be supporting the Midtown Yonge BIA as they implement this exciting project.
In July, we sent out a Call for Artists that invited mural artists to submit an expression of interest to design and produce a temporary ‘play-based public art’ design on sidewalks to create designated ‘socializing public spaces’ along the BIA main street that activate space for play.
Five (5) local artists were selected through this call – each artist was assigned a sidewalk space of approx. 10 x 10 feet, along Yonge Street, between Davisville Ave and Eglinton Ave.
Click here for details about the sidewalk play murals, their play instructions, images of the finished murals, and their exact locations.
COMMUNITY FEEDBACK
Online Community Input Survey
We are currently inviting the local community of residents and businesses to give input about the area by participating in this survey. This survey can be filled out until October 21, 2022.
Community Art Pop-ups
Throughout the month of August and into September, the Midtown Yonge BIA and Mural Routes will be hosting Community Art Pop-ups, a series of community engagement activations beside the new play-based murals located along the Midtown-Yonge corridor.
The schedule of activations for each location is below! We are inviting local business owners and community members, whether you live or work in the neighbourhood, attend a class, go to school or just like spending time in the Midtown-Yonge area, we’re inviting YOU to join our Community Pop-ups and share about this community you are part of!
| Date/Time | Location |
|---|---|
| Friday, August 12th, 2022 4pm – 6pm | 1867 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Balliol Avenue |
| Saturday, August 13th, 2022 10am – 1pm | 2149 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Soudan Avenue |
| Sunday, August 21st, 2022 2pm – 5pm | 2008 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Glebe Road |
| Saturday, August 27th, 2022 10am – 1pm | 2071 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Manor Road |
| Sunday, September 11th, 2022 2pm – 5pm | 1953 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Millwood Road |
| Friday, September 16th, 2022 4pm – 6pm | 2149 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Soudan Avenue |
| Saturday, September 17th, 2022 10am – 1pm | 2008 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Glebe Road |
| Saturday, September 24th, 2022 10am – 1pm | 1953 Yonge Street Yonge Street @ Millwood Road |
CONTACT
For more information about the Midtown Yonge BIA Connects! Through Community Animation & Art initiative, email:
Pam Cambuy, Coordinator, Midtown Yonge BIA
info@midtownyongebia.com
Marta Keller-Hernandez, Managing Director, Mural Routes
marta@muralroutes.ca
The Midtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a membership of local business people and property owners who work in partnership with the City to enhance their business district. The BIA’s boundaries are along Yonge Street from Merton Street in the south to Soudan Avenue in the north. More info at: midtownyongebia.ca and on Instagram @midtownyongebia
This project was made possible with funding from The City of Toronto (Main Street Innovation Fund), Government of Canada and FedDev Ontario.
