November 4, 2016

 

The City of Toronto's StreetARToronto (StART) program and Metrolinx have partnered to complete a series of street art murals to enhance the public realm in the communities along the 20-kilometre stretch of the Kitchener rail corridor along Dundas Street West. 

 

The fifth in a series of street art murals will be officially unveiled on the east side of Dundas Street West just south of Dupont Avenue on Saturday, November 5 at 2 p.m. Community members will be joined at the event by globally renowned Toronto-based artists Alexa Hatanaka and Patrick Thompson of PA System. 

 

The City of Toronto-Metrolinx partnership enhances the neighbourhood, encourages walking, active transportation and transit use, and showcases the talent of Toronto street artists. The City and Metrolinx thank emerging artists Parr Josephee and Latch Akesuk who were mentored by Hatanaka and Thompson during the creation of this mural.

 

"This unique and highly innovative piece of street art brings to the fore under-represented art forms such as linocut (relief) printmaking, and conceptually driven work, with elements rich in detail and subtlety that are sure to engage the community for years to come," said Randy McLean, manager of Public Realm at the City.

“Metrolinx understands the transit infrastructure we are building needs to complement the local communities where people live and work," said Gord Troughton, director of Kitchener Corridor at Metrolinx. "The project we completed in this rail community not only provides improved transit, it also adds to the vibrancy of the neighbourhood.” 

 

Launched in 2012, StreetARToronto (StART) is an innovative, public-private partnership designed to develop, support, promote and increase awareness of street art and its role in adding beauty and character to neighbourhoods throughout the City. StART provides opportunities for artists to create works of art that contribute to the program mandate, to make walking, cycling and driving through Toronto's streets more appealing, and to strengthen the sense of place, inclusion and belonging within communities. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/StART_Toronto, or on Instagram start_streetartoronto or join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StreetARToronto.

 

This project is part of Metrolinx’s regional transportation plan to provide residents and businesses in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area with fast, convenient and integrated transit. Working through its divisions GO Transit, PRESTO and Union Pearson Express, Metrolinx is transforming the way the region moves.

 

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

 

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Media contacts:  Steve Johnston, Strategic Communications, 416-392-4391, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Vanessa Barrasa, Metrolinx, 416-202-5777