Heart of the city
A new Alexandra Park mural reflects its proud community
The vibrant community of Alexandra Park recently had a new mural installed at 20 Vanauley Road, near Spadina and Queen Street West. The 18x40ft artwork is a deliverable of the Alexandra Park Revitalization.
In the summer of 2018, residents and Revitalization staff created the 20 Vanauley Mural Committee, and started the process of building out the engagement scope and artistic direction for an open call for artists to deliver a mural on the south side of the building. Three members of the committee – Dolores, Ingrid and William – were critical to the development of the mural, engaging with residents and investing countless hours in working with the artist to bring forward a design that represented their community.
The mural committee (from left to right): William, Delores and Ingrid.
The mural committee (from left to right): William, Delores and Ingrid.
“The mural is a celebration of Alexandra Park’s unique character, honouring the Indigenous peoples that have lived on this land since time immemorial and the different cultures that settled in the neighbourhood and made it the dynamic, special place it is today.”
Filip Filipovic, TCHC Supervisor of Revitalization and Renewal Communities
"The Alexandra Park community is a key TCHC neighbourhood in downtown Toronto,” Ingrid said. “Its central location means that we are a primary showcase of what can be accomplished by the welcoming and caring residents of a neighbourhood and the hardworking staff who assist in its upkeep and safety.” Ingrid was glad to be a part of the process and is proud that the mural shows what successful community housing can be to the tourists who visit the neighbourhood.
“The residents wanted to have a mural that conveyed the pride, history and heritage of the existing Alexandra Park,” said Committee member Dolores. “They wanted an artistic representation that would draw from the surrounding Queen West community and Alexandra Park, and connect Alexandra Park with the broader downtown neighbourhood.”
The Committee made sure the mural highlighted the cultural and diverse attributes of Alexandra Park. Filip Filipovic, TCHC Supervisor of Revitalization and Renewal Communities, coordinated the installation of the mural across the final stretch of the project.
The new mural at Alexandra Park.
The new mural at Alexandra Park.
“The mural is a celebration of Alexandra Park’s unique character, honouring the Indigenous peoples that have lived on this land since time immemorial and the different cultures that settled in the neighbourhood and made it the dynamic, special place it is today,” said Filip. “It’s big, bold, bright and directly visible from Queen Street, and will draw in visitors to experience the artwork and learn more about the community.”
The mural is titled Further Together, and captures the vibrant, unique textile designs from the Caribbean, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Somalia, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Ukraine, Poland, England, the Jewish community, and Indigenous peoples.
Timelapse video of the installation of the mural.
Timelapse video of the installation of the mural.
In 2019, Annie Hamel, the Montreal-based artist selected to develop the mural, started her work with TCHC and the 20 Vanauley Mural Committee to forge ideas and construct the concepts behind it.
Annie Hamel, the mural’s artist.
Annie Hamel, the mural’s artist.
The mural consists of several aluminum panels which were installed on the south side of 20 Vanauley with the aid of a company that specializes in large-scale multi-panel installations. The mural also has a table of contents mounted below, explaining what each part represents.
During the mural’s installation, the community came out to support and watch it take shape, with residents and passersby alike taking photographs, admiring the art and enjoying food and beverages prepared by Alexandra Park resident-led small businesses.
A photo from the installation taken by Nicholas, one of our residents.
A photo from the installation taken by Nicholas, one of our residents.
A photo from the installation taken by Nicholas, one of our residents.
A photo from the installation taken by Nicholas, one of our residents.
A photo from the installation taken by Nicholas, one of our residents.
A photo from the installation taken by Nicholas, one of our residents.
Committee member William expressed his passion for photography and his admiration of the installation by collecting over 1,000 photos of the Alexandra Park revitalization and mural process. “This is how I look at it, it’s my community,” said William. “I live here. We all refer to it as “my community.” Take ownership of where you live, for safety, for security, for everything!”
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