LEGEND, ESPECIALLY IN ALL CAPS🍎

lol, sounds like a classic Julie B move to me ;)

The wood was recycled from palettes used for construction material. It was donated by Ouroboros Deconstruction, our neighbourhood salvage shop located at Eastern / Knox Ave. They sell lumber and other recycled fixtures and are friendlier than Home Depot :) Their shop is beautiful, go say hello!

Thanks to all who were involved in the salvage operation. This small initiative is meaningful for the community and our collective memory about urban space. ✌️And if others would like to share other precedents of salvaged materials reused as urban furniture, I’d love to see it!

The bridge features a Howe truss structure, similar to the nearby Queen Street Viaduct as well as the Sir Isaac Brock (Bathurst Street) Bridge. We were able to salvage other trusses from the bridge and they are waiting for adaptive reuse in future projects.

The bridge was removed as part of the Lower Don revitalization work because it increased flooding risks along this channelized section of the Don River. It would be an impediment to flood waters during a major storm and could come loose, causing harm downstream.

The bridge was a heritage structure that tells a story about our neighbourhood’s heritage. The bridge was abandoned for 60 years. It spanned the Don River since 1932, and was abandoned just over three decades later. The pace of change in Toronto is (has always been?) staggering!

I was able to advocate for the salvage of trusses from the recently demolished Eastern Avenue Bridge, and the design/build came together with Paul from down the street and Etienne from a block over. Hugh’s Room has agreed to adopt them for now.

I was able to advocate for the salvage of trusses from the recently demolished Eastern Avenue Bridge, and the design/build came together with Paul from down the street and Etienne from a block over. Hugh’s Room has agreed to adopt them for now.

The benches are a prototype of a sustainable approach to street furniture. The benches were made from salvaged materials and showcase the value of the circular economy.

The potluck with the mile-long table is always such a treat, meeting new neighbours - what it’s all about. Cozy movie night is a required feature demanded by my kids. Happy to share learnings if anyone is curious about how to pull this off on their block. 🙌🙏

Huge thanks to Hugh’s Room for the AV and showcasing Siobhan Bodrug. And thx to volunteers! Luc from First Ave hosted a paper airplane workshop and Hank set up his skate park. Teddy Spins was rocking his sweet cotton candy machine, keeping sugar levels high. Elsa brought out the tarot at sunset.

One of the reasons I host the fest is the off chance that we radicalize kids to think about urban space in new ways: streets are for people! And banquet tables! :)