Friday, June 19, 2026
Our streets have stories to tell, and this summer the TSA is proud to be helping Church Street tell some of its own with a special activation as part of the Church Street Pedestrianization Pilot.
An initiative spearheaded by safe street and public transit advocate Rodney Chan, and moved forward through the office of Ward 13 Councillor Chris Moise and the Church and Wellesley Village BIA, this two-month pedestrianization pilot is transforming a two-block stretch of Church Street into a pedestrian-friendly space open to everyone to gather, connect, and re-imagine what our city streets can be. It also happened in record time, with the City Council approving it only a month ago.
With an active presence in the neighbourhood through both walking tours and our Queer Spaces research initiative, the TSA was keen to see how we could help support this city-building initiative. And after chatting with community members and the local Councillor’s office, our Pride Task Group got to work to develop a special activation that could contribute to the pilot.
Consisting of a series of A-frame signs that form distinctive pink triangles, the activation invites locals and visitors alike to reflect on the importance of The Village through the built-environment stories of 8 sites along this stretch—from legendary bars, to colourful artworks and long-lost landmarks. The stories are pulled from the TSA’s ongoing research into our city’s 2SLGBTQIA+ spaces and highlight the way buildings, landscapes, and public spaces have played a role in the creation of The Village. The materials chosen for the activation—from the plywood to the wheat pasting—were selected for their budget-friendliness and reduced environmental impact.
Going from ideation to installation in only two weeks, and built from scratch by the TSA team, this was truly a grassroots initiative involving many late nights, quick design iterations, and a whole lot of sweat equity.
We are incredibly grateful to all the members of our community who mobilized so quickly and willingly to make it happen, including members of our Pride Task Group—and in particular Pride Initiative Lead Janice Miyagi, our dedicated volunteers and community members, and the TSA staff team. We also want to give a very special thank you to Astley Gilbert for the quick print turnaround and to the Department of Architectural Science at Toronto Metropolitan University and their Chair Lisa Landrum for providing us the space to build the activation. This project had zero budget but a lot of heart, and we are thankful to everyone who jumped in to make it happen.
Now until August 21, we invite you to take a stroll down the pedestrianized Church Street, from Wellesley down to Alexander, and look for this fun and educational activation. It’s a great way to get to know The Village and support this important pedestrianization initiative!