Remember those eye-catching streetcar murals? They could be coming to King Street
Award-winning mural concept will be part of King Street pilot project
The King Street pilot project could bring sweeping changes to the clogged downtown thoroughfare, including restricted access to just local traffic and a lane just for streetcars.
And it could also lead to something colourful: Streetcar safety murals, the award-winning brainchild of two-man Toronto design team..
- 'Streetcar safety murals' could be coming to Toronto streets
- King Street pilot project concept makes transit riders top priority
The innovative road murals were the winner of last year's NXT City Prize, and chief city planner Jennifer Keesmaat was an early supporter. At the time, she told CBC Toronto she'd reached out to the non-profit organization to help make the idea a reality.
Now, the murals are part of the proposed changes to King Street, confirmed Jacquelyn Hayward Gulati, the city's director of Transportation Infrastructure Management.
"It'll be great to see a winning design implemented in our city," she said.
"Road space between the sidewalk and the streetcar, stretching the length of the streetcar, will be covered with a mural," reads the proposal from Lucas DeClavasio and Andrew Patterson, co-owners of Toronto-based agency Wysp Creative.
Murals turn 'city into a canvas'
"We're pretty excited to see all the support," said Patterson at the Thursday night meeting unveiling the potential King Street changes, adding it could help with beautification efforts and making the busy street a little more comfortable.
"It's another opportunity to turn a piece of the city into a canvas for the arts community," added DeClavasio.
The pilot project as a whole is heading to the TTC board on June 15, followed by the city council's executive committee on June 19 and all of council in early July.
The community has a chance to share input on the current plan until June 10.