toronto strong driftwood sign

Toronto just got a new sign on the waterfront

Coming soon to every Instagram feed near you: A brand new mass of artfully-arranged driftwood on the rocks of Humber Bay Shores.

Last July, local artists Thelia Sanders-Shelton and Julie Ryan delighted the people of Toronto by building their own, unique version of the lettered Nathan Phillips Square sign on the shores of Lake Ontario.

The "Toronto Driftwood Sign," as it came to be known, was an instant hit — as was a giant driftwood sunbather (El Corazon) the same artists constructed nearby in September.

A post shared by Tamara Marsh (@tamaramarsh)on

Sadly, neither sculpture survived the harsh wind storms of this past winter. El Corazonwashed away in April和原来的浮木多伦多下降迹象apart,bit by bit, by the end of 2017.

Nothing lasts forever. I guess that's kind of the point. Plus, if the old sign were still in place, nobody would be able to enjoy the new, modified driftwood Toronto sign that rose last night where the old one used to be.

Behold, the TOStrong sign — inspired, one would assume, by the #TOStrong or "Toronto Strong" movements of support and grieving that swept the city this year following a rash of violent tragedies.

The term is most associated with the aftermath ofa deadly van ramming attackthat killed 10 people and injured 16 more on Yonge Street in Toronto this past April.

It has also been used in relation to the horrifying case of allegedToronto serial killer Bruce McArthur, July's deadlyshooting on the Danforth, and an atypicallyhigh number of homicideandgun violencevictims in the city this year overall.

Fitted with a peace sign inside the first "O," the sign is similar in style to last year's, which had a heart at the end, though Sanders-Shelton and Ryan have yet to take credit for the work.

People who were in the area on Wednesday night report that they saw the artists building the new sculpture, and those who've stumble upon it this morning are delighted by the new addition to Humber Bay Park.

Lead photo by

Sarah Jade


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