Stories & Videos
How Do Social Agencies Contribute To Community Wellness on Yonge Street?
Social agencies often tackle social issues on two fronts. In addition to focusing on their clients, for instance homeless adults or youth, they also need to guard against NIMBYism and pushback from their communities. It can be a tough balance to strike.
Play De Record – Yonge Love Profile
Started in 1990 by Eugene Tam, Play De Record is a staple record shop and meeting place in Toronto, and a Yonge Street landmark. Jason Palma is a veteran Toronto DJ.
We spoke with them about how Downtown Yonge has changed around them over the years from their point of view.
Kim Milan – Yonge Love Profile
Kim Milan is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, activist, consultant, facilitator and educator. She is also one of 22 co-owners of Glad Day Bookshop, the world’s oldest LGBTQ book store.
Should festivals stay on Yonge Street?
Yonge Street is truly a street of festivals, with over 100 festivals per year. Festivals improve community wellness, stimulate the local economy, drive tourism and much more – but some argue large festivals should be moved outside the city core. What do you think?...
The Future of Retail on Yonge
As Toronto’s original commercial centre, Downtown Yonge has experienced enormous changes to its retail landscape over the years, running the full spectrum from the general store to the modern shopping mall and everything in between. This video delves into how the retail sector continues to evolve in response to the shifting socioeconomic character of the neighbourhood and our fast-changing relationship with how we shop. What kind of retail experience do you want to see on Yonge Street?
Preserving Yonge’s Heritage Architecture in the Face of a Condo Boom
The Globe & Mail takes a look at the complex work going into bringing new residential construction into Downtown Yonge without destroying its unique and historical character. Do you agree Yonge Street's heritage structures are worth preserving?
Josef Ebner –Yonge Love Profile
Josef Ebner (RVP-Canada & Managing Director at Eaton Chelsea Hotel) is a globe-trotting hotelier with over 45 years of international hotel experience – an ambassador in the world of hospitality and tourism, and a long-time champion of the Downtown Yonge community. We spoke with him about changes he’s seen in Downtown Yonge over his long career – for both the hospitality sector and the neighbourhood itself – and what he’d like to see in the future.
The Art of Street Performance
Downtown Yonge’s ever-present and multi-talented musicians, buskers and artists add fun, vibrancy and surprise to the neighbourhood. But what would make street performance on Yonge Street even better?
Signage on Yonge: Honouring its history, shaping its future
Whether you’ve lived in Toronto for decades or are new to the city, there’s no doubt that the glowing lights of signs and billboards impact the way you see the place you live. Where some find the flashing lights exciting and indicative of commercial potential, others...