Community Vehicular Reclamation Project

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Augusta Street, the main north-south artery through Kensington Market, has seen a wide assortment of activist art over the years. For downscale artistas, cheap rent is the prime appeal of Kensington Market.

Art for arts sake? Not in this neighbourhood, where the denizens regard the prospect of a Starbucks as a vile invasion and occupation from the right-wing yankee corporate class.

Kensington Market was a 10 minute walk from my garret. My community life was enriched by the clever permutations of art that had shown up from time to time. In 2006 the "garden car" was installed by Streets Are For People. The bumper sticker philosophy of ONE LESS CAR was cleverly morphed to ONE MORE GARDEN. Street Art literally.

This automobile was gutted of engine and interior; all the better to fill with soil to nurture a tree, some grass and an assortment of seasonal flowers. A small sign was attached requesting the car not be towed, and so it wasn’t.

The vehicle was an expression of the “Community Vehicular Reclamation Project” an ad hoc org of artsies continuing the initial struggle of hippies of yore. The painting of the car is reminiscent of the Haight-Ashbury psychedelic poster lettering – same ole retro-rut.

Queen Street West was and continues to be the cutting edge avenue for the avante garde arts scene, while Kensington Market continues its retro-course. I was more often drawn to art that indicates where it is going rather than the art of Kensington Market that indicates where art came from.
Nevertheless, it is not as simplistic as that. Living in the centre of Toronto's creative district has perqs unavailable anywhere else. I especially recommend the Parking Meter Parties along Queen Street West between Bathurst Street and Dufferin.

This has become an annual fall event, when alternativistas pay their coin to park their bike, skateboard, or just set up a card table in the parking space and play a game of canasta. Others bring guitars, easels, etc. and set up studio. Here is a video of a group playing just down the street, and then there is TOM SMARDA.

This the part that I participated in, a riff from Critical Mass. Every month, bicyclists congregate en mass and for a handful of hours the streets are OURS. Vive le car free day.

The 'garden car' is towed away every fall, stored for the winter, and brought back by the city in the spring. The removal is done to facilitate snow plowing.