Release of Section 37 Funds for a Waterfront Toronto Public Art Commission at the King/Queen Triangle - by Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, seconded by Councillor Joe Cressy and Councillor Paula Fletcher

The site is located at the intersection of King, Queen and River Streets, which currently forms the eastern gateway into the Corktown neighbourhood. King/Queen Triangle Indigenous Public Art will contribute towards celebrating and acknowledging historical and contemporary Indigenous visual culture as city placemaking. In January 2022, three Indigenous artist teams were shortlisted by an Indigenous Evaluation Committee to develop proposals for permanent site-specific public art. In order to rethink the site holistically and comply with the sensitive environmental context of the site's underlying Flood Protection Landform, artists were required to include a landscape architect on their teams. The King/Queen Triangle is a unique site situated alongside the route of the Don River, which has been earmarked for public realm improvements. Part of this vision is to transform an undefined, transitory area wedged between high traffic transportation corridors, into a welcoming gathering space for nearby communities and the public at large. This project will invigorate a downtown site and create a cultural venue that draws upon rich and diverse narratives and relationships connecting time and cultures. It will also regenerate an uninterrupted Indigenous presence in the area. By adding meaningful artwork and rethinking the current landscaping, the triangle will shine as a culturally significant illumination of (urban) Indigeneity. The successful Indigenous artwork will also engage Corktown community objectives to celebrate and broaden the history, culture, and significance of this site by transforming it into a welcoming space that ties the diverse neighborhood together.

2. City Council direct that the funds be forwarded to Waterfront Toronto upon the signing of a Delivery Agreement that governs the use of the funds and that outlines the scope of work, subject to terms satisfactory to the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture.