City of Toronto unveils a new sign at Nathan Philips Square
Posted September 18, 2020 11:38 am.
Time to get the selfie sticks out, Nathan Philips Square has a new Toronto sign.
New TORONTO sign officially being revealed in front of City Hall this morning. pic.twitter.com/9xzN1HDwxQ
— Mark McAllister (@McAllister_Mark) September 18, 2020
If you think it looks pretty similar to the original sign, that’s intentional. Mayor Tory said “when something’s working, you try to leave it alone.” He added that they made the sign more durable, with hopes it can last longer than the original.
The original was only supposed to be up for a few weeks, installed back in 2015 for the Toronto Pan American and Parapan American Games. But it was such a popular tourist destination, that it stayed for 5 years.
The new sign was designed by Danilo Deluxo McCallum, who called the design ‘Patterns of the People.’ The design was picked in recognition of the United Nations designating this decade as the International Decade for People of African Descent, which lasts until 2024. McCallum was joined by Mayor Tory and Deputy Mayor Michael Thompson of Ward 21 (Scarborough Centre) to unveil the design.
The sign itself features a vinyl wrap around the letters that will be refreshed once per year. Currently, the wrap features several African cultural symbols, as well as portraits of Canadians of African descent.
To the left of the sign is a circle with four colours, symbolizing “completeness, wholeness, connectedness, and strength,” according to the City’s website. On the opposite side, there is a maple leaf. This was added three years ago to signify the the 150th anniversary of the nation.
