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In the summer and fall of 2022, 4 plazaPOPS installations were popped-up throughout the vibrant and delicious streets of the Albion Islington Square Business Improvement Area, creating essential social hubs for gathering and programming!

Installation locations and hosts

Grow Fitness

950 Albion Road

Roti Roti
979 Albion Road

JJ Hairstylist and Beauty Salon
2627 Islington Avenue

Fine Fabrics
2655 Islington Avenue

ThistlePOPS Hub Site
Grow Fitness – 950 Albion Rd
Illustration: Craig Klomp
Local residents and visitors gather to celebrate the Harvest Diwali Festival at the ThistlePOPS Hub Site
Photo: Duane Cole
Overlooking the Summer of Joy Festival at the ThistlePOPS Hub Site
Photo: Tupac Espinoza
ThistlePOPS Satellite Site: IsleStyle
Roti Roti – 979 Albion Rd
Illustration: Craig Klomp
In front of Roti Roti, IsleStyle featured a bench hugging the slope of the parking lot – perfect place to munch a double!
Photo: Duane Cole
ThistlePOPS Satellite Site: The Spot
JJ Hairstylist – 2627 Islington Ave
Illustration: Craig Klomp
Taking up only one parking spot, the Spot provided a shady oasis in front of JJ Hairstylist!
Photo: Daniel Rotsztain
The Spot became a beloved resting place along Islington Ave
Photo: Tupac Espinoza
ThistlePOPS Satellite Site: 24k Corner
Fine Fabrics – 2655 Islington Ave
Illustration: Craig Klomp
24K Corner was a larger gathering space in front of Fine Fabrics
Photo: Daniel Rotsztain
Taking up only 2 parking spots, 24K Corner provided lots of room for passersby to meet along Islington Ave
Photo: Tupac Espinoza

A new model for plazaPOPS

After the success of WexPOPS, our 2019 pilot in Wexford Heights, plazaPOPS was funded by the City of Toronto’s Main Street Recovery and Rebuild Initiative funded by FedDev Southern Ontario.

plazaPOPS needed to develop a new model to support projects throughout Toronto over 3 years!

ThistlePOPS was our first project testing our new model: working with a local anchor partner, and creating a series of sites in one neighbourhood with one hub and several smaller satellites sites.

We also made an upgrade in our site furnishings! Designed by ERA Architects and fabricated by Green Theory, plazaPOPS was now equipped with high quality, reusable, and customized modular furnishings based on the vision expressed by the local Rexdale community.

Linking Albion Road to the strip mall shops in Thistletown Plaza, our hub site became a locus of activity throughout the summer and fall of 2022. The site was complete with a beautiful road mural by local artist Wong!

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Design process

The Rexdale Hub – our local anchor partner – hosted our 3 Community Working Group sessions. The group was comprised of local residents, business owners, and community organizations who expressed their hopes, dreams, and visions for their neighbourhood.

Working Group members received honoraria for their participation along with dinner catered by delicious local restaurants and TTC fare. Childcare, and translation services were offered to ensure the working group remained as accessible as possible!

We worked with ERA Architects to understand the working group’s visions for each site, including: what kind of furnishings they wanted to see, safety considerations, and what kind of programming they envisioned for the spaces – including bouncy castles, yoga classes, art lessons, and concerts.

The ThistlePOPS Community Working Group and the Rexdale Community hub were essential to the success of our project, and many members collaborated and volunteered with plazaPOPS throughout the summer and fall!

Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Duane Cole
Photo: Daniel Rotsztain

Events at this POP
Harvesting + Diwali Festival

Oct 22, 1:00pm

OUR LAST EVENT OF THE YEAR! Please join us for a Harvest Festival featuring Diwali celebrations featuring: free food, giveaways, DJs and dancing, musical performances, Diwali fireworks 🎆 and the Mobile Sauna by Public Sweat!
Summer of Innovation

Sep 16, 5:00pm

This Friday Sep 16, 5-8pm, join us at ThistlePOPS (950 Albion Rd, in front of Grow Fitness) for “The Summer of Innovation” back-to-school event hosted by Rexdale Community Hub with support from Albion Islington Square BIA!
Arts Etobicoke: Music and Dance Celebration

Sep 14, 5:30pm

🎉 we are so excited for this music and dance celebration hosted by Arts Etobicoke at ThistlePOPS!

After Indian folk music and Bharatanatyam dancing, @khaulasart will be presenting her digital piece as part of her @culture_to as part of #artworxto Sites of Significance project.
North Etobicoke: After School Kids Art Classes

Aug 24, 3:30pm

Arts Etobicoke’s free After School Art Classes are coming to North Etobicoke! Experiment with different mediums, learn new skills and techniques, and express your creativity!

Summer of Joy Festival

Jul 30, 1:00pm

This Saturday! We are celebrating the launch of ThistlePOPS with “Summer of Joy”, a festival programmed by the Rexdale Hub and the Albion Islington Square BIA!

DJs, Dancers, Henna, BBQ, we can’t wait!

Festivals at ThistlePOPS

Throughout the summer and fall of 2022, plazaPOPS co-hosted several festivals with the Rexdale Community Hub and the Albion Islington Square BIA, bringing residents together to celebrate local culture, make services more accessible, and to celebrate community joy!

Local residents take in performances at our Harvesting/Diwali festival, ThistlePOPS’ closing celebration!
Photo: Duane Cole
Free henna was a fixture at our festivals throughout the summer!
Photo: Duane Cole
Indian classical dance troupes regaled audiences at the Harvesting/Diwali Fest, 2022
Photo: Duane Cole
The stage at our hub site was activated throughout the day during the Harvesting/Diwali Festival
Photo: Duane Cole
While ThistlePOPS was activated for festivals and events throughout the summer, it provided a comfortable place to rest 24/7
Photo: Duane Cole
ThistlePOPS made comfortable space for visitors young and old
Photo: Duane Cole
The ThistlePOPS Tuk-Tuk, designed by local residents, became a focal point during our festivals throughout the summer!
Photo: Duane Cole
Free facepainting was a must at all our festivals throughout the summer!
Photo: Duane Cole
ThistlePOPS on opening day, July 30, 2022
Photo: Duane Cole
Crafting in the strip mall parking lot as part of Summer of Joy
Photo: Duane Cole
One of the most frequent requests from our Community Working Group was a bouncy castle – we delivered!
Photo: Duane Cole
Comfortable benches throughout ThistlePOPS made our hub an ideal place to meet friends old and new
Photo: Duane Cole
Free ice cream!
Photo: Duane Cole
The festivals were complete by DJ Trevor and his band of interactive dancers
Photo: Duane Cole
Local artist Wong created the ThistlePOPS back drop as part of the Summer of Joy festival
Photo: Duane Cole

Tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk…. The sound of motors is exactly what gave the Tuk Tuk its name. Also known as the mototaxi, bajaj, tun-tun, auto rickshaw, (and way more names), the Tuk-Tuk is a motorized, three-wheel mode of transport found in urban and rural areas throughout South Asia, East Asia, and the whole world!

The tuk-tuk emerged from our community working group as a way to celebrate the cultural heritage of the neighbourhood. Designed by ERA Architects, it is also is an example of the exquisite custom fabrication possible with Green Theory Design

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Site & neighbourhood context

The highlands along the banks of the Cobechenok (Humber) River made the land highly inviting to the Ashinaabe and Haudenosaunee Nations before European Colonization.

The Albion Islington Square BIA is located in the heart of Thistletown, a neighbourhood in North Etobicoke. Evolving from a rural hamlet into a commercial and residential hub, Thistletown now features delicious restaurants from all over the world, including from the Caribbean, South Asia and West Africa, and the highest concentration in Toronto of jewellers that specialize in 22 and 24 karat gold and diamond designer jewellery, giving it the nickname “24 Karot Corner”.

Thistletown used to be an independent village within Etobicoke, on the west banks of the Cobechenok/Humber river
Found in Rexdale, the Albion Islington Square Business Improvement Area (BIA) is overflowing with culture.
The intersection is filled with traditional clothing imported from around the world, spas and salons, and South Asian and Caribbean cuisine.
This BIA even has the largest concentration of designer and high-karat jewelry stores in all of Toronto – which is why it’s sometimes called the “24 Karat Corner” 💎⚱️💍✨
The strip malls that line Albion Rd and Islington Ave are full of delicious food from around the world, catering to local residents and visitors from all over the GTHA
It can be hard to choose where to eat at Albion and Islington!
Through the neighbourhood, murals celebrating the culture of the local residents and businesses can be found on the strip malls
John Grubb arrived in Canada in 1833, and purchased the area now known as Thistletown. He died to call it St Andrew’s but residents changed it to Thistletown, named after the town doctor, William Thistle!
Albion Rd and Islington Ave in 1957
Albion Rd and Islington Ave today
Islington Ave looking north from Albion Rd, 1953

ThistlePOPS collaborators

It takes a village to pop a plaza!

None of this would be possible without our vast network of collaborators

Project Team

Nilay Gaboni
Building Up

Brennan Luchsinger
Building Up

Marc Soberano
Building Up

Vinita Kalia
Albion Islington BIA

Amra Munawar
Rexdale Community Hub

Aiman Malhi
Rexdale Community Hub

Warda Sharmeen
Rexdale Community Hub

Talal Malhi
Youth Site Steward

Hadeed Pall
Youth Site Steward


Rui Felix
ERA Architects

Tupac Espinoza
ERA Architects

Stuart Chan
ERA Architects

Program Leads

John del Rosario
Arts Etobicoke

Mary Bond
Project Manager

Benjamin Lawrence
Community Coordinator

Ryan Harris
Building Volunteer

Maria Taylor
Building Volunteer

Michael Mathis
Researcher

Vanessa Marshall
Researcher

Wanda Howard
Project Manager

Jacob Pullman
Project Manager

Warren Russell
Building Volunteer

Keith Fraser
Event Planner

Victoria Chapman
Researcher

Thomas Lee
Project Manager

Warren Taylor
Public Relations

Victor Knox
Event Planner

Mary Bond
Project Manager

Benjamin Lawrence
Community Coordinator

Ryan Harris
Building Volunteer

Maria Taylor
Building Volunteer

Michael Mathis
Researcher

Vanessa Marshall
Researcher

Project partners

Based in North Etobicoke, our core project partners were essential to the success of ThistlePOPS!

Rexdale Community Hub

Local Anchor Partner

The Rexdale Hub seeks to provide a welcoming space where members of the community feel valued through arts, sports, and activity-based workshops. The Rexdale Hub and plazaPOPS emphasize shared values of community engagement and diversity, and host events catered to the needs of the community.

Community Animators from the Rexdale Hub facilitated our community working group design process, and are taking a lead role programming the space throughout the summer and working with your Youth Site Stewards.

Albion Islington Square BIA

Project Host

Found in Rexdale, the Albion Islington Square Business Improvement Area (BIA) is overflowing with culture. The intersection is filled with traditional clothing imported from around the world, spas and salons, and South Asian and Caribbean cuisine. This BIA even has the largest concentration of designer and high-karat jewelry stores in all of Toronto – which is why it’s sometimes called the “24 Karat Corner”

Arts Etobicoke

Program Partner

Arts Etobicoke is a not-for-profit charitable organization that focuses on improving people’s lives through the arts. We have developed an inclusive and creative community hub that is open to all people in West Toronto.

Arts Etobicoke programmed ThistlePOPS with free art classes for local youth, an exhibition and concert, and tabling at all our festivals including a DIY lantern station at our Harvesting Diwali Fest!

Catch the Fire

Program Partner


Every Saturday, Catch the Fire activated our hub site with music and free food!

Funders

ThistlePOPS was made possible by our funders – we are grateful for their support!

City of Toronto

Funders

ThistlePOPS was funded by the City of Toronto’s Main Street Recovery and Rebuild Initiative and Main Street Innovation Fund, as part of Government of Canada support through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

The City of Toronto also provided funding through its ShowLoveTO grant and Cultural Hotspot program.

Federal Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Funders

ThistlePOPS was funded by the City of Toronto’s Main Street Recovery and Rebuild Initiative, as part of Government of Canada support through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Funders

The University of Guelph-led plazaPOPS research initiative is funded by SSHRC’s “Partnership Development” Grant.

Arts Etobicoke

Funders

Arts Etobicoke provided funding to support ThistlePOPS’ arts programming throughout the summer and fall of 2022

Province of Ontario

Funders

The Province of Ontario’s Tourism Economic Development and Recovery Fund supported events at ThistlePOPS and throughout the Albion Islington BIA during the summer and fall of 2022.

Media coverage

Read all about it!

One of our working group’s hopes for their community was for ThistlePOPS to put Rexdale on the map, celebrated for its rich cultural life and diversity. We were grateful to receive media coverage for ThistlePOPS throughout the summer and fall!

See more media coverage

plazaPOPS is dedicated to understanding the social, economic, and environmental impact of our projects!

In 2022, we hadn’t quite finalized our SSHRC funded research proposal, but were able to use a number of tools to create a more DIY version of an Economic Impact Report.

The measurements of success were defined by our Community Working Group as part of the engagement process and represent the local residents’ hopes, dreams, and visions for their community.

Download report

The plaza continues to POP!

Since 2022, Rexdale Community Hub has continued to collaborate with the Albion Islington Square BIA to program the parking lot at Grow Fitness (950 Albion Rd), creating a new hub of service provision for the residents of Thistletown!

The Back to School and Harvest festivals that began at ThistlePOPS have become an annual tradition, and Rexdale Community Hub created their own plazaPOPS after receiving funding from the City of Toronto’s CafeTO program!

Explore plazaPOPS

Coming soon: TowerPOPS!
Media Coverage
Our Findings

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PlazaPOPS is funded by the City of Toronto’s Main Street Recovery and Rebuild Initiative, as part of Government of Canada support through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario).

Research for plazaPOPS is funded through a SSHRC Partnership Development grant, in partnership with the City of Toronto and the University of Guelph’s School of Environmental Design and Rural Development (SEDRD) in the Ontario Agricultural College.