Dupont Spadina Corner Collective

The DCC is a collective of Musicians, Artists,Activists & Friends who believe that the Annex is one of the best boroughs in the city. To keep it this way, The Dupont and Spadina Corner Collective wants to beautify our absurdly car-congested corners, green our uncultivated sun-loving rooftops, playfully take back our illegally commercialized space and fill our grey streets with music, art and laughter. We want to create a corner that sustainably and creatively engages pedestrians through open dialogue, community events, art and gardening.

We feel that people become more accountable for the space where they hang their heads when they can enjoyably live in it. Most importantly, we want to inspire other community projects and believe that social justice and emancipatory change happens first on our corners.

How Do You Keep Your Feet on the Street

Video made by members of the DCC for the 2009 Toronto Urban Film Festival.

How do you keep YOUR feet on the street? from pat piper on Vimeo.

The Illegal Billboard Project

BeautifulCity.ca first introduced the idea of a tax on billboards to enhance public spaces via art during the 2002 Creative City Consultations. Since then, over 4500 people have signed a petition in support and over 60 organizations from across Toronto endorse it. The Beautiful City Billboard Fee (BCBF) would see a charge paid by billboard advertisers through an annual license fee. Revenue would be dedicated to bylaw enforcement and art in the public sphere. A priority would be placed on funding marginalized communities and youth art and distributed through arms-length or peer jury processes. Specific objectives of the BCBF include:
* Urban beautification & employment for artists
* More funding for tracking & policing billboard advertisers
* Helping move Toronto towards a pedestrian focused aesthetic
* Promoting community ownership of public spaces
* Diversifying access to public communication

ILLEGAL BILLBOARDS IN THE ANNEX FLOCK OFF

Toronto, October 3, 2009- The Dupsa Corner Collective (DCC) has
undertaken a public art project that has targeted fifteen illegal
billboards in the Annex early this morning. The timing of this project
has been chosen to correspond with the city of Toronto’s Sign By-Law
Project and Alternative Nuit Blanche activities.

The installations depict images of birds in flight. Through art we can
transform the often depressing, concrete cityscape to something
beautiful and wild. Furthermore, birds often symbolize freedom. The
DCC envisions neighbourhoods free from visual pollution, corporate
manipulation, and interests that aim to divide community through the
individualistic ritual of consumption.

In support of stronger billboard regulations and a more creative city,
the DCC aims to bring attention to the upcoming meetings between
members of Toronto’s By-Law project and the Planning and Growth
Management Committee.

Details of the report and project can be found on the
city of Toronto’s website at:
www.toronto.ca/signbylawproject/index.htm

Public art tends to foster a greater respect, responsibility, and
pride for one’s community. Let us focus on strengthening community
bonds rather than allowing unbridled corporatism to divide our
citizenry.

The DCC’s billboard installations can be found both in the air and on
the ground.

–http://daily.publicadcampaign.com/
BeautifulCity.ca
A Tax on billboards to fund art in the public sphere

No Honking Day

Fed up with noisy traffic at the corner of Dupont Street and Spadina Road, a group of local residents took to streets Friday, Aug. 21 asking motorists to lay off their horns.

The group, led by the Duspa Corner Collective, stood on the corner, some in costume and others holding signs, for what is dubbed No Honking Day.

The Dupsa collective is comprised of residents who live at the corner of Dupont and Spadina and has a mandate of beautifying the community through green initiatives, art, live performances and other community-building events.

The event was borne of frustration over the fact many motorists will attempt to turn left onto Dupont during rush hour periods, when signs prohibit such turns. As a result, drivers behind them will often honk their horns incessantly, making the busy corner a noisy one.

“I’ve lived here for two years and it happens everyday, morning and night,” said Duspa member Vanessa Butterworth. “Sometimes, a driver will just lean on his horn for 30 seconds. It’s pretty hard to deal with the noise.”

Duspa has spoken with councillor Adam Vaughan’s office about the ongoing noise concerns, and Butterworth said the councillor was receptive to their complaints.

“He said they would take down the (no turning) sign, and we’re waiting for that to happen,” Butterworth said. “In the meantime, we’re trying to raise awareness and remind drivers that people live right here.”

Duspa members offered mime performances and displayed banners and signs urging drivers to exhibit a little patience. Some drivers who continued honking were sprayed with water guns.

On the whole, however, most drivers were receptive to the local residents’ pleas for peace and quiet.

“There have been a few tense moments with people honking just because they see the signs, but mostly we’ve been getting a good response,” said Duspa member Steve Cornwall. “We just want people to know, we do hear you honking and we’d like if people were a bit more considerate.”

Cornwall added Duspa understands there will be some traffic noise at busy street corners, but said the sheer amount of noise goes far beyond what anyone should have to deal with.

“There’s a difference between honking for safety versus honking because you’re being held up for a few seconds,” he said.
source: http://www.insidetoronto.com/news/local/article/79609–residents-fight-back-against-noise