The African American Cultural District in the Bayview
Bay-view village is a neighborhood in Toronto ontorio Canada it’s a part of federal don valley north riding and the provincial willodale district, ideas of building and creation of African American cultural district in the Bay-view have been discussed by the merchants and stake holders. Despite the planning and process of building the African American Bay-view, both merchants and stake holders have been working to breathe new life into a neighborhood that often calls to mind poverty and crime. The designing of the cultural district would mirror similar districts in the other neighborhoods, these districts serve to protect existing culture and legacy businesses combat displacement and attract new businesses and patrons etc.
In the month of October, supervisors Malia Cohen and Hillary Ronen, who represent the Bay-view and Mission districts, respectively, co-sponsored legislation that will codify the process in which cultural districts are created and supported by The City. The legislation is expected to move out of committee in April. “When it comes to talking about our community, we get a bad rep,” Spears said. “It’s that time where we are like, ‘Look, we are out here doing great things. We are creating new businesses, new relationships and we are working together.”
Details of the African American Cultural District, such as its parameters, are still unclear. The first community forum will be held on March 21 to gather input from stakeholders. The City is expected to host a meeting March 15 to update the community on the cultural district legislation and the planning process for the designation.
“As with every community project, there is no one entity driving this,” said Tyra Fennell, executive director of the organization Imprint City, which seeks to activate underutilized industrial spaces with art projects. The group functions as the “initial administrator in organizing the meetings,” according to Fennell.Part of the vision of Merchants of Butchertown is also to restore and preserve the three-decade-old Tazuri Watu mural at the corner of Third Street and Palou Avenue, which recently was defaced.