Junction-Wallace Emerson

Christian De Araujo 'New Horizons' Mural
1140 Bloor Street West
This beautiful mural was painted by artist Christian De Araujo in 2016 and depicts an idyllic scene with gardens and a fountain.

Mercer Union
1286 Bloor Street West
This building used to house The Academy, one of Toronto's earliest movie theatres. It was constructed in the 1910s and seated a little over four hundred patrons. The theatre likely closed sometime in the 1960s, and the building hosted a number of other businesses in subsequent years. Mercer Union, a centre for contemporary art originally located on Mercer Street, moved into the building in 2008. Their facility includes two large white cube galleries, a workshop, an artist cabin, and a gated outdoor patio. They present five exhibitions a year that often touch on important social issues, presented by many artists who have since gained international prominence.

Spud, Brad Longmore, and Lianken Breau Mural
Along the north side of Bloor Street West (west of St. Helen's Avenue)
The theme of this mural surrounds the City of Toronto's motto: Diversity our Strength. The location and neighborhoods that border this underpass illustrate the diversity of the city and the mural highlights the communities found in Portugal, Italy, Latin America, Pakistan & Sri Lanka through abstract design.

West Toronto Railpath & Lynnette Postuma 'Gradation' Mural
The Railpath runs from Cariboo Avenue to Dundas Street West. The mural is on the side of 21 Randolph Avenue.
The Railpath is a 2.1-kilometre, multi-use trail that runs along an abandoned rail line. It has become a cherished community asset, and features naturalized ecology and public art along its route, including Lynnette Postuma's mural 'Gradation'. Each of the 14,508 cinder blocks in 'Gradation' are painted in variations of blue and green to integrate this building into its surroundings and transform this otherwise monotonous grey facade into a dynamic element within Toronto's West Toronto Railpath. The project was produced by the City of Toronto, Friends of the West Toronto Railpath and deRail.

Wallace Avenue Footbridge & 371 Wallace Avenue
392 Wallace Avenue & 371 Wallace Avenue
*Note: 371 Wallace Avenue is private property. Please observe the building from the sidewalk only. Here at street level, a Heritage Toronto plaque notes the significance of the Wallace Avenue Footbridge, which crosses the railway tracks between Dundas Street West to the west, and the intersection of Wallace Avenue and Sousa Mendes Street to the east. The bridge is a rare example of a multi-span steel, Warren pony truss footbridge. It's especially unique as it crosses at an oblique angle, and not a right angle. It was originally intended as a temporary structure to connect the neighbourhoods on each side of the tracks, but has since become a beloved community landmark. Look out while crossing the bridge to see fantastic views of the surrounding area and the downtown skyline. The building at the foot of the bridge at 371 Wallace Avenue used to be a glue factory, one of many industries that dominated this area for much of the twentieth century. It was closed in 1988, and transformed into a residential loft building.

George Chuvalo Neighbourhood Centre
50 Sousa Mendes Street
This new community centre is named after legendary heavyweight boxer and local hero George Chuvalo, who was raised in the area by Croatian immigrant parents who worked in the slaughterhouses nearby. Chuvalo was a strong community advocate, particularly in his work on the impact of substance abuse. The centre offers a wide array of programming, with special interest in assisting LGBTQ2S+ youth.

St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral
143 Franklin Avenue
Originally dedicated in 1914, St. Josaphat's was Toronto's earliest Ukrainian Catholic institution when it was founded by immigrants from western Ukraine who came to Toronto in the early 1900s. The original church was destroyed by fire, and was replaced by this modern structure in 1965. It continues to serve as the cathedral for the Ukrainian Catholic Community in eastern Canada.

'Masala' Filming Location
1588 Dupont Street
*Private property. Please observe from the street only. This building was used to shoot a pivotal scene in Srinivas Krishna's seminal 1991 film 'Masala'. The plot of 'Masala' focuses on an second generation Indian orphan - played by Krishna himself - whose parents were killed in the 1985 Air India Flight 182 bombing and is now repairing his life after years spent as a drug addict and criminal. 'Masala' is considered to be among the first of Canadian films to explore the diversity of the country.

Emily May Rose Mural
247 Wallace Avenue
This playful mural was painted by artist Emily May Rose, who is well-known for her raccoon-themed murals found all over Toronto. It depicts raccoons along with train tracks, a locomotive, a bunny, and beer bottles. It was one of the first murals Rose completed with spray paint.

Canadian General Electric Water Tower
224 Wallace Avenue
This structure is a prominent neighbourhood landmark, and is among the few remaining wooden water towers in Toronto. It was constructed in 1922 to store water for the Canadian General Electric Ward Street plant. The complex beside it has been used by many artists, filmmakers, and other creatives over the years before becoming the current home of a video game company.

Wallace Emerson Park
1260 Dufferin Street
*This park is undergoing construction. Please exercise caution when visiting. A 2.7 hectare park on Dufferin Street south of Dupont Street features two outdoor artificial ice rinks, a BMX (Bicycle motocross) bike area, three bocce courses, a multipurpose sports field and a children's playground. There is a double pad ice rink with changing facilities. The playground equipment includes swings and a jungle gym accessible from the street. The BMX Park at Wallace Emerson Park features a 500-foot, single-track dirt trail, a beginner-level pump track and metal intermediate/advanced-level ramps.

Andre Castro Artbox
Southwest Corner of Dufferin Street and Shanly Street
'Waves' is inspired by how we communicate. Radio waves, television and the internet are satellites transmitting information. The idea of art as a satellite is intriguing to the artist. Art broadcasts information that is universally understood, transcending cultural and language barriers. 'Waves' is a visual representation of universal connection and unity.

Canada Foundry Company Warehouse
1100 Lansdowne Avenue
*Note: Private property. Please observe the building from the street only. This heritage-designated building was part of what was once a massive industrial complex constructed by the Canada Foundry Company in 1903. The company was drawn to the area due to its close proximity to the railway tracks. Numerous steel products were manufactured here, including railway tracks, fences, staircases, elevator cars, and fire hydrants. In 1923, it was purchased by General Electric Canada, who then manufactured electrical transformers onsite. The complex ceased industrial operations in 1981, when it was subject to a large cleaning project to remove all toxins left by previous operations. The building received its heritage designation in the early 2000s, and was converted into the residential loft space it remains today.

The Green Line
Running from Bartlett Parkette to Beaver Lightbourne Parkette
There are currently plans in the works to connect several nearby green spaces through the hydro corridor that runs along its length. This interconnected series of parks will be known as The Green Line - including Beaver Lightbourne Parkette, Chandos Park North and South, Bristol Avenue Parkette East and West, and Bartlett Parkette - with the goal of having five kilometres of the Dupont Hydro Corridor transformed into one cohesive green space.