August 2011
54 posts
GOOD LOVE
I love your bikes. I took this picture the other day outside of Hart House. Thanks for what you’re doing. It makes me smile.
Mark (Toronto)
GOOD BIKE
HARBORD AND LIPPINCOTT STREET ——- Many cities have memory objects to proudly display their history. This bike is dedicated to a “Cat Lady” named Lena. When she passed away the cats disappeared. The house has been sold. The garage no longer has cat doors. There is no trace left of her goodness save this bike. ——- Written by Bonnie Whitehall
LETTER TO THE EDITORS
This past week, two articles were published, one by NOW and one by The Star, that sensationalized our response to the so-called vandalism being borne by our good bikes. As these articles outlined, a number of the bikes that we’ve placed in the public realm have been kicked, broken and defaced; however, what’s not said is that in many cases our bikes are not victims but canvases.
We’ve been...
MY STREET HAS NO TREES
A number of weeks ago, we had finished planting our yellow good bike at Trinity Bellwoods Park and were walking along Queen Street West when we spotted these magical, mini planters on the tops of a series bicycling rings. Obviously, we were stoked to see this like-minded intervention happening in parallel to ours, and we knew that we needed to reached out to our re-cycling comrades immediately....
GOOD BIKE
221 BROADVIEW AVENUE ——- On Tuesday we loaded one of our last memory bikes into a taxi and drove to Broadview Avenue to place it in front of Jack Layton’s office. Saddened by the news of his passing, we wanted to acknowledge the inspiring politician in our bike project. When we arrived at the small, non-descript building, we found children leaving notes in chalk on the...
WE'LL MISS YOU, JACK
On Monday, we arrived for work at the OCAD U Student Gallery to find two simple paper signs reading “RIP JACK” pinned carefully to the spokes of our neon orange good bike. This DIY memorial for Jack Layton has grown in the last two days as flowers and more signs have been added to the site. In these days, the colour orange has become a particularly strong symbol of the liberal, inclusive...
PLANTING BIKES
We’ve come to affectionately call the process of placing bikes at their chosen sites bike planting. It’s unclear where or how the term came to us, but we suspect that it has something to do with the laborious nature of the task, which involves several steps. Before leaving the Student Gallery, we pick our two or three different types of locks to ensure that we’re not...
GOOD BIKE
208 QUEENS QUAY W ——- Jane Jacobs wouldn’t approve of the soulless, cold condominium cradle that has developed between Front Street and Queens Quay. It’s a cultural wasteland where Starbucks and Pizza Pizza rule, and traditional ideas about neighbourhood seem distant at best. There are great spots on the waterfront, and it’s a shame to see such a severe separation...
GOOD BIKE
DAVID CROMBIE PARK ——- This green bike celebrates the successful redevelopment of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, spearheaded by Mayor David Crombie in the 1970s. The community plan took cues from Jane Jacobs’ theories on city planning. The mix of commercial and residential spaces, subsidized and market housing schemes, low-rise buildings, parks and community centres has made...
GOOD BIKE
1986 BLOOR ST W ——- This hot spot bike is working double duty as it’s meant to mark High Park, our cities biggest green space, as well as Cafe Novo! This corner coffee stop only opened it’s doors a year ago, and it’s already a landmark in our minds. Scrabble boards, live music and spoken word events, homemade vegan and gluten free goodies, a meeting table and a dog...
GOOD LOVE
Greetings from halfway across the world! Just wanted to drop you a line to tell you that there are people in Poland who actually care about your bike. Ridiculous bureaucracy aside, art should always be preserved. And most of all, anything that’s harmless and brings smiles to people’s faces should be preserved. The world is a harsh place. Let’s make it neon pink one abandoned bike...
GOOD BIKE
1601 LAKESHORE BLVD W ——- This memory bike is my Grandpa Bill’s. When asked about his fondest Toronto memories, he quickly begins talking about summer nights spent dancing by the lake at the Palais Royal in the 1930s. He and my Grandma were high school sweethearts who’d head to the historic venue every weekend, often after football games at Parkdale Collegiate. Dance...
GOOD LOVE
Thanks to the publicity surrounding the neon bike, 285 Dundas St. West is now an international tourist destination that I wish to visit someday. The City of Toronto should leave the bike be, otherwise I may take my tourist dollars to some other neighborhood with some other found art sculpture. Taylor (Burbank, CA)
GOOD BIKE
30 BRIDGMAN AVENUE ————— The Tarragon Theatre is passionate about the creation of Canadian stories, and bringing those stories to local audience. An impressive list of established and up-and-coming Canadian playwrights have had their work premiered at this theatre. Tarragon’s Artistic Director, Richard Rose, is known to hop on his bicycle and peddle the streets to...
GOOD LOVE
I just want to say I love this project you are both involved in. I work and go to school downtown Toronto for some years and it’s so great to see some colourful street art. It really puts a smile on my face. Here are some photos of spottings of the Good Bike that I shot myself, thought you might like to see them. Keep on painting bikes!
Justine Chiu
GOOD BIKE
1149 DUNDAS ST W ——- The Communist’s Daughter is undoubtedly Toronto’s favourite hole in the wall. Even without a sign, the bar’s eight tables fill up quickly each night. On Saturday afternoons, patrons pour in to hear the bartender croon with live accompaniment; and it’s not unusual to be seated behind the bar on these days.
GOOD BIKE
COLLEGE AND ROBERT ST ALLEY ——- Toronto is a city full of hidden treasures, and most would agree that it takes time and exploration to find the true pulse of this city. This yellow bike marks a site where the city skyline meets a painted text mural that reads, “THIS IS WHERE IT’S AT”. The bike is meant to serve as a reminder that some of the greatest hot-spots this city are often...
GOOD BIKE
YORKVILLE ——- The Isaacs Gallery, which opened in 1964, exemplified the buoyant spirit of our young city coming into its own. Owner Av Isaacs’ exceptional, eclectic group of artists included Michael Snow, Joyce Wieland, William Kurelek, Jack Chambers and GregCurnoe, who did for bicycles what Warhol did for soup cans. The Gallery’s energy was fed by the surrounding Yorkville...
GOOD BIKE
1900 DAVENPORT RD ——- The Davenport Perth Neighbourhood and Community Centre lives in constant fear of funding cuts; and so it should be know that the services provided here are indispensable to the local residents and particularly to the recent immigrants, mothers and seniors in the area. In addition to housing and counselling services, the DPNC provides support for those living with mental...
