A “tear” in the Dundas Street façade, March 2008. Photo credit: Craig Boyko, ©2008 Art Gallery of Ontario.
Transformation AGO has captured the imagination of Torontonians. Throughout the city and beyond, eagerness is building for the day the Gallery will reopen and welcome its visitors to a magnificent convergence of art, architecture and new ideas.
Nowhere is this anticipation more pronounced than in the local community. During the closure period, the Gallery’s neighbours have been very supportive of its renewal project. They understand that Transformation AGO represents a major revitalization for the city and province, and for their neighbourhood in particular.
One sunny spring day a few local business owners were kind enough to share some thoughts on what Transformation AGO means to them.
“I think the impact is going to be massive,” says Fred Gold, president of Aboveground Art Supplies. “So many people, art lovers and otherwise, are going to flock to this area to take in the Frank Gehry redesign. As a local business owner, that makes me very excited.”
The sentiment is echoed by Raj Maru, owner of Mangiacake Panini Shoppe. “I can hardly wait for the big day,” he says. “I expect that hundreds of thousands of people will visit in the first months after the Gallery reopens. I know the AGO is going to have a fabulous new café and fine dining restaurant, but this area has so many diverse places to eat, including mine, so there will be something for everybody.”
As excited as the Gallery’s neighbours are about the prospects for their own businesses, it’s clear that they’re equally impressed with the architectural marvel that’s being gradually revealed each day.
“I have a bit of a bias because I’ve been lucky enough to watch it evolve,” says Steven Petroff, director of the Petroff Gallery. “But I’m taken most by the façade that extends along Dundas Street. It has this gentle, sinuous grace that unifies the building with the street. I particularly like the transparency of the raised walkway and the use of wood from British Columbia – it gives the structure a distinctly Canadian voice.”
Fred Gold adds that “The Gehry design is fantastic. I’m particularly fond of the sculpted lengths of wood that frame the ‘tear’ in the glass façade at McCaul Street. It’s so beautiful! I’m also very enthusiastic about the titanium tower overlooking Grange Park.”
Raj Maru is delighted most by the curvature of the glazed front façade. “It’s so welcoming,” he says. “I deliver food to construction workers all the time. I know that people who have never even heard of the Art Gallery of Ontario are going to walk or drive by and decide to go inside just to experience the building. I’d love to see their reactions when they take in the spectacular collections of art.”
When asked what their customers think about the transforming AGO, answers were almost identical. “Everyone can hardly wait for the Gallery to open to experience the new installations of the collection and upcoming exhibitions,” concludes Petroff.
