Yonge-Dundas Square is Growing on Me

In the beginning I thought Yonge-Dundas Square, (hereunto called yd2 because it's cooler) was butt ugly. Here was a giant grey square of concrete plonked down in the middle of the city, surrounded by blaring billboards and obnoxiously loud advertisements.



The city continued to promote the square and I steered away from all the events. I was not interested in our wannabe Times Square. I also steered away from using the yd2 entrance to the Dundas subway station- it was surrounded by metal vents the perfect size for dropping your token, tickets or god-forbid Metropass down.

The difference between yd2 and Times Square is the meeting space. That square of concrete created a venue for concerts, films, festivals, and a multitude of other events. FREE events. In a city where it costs at least $2.50 to get on the bus FREE is always appreciated.

Plants appeared, (no trees yet) and it became- well, cool. I'd cross the street diagonally, hop across the concrete while keeping a firm hold on my Metropass, skip through the water fountains and land at the Info Booth. They could really use the Internet in there to google some answers.

This weekend I passed through the Live Green festival and thought it was pretty cool. Parts of Yonge St had been closed, but I imagine a much smaller fest could go on in The Square without shutting down the streets.

Tonight I emerged to yd2 and found all those silver chairs lined up in front of the video screen. There sat a group of people, complete strangers, watching a movie in the middle of a city. The Walk-In-Movies. That's incredible. Around them streetcar bells tolled, the scramble crossing chirped and beeped, the advertisements talked, an incredible amount of money changed hands and yet everyone was just sitting there, engrossed in this movie.

Pride brings queers and allies together during the last week of June. Community centers bring people from the neighbourhood together. Parks bring potheads, teenage lovers, and happy kids together. Harbourfront has this lovely patch of fake grass I like because I'm not fond of bumpy ground. Harbourfront hosts festivals like Luminato. But yd2 brings people from all over the city- and sometimes from all over the world to do something simple together. Watch a movie, listen to a group. You don't need an itinerary to meet new people at yd2, just drop in and see what you find.

I think it'll grow on you too.