Toronto Through My Lens

Tag: GrenvilleSt

Prepping For Pride

Pride Weekend in Toronto is soon upon us. In preparation, this month an explosion of rainbows and inclusion messages from local business and merchants have been appearing in the downtown core. Here’s some of what I’ve come across in the last few weeks:

Eaton Centre

Rogers Headquarters, 333 Bloor Street East

Manulife Head Office, 250 Bloor Street East

OrangeTheory Fitness, 160 Bloor Street East

160 Bloor Street East

175 Bloor Street East

Circle K, 121 Bloor Street East

The Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario (CPA)

RBC, 2 Bloor Street East

Holt Renfrew, 50 Bloor Street West

TD Canada Trust

A Pride Chicken at Nandos, 832 Bay Street

Ontario Nurses’ Association, 85 Grenville Street

Pride Bicycle Lock, Church Street

LCBO

Rexall, Church & Wellesley Streets

Scotiabank, Yonge & Wellesley Streets

Shopper’s Drug Mart, Yonge & Charles Streets

Jack Astor’s, Yonge & Bloor Streets

Toronto Public Library, Yorkville Branch

The Wine Rack, Church & Wellesley Streets

Dudley’s Hardware, Church Street

And, of course, the epicentre of it all:
the corner of Church & Wellesley Streets

Happy Pride Everyone!

“Highway Of Heroes” Mural

This painting, on the side of a building behind Yonge Street, near Grenville Street, was unveiled in 2010. The unassuming alley is the final stop on the journey taken by hearses carrying the remains of fallen Canadian soldiers from Canadian Forces Base Trenton to the coroner’s office on Grenville Street.

In September 2013 the mural was seriously vandalized, totally ruined with spray paint. The original artwork featured a dove, wings spread wide, over a field of poppies. The original artists returned to the scene, though, and began to completely redo the mural. They first primed the defaced wall by painting it black, then set to work with a new design that echoed the imagery of the original mural.

“Highway of Heroes” mural in St. Luke Lane, off Grenville Street, behind Yonge

This new rendering features two doves, a Canadian flag and the silhouette of a soldier set against a luminous sky, which graffiti artist Jessey Pacho describes as “a very serene, heavenly cloud feeling.” Artist Kedre Brow also contributed to the recreation of the mural.

Hopefully this one will stay intact. It hasn’t been defaced since 2013, so fingers crossed. Suggestion to the store in this laneway: it would be *much* nicer and more respectful if the dumpster were removed… I’m just sayin’.

© 2025 TO Cityscapes

Theme by Anders NorenUp ↑

Subscribe to TO Cityscapes

Subscribe to TO Cityscapes

Join my mailing list to receive an email alert when I publish a new post.

You have successfully subscribed! Check your email for further info.

Pin It on Pinterest