You only have to type your flu-like symptoms into Google to know that asking the internet for help is almost always a bad idea.
Enter some mediocre sounding ailments like a headache or rash, and one of the MANY friendly people out there will be only too happy to inform you that in actual fact you have a brain tumour or leprosy.
So Waterfront Toronto, the company behind the $25 million transformation of the Gardiner Expressway underpass, must be either incredibly brave or very, very naïve.
Because, along with the city of Toronto, they have turned to the public for help in naming the concrete area that will be given a very expensive facelift over the next year (estimated to be completed by 2017).
Don’t all rush at once now.
While it’s nice to be included when making decisions about the city, finding inspiration may prove a little tricky. It’s pretty hard to come up with many names for what, at the moment, is essentially a cement park. Although Cement Park does have a certain ring to it….
Or maybe Low Park, to differentiate from its elevated sister, High Park, on the west side of Toronto?
In fact, there are no stipulations narrowing the naming to geography, so we can really let our minds run wild. How about calling it ‘Garbage Gardens’ or ‘Troll Towers’, after the first settlers below the bridge?
We could get numerical? ‘The 5ive’ would be most logical, since it follows that the underpass is one below the pre-existing downtown 6ix, as coined by Drake.
But don’t worry – if you’re still drawing a blank, help is at hand. They’ve even created a digital toolkit, to help you come up with some great titles for the project, and you’ll only need to set aside TWO HOURS.
Project: Under Gardiner suggests that you host a party to ‘reclaim the name’, breaking down the process into four easy steps. Grab some stickies, marker, drinks, and snacks and away you go!
As you go through the pack you’ll read the inspiration boards, test how much you know about the underpass with their trivia ‘game’, then ‘freestyle and remix’, before finally submitting your answer.
Or, we could all just agree on ‘Troll Towers’ and cross our fingers and toes that they’ll listen to a majority?
Names can be submitted until April, when a naming jury of experts in arts and culture will shortlist three to five monikers, which we will then be able to vote on. The winner, along with an accompanying logo, will be announced in late June or early July.
Don’t say you haven’t been warned, Waterfront Toronto.
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