October 7, 2008
Please note that a diverse financial model to sustain the space is currently being planned out. The following proposal is a result of research over the last year. More info of the launch of the new enterprise coming soon.
August 25, 2008
Index
1. Proposal
2. Bios of key people
3. Project partners and advisors
4. Supportive organizations (growing partnerships)
For further information contact:
Ghazaleh Etezal Co-founder / Director, TheStoreFront Community
www.TheStoreFrontCommunity.com
classroom process:
http://thestorefront.ning.com
1. PROPOSAL
TheStorefront Community project is designed to create an organically growing collaborative environment and meeting space that allows for planning and execution of projects encouraging community involvement, creativity, and sustainability. As a youth-initiated think tank hub for neighbourhood civic-engagement we aim to connect the 5 “P”s: Place to People to Projects to Programs to Presentations for public awareness.
Acquired last May in the urban village of BloorCourt, we aim to maintain our presence on the street and continue to serve as a platform for ideas and conversations on social, cultural, economic and environmental issues facing the local neighbourhood and the city landscape.
"Think Tank's holistic three-year program, a relatively new offering from the Faculty of Design at OCAD, asks students to execute projects of real value to real people -- even to society at large. Some say the outcome has little to do with design. Others call it revolutionary." OCAD Sketch Magazine, Winter 2008
It was in Bruce Hinds' fourth-year level Think Tank 3 classroom in the Fall 2007 semester that the 21-year old Ghazaleh Etezal, a passionate Graphic Design student, led the actualization of the concept to "design for a community" with the challenges facing the inactive BloorCourt Village BIA (Business Improvement Area). The strategies for "design action" from a previous year's Think Tank 3 classroom advised by professor Keith Rushton resulted in a successful collaboration with Ward 19 and Joe Pantalone and gained media recognition on CBC television.
The concept of TheStoreFront Community was generated by the youth-led classroom in response to a highly active, socially conscious, young, culturally diverse, historic and local neighbourhood, after outside-of-the-classroom observation and research revealed the need to translate the community's unique spirit onto Bloor Street (between Christie to Lansdowne).
Context
The inspiration for Etezal sprouted from her desire to design a communication network to improve visibility and accessibility for people and information. Her previous achievements working at TakingITGlobal (takingitglobal.org) led to activism at OCAD coupled with the current "Design for Humanity" curriculum. She naturally transitioned her knowledge and passion to expose, empower and engage her surroundings with projects concerning urban issues -- setting an example by pushing the project conceived in her classroom into reality.
Etezal and her fellow classmates were well received by the BloorCourt Village BIA board members with their proposed idea of having an inclusive think tank and neighbourhood hub incubated in an empty storefront. Sara Diamond, president of OCAD supported Etezal's proposal with Student Initiative seed money as it streamlined with "sustainability" and innovation. Robert Markovits, property owner of 957 Bloor Street West was approached by the OCAD creative and youth leadership and envisioned the potential in allowing the project to pilot in his empty storefront with a reduced rent. It was no accident that with earlier Internet research and discovery of ThinkTankToronto and the 54 East Studio in the Wexford BIA a partnership was made with OCAD ThinkTank and the temporary leasing of TheStoreFront Community on Bloor signed from May 16 to September 16, 2008 (negotiable to a few months extension with reduced rent).
Aside from moving to the neighbourhood by leaving her parents’ home in Thornhill, Etezal also became the design and communications leader for the inaugural BIG on Bloor Festival organized by Bloor Improvement Group. The festival took place on June 21 from Christie to Lansdowne on Bloor Street and attracted over 200 participants and 30,000 attendees. Classmates Phil Roberto and Maria Kubyshkina alongside other empowered friends, relatives, youth and local residents have contributed significant time, energy and resources to functioning and operating the project and its operation over the past summer.
TheStoreFront Community project since its storefront acquisition has arrived to a point where seed funding at various amounts will help move its current success of attracting interested and engaged bodies closer to installation of its plan of development into an ongoing self-sustaining mechanism. It is the common space between two separate disconnected worlds of youth, institutions, neighbourhood NGOs, programs and services available within the BloorCourt and BloorDale Villages (Christie to Lansdowne on Bloor West).
Goal
The goal of TheStoreFront Community is the design and functioning of a self-sustaining system connecting the place to people to projects to programs to presentations. The following are issues we want to address:
• Empowerment of youth through youth leadership
o birthplace for ideas and development of projects
o exposure of skills, interests and values
o collaboration with older-generation and professionals
o open discussion to address youth issues
o encouraging of volunteerism, internships, thesis projects, classroom projects, and independent studies
• Celebration of arts, culture, design and uniqueness of place
o supporting festivals and community events
o combining cultural and educational events
o exposure of local activities
o a more thorough understanding of issues facing the local community and society at large
• Civic engagement and participation
o dialogue between different classes, groups, long term residents and new residents
o welcoming for all ages
o town halls to address concerns, hopes and desires for neighbourhood
o bridging the overlap between different worlds of academic, professional, municipal, formal NGOs and unincorporated group associations
o empowering the creative inner and collective voice
• Improvement of economic development strategies
o fertile place for growth and creativity
o centre for sharing research and studies facing the urban landscape
o preservance of heritage, ownership of place and design for sustainability
o supporting entrepreneurship and local business
Objectives:
TheStoreFront Community is an advocate of community projects directed by youth. It requires operation of the space for interaction and productivity. The objective of TheStoreFront Community project is to give maximum visibility to the uniqueness of the neighbourhood. It aims to design a functioning self-sustaining system connecting the place to people to projects to programs to presentations through:
• Execution of art, design and integrated media projects for City of Toronto, BIAs (retail, property owners, service providers, professionals) groups and associations, and NGOs
• An interdisciplinary design and research studio led by a youth team
• Integration of ThinkTank projects and classrooms at OCAD
• Connecting and exposing the art and design practices of youth and self-initiated research projects to real world problems
• Incorporating existing online social networks, web 2.0 tools and features to website inorder to maximize interaction, accessibility to information and visibility (i.e. YouTube, Flickr, Facebook, TakingITGlobal, Google applications etc)
• Projects directed by youth leaders facilitated by adults and experts in social, cultural, environmental and economic sectors.
• Design of the multi-functioning space to serve:
o meetings
o social activities
o exhibitions
o learn & play
o office & work
• Online and onsite documentation of place, people, projects, programs and presentations
• Productive meetings that permeate action
• Promotions, marketing and advertisement of projects and programs to attract public to TheStoreFront Community’s targeted neighbourhood
Outcomes:
The immediate results of this project are an experienced success because of the level of engagement, positive feedback and community interest in the concept. Over 200 email addresses have been physically collected from drop-ins at 957 Bloor West without having consistent operation hours. Facebook group members total 130 and Ning portal 64. The BIG Festival was a major highlighter of TheStoreFront Community project and its link to the successful event has attracted positive energy from many areas.
TheStoreFront Community is youth-initiated, therefore youth will feel empowered to take leadership on projects and get involved in the community. The lack of existence of this unique, desirable and intentional physical space and communication network is gravitating like-minds from all ages, cultures, skills and interests on a daily basis. Its growth is astonishing considering its lack of funding. The project's universal vision is one the community, especially this particular location on Bloor Street has been waiting for.
2008 success report
• February: Support from President Sara Diamond, property owner Robert Markovitz, faculty Bruce Hinds and Keith Rushton
• April: Partnership with ThinkTankToronto thinktanktoronto.com
• May 16: Signed short term lease and given key of the storefront at 957 Bloor W
• May – June: Filmed a documentary of neighbourhood. Interviews about the neighbourhood with Lynn Daly (Executive Director, Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre), Javid Alibhai (CONC youth program coordinator), Robert Markovits (property owner, 957 Bloor West), Luigi (Saving Gigi coffee shop), Tyler (Disgraceland Bar), Jutta Mason (Friends of Dufferin Grove Park), Dyan Marie (co-chair, Bloor Improvement Group (BIG) and Dupont Improvement Group Improving Neighbourhoods DIG IN), Ann Homan (DIG IN), Jeff Long (Long & McQuade)
• May – June: Design, branding and communications for BIG and the inaugural BIG on Bloor Festival bigonbloor.com/festival (logo, posters, invitations, maps, website and communication with participants)
• May – June 21: Served as the hub of BIG on Bloor festival (media launch, space for meetings and volunteers)
• June: “b-l-o-o-o-o-r” design campaign for TheStoreFront Community (“o” for the 4 subway stops: Christie, Ossington, Dufferin Lansdowne) American Apparel t-shirts and bags sold sueinf BIG Festival (over $300 in sales)
• June – September: Ghazaleh Etezal given BIA Zone Research Coordinator position by ThinkTankToronto to meet and survey board members from BIAs in Toronto
• July: Approximately 40 hours of community volunteerism to paint, break off tiles, clean and contribute products and artwork to contribute to the first event announcement.
• July 18: “Everything Local” silent auction event (art, local business, music, food) – first time we had something on our walls – in collaboration with Long & McQuade to raise money for wireless internet hubs on Bloor. After event, City proposed to cost-share the initiative
• August 3, 10: Community volunteerism to clean and clear basement and backroom – majority of things picked up by passersby for reuse
• August 13: Meeting place for Delaware Street residents planning for their street party
• August 18: Video documentation of ARTERY youth program (CONC youth graffiti program) mural unveiling at Spadina and Dupont. Interviews with constable Scott Mills and artists on graffiti and community involvement. Used as promotion for upcoming event in September.
• August 23 – 24: Afri Village Fest afrivillagefest.com art exhibit, poster redesign, front window presence and photo documentation of event
• August – September: Branding and design services for Delaware Street Party
We have had regular discourse meetings on Tuesdays at 6:30 over the month of August. We acted on an issue on graffiti mural removal facing our property owner. Our dialogues led to choosing our first event on an urban issue:
September 19 - 20: “Freedom of Piece": exhibit by local youth group ARTERY (Artists Remain True to Empower our Youth). Live graffiti and barbecue in the back.
Opening Friday 19, 6-8pm
Saturday 6 pm - "graffi and the city dialogue"
Guests:
Scott Mills (Toronto Police Crime Stoppers / Graffiti Art program coordinator)
Paula aka Bomba (respected graf artist in Toronto, youth worker, OCA grad, performer, poet - many in one and she lives right in the negibhourhood)
Javid Alibhai (Youth outreach coordinator of LOFT at Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre)
Genoeveva: Concord Cafe, Owner
Community Cave
More to come...
Evaluation
The need in society is a neighbourhood space to meet, connect, feel free, listened to and appreciated as well as having the benefit of getting involved in projects with like-minded individuals. The exposure, empowerment and engagement of each member is the mission of TheStoreFront Community project, which means dissemination is why it exists. We are located in a high traffic block on Bloor Street right on the subway line. On average 1 out of 5 people that pass by each minute stop and notice the sign and space with information posted on the glass front. This shows an already effective interaction and communication and proves the high level of interest given to the project by residents and the passerby. We also have historical photos and newspaper clips of the area from Toronto Archives at the glass front. Since we put them there on July 18, the attention grabbing of the passerby has skyrocketed and worked as an effective catalyst to raise the awareness and appreciation for the concept of TheStoreFront Community.
The main challenge that this project faces is suggestions and ideas for what to do and lack of participation and commitment in making it happen, a microcosm of the challenges facing the capitalistic Western civilization. The individualistic mentality to only talk and not get engaged is what TheStoreFront Community hopes to alleviate and in effect become the birthplace for leaders to take charge and inspire others to attend meetings fearlessly, voice opinions and empower themselves by listening to multiple viewpoints. Massive change can only happen if we learn to work together with people around us.
Dissemination
Over 200 people have taken the second level of interest by stepping inside, asking questions, engaging in conversation and envisioning the potential for the 1000 square feet storefront in their neighbourhood and then added their email addresses for updates on the project. Our goal is to increase participation by making the place inviting, engaging and useful for anyone.
A successful communication network in an urban village will grow organically if it has the space and activities that people can connect with their own interests and ambitions. Word of mouth and one-on-one interaction is the most effective form of advertisement and it is a fact to say that everyone that has heard about TheStoreFront Community is waiting to see what comes out from it. The neighbours are thirsty to use the space and share their talent, skills and knowledge with the rest of the community. There is nothing more rewarding to see a shared vision come to life.
The information in TheStoreFront Community will be beneficial for anyone interested in uniquness of the city – from tourists, to residents to institutions to politicians.
TheStoreFront Community’s open doors and collective-identity will make accessibility to information on civic-engagement a necessity in every neighbourhood as it continues to exist. OCAD participation is also critical and will require financial commitment as well as news, emails and classroom visits before the engagement begins to happen.
A handful of faculty will be engaging their classrooms with TheStoreFront Community in the fall. The City of Toronto and Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) are the targeted investors for this project but only completion of projects for the 5 “P”s will measure the impact of change in the neighbourhood
2. BIOS OF KEY PEOPLE
Ghazaleh Etezal, 21
www.ghazalehdesign.com
ghazaleh [at] thestorefrontcommunity.com
A recent graduate of OCAD, Ghazaleh Etezal is a communication designer and the founder of TheStoreFront Community project and the ThinkTankToronto BIA Zone Research Coordinator. Since TheStoreFront Community’s presence in BloorCourt Village (May 2008) her most recent undertaking was the design and development of the brand, communication graphics and web presence for Bloor Improvement Group (BIG) and the inaugural BIG Festival.
Her previous involvements also include collaboration with internationally acclaimed strategic design agencies Compass360 (Toronto) and SamataMason (Chicago).
Professor of Design, Greg Van Alstyne of OCAD and the past director of Institute without Boundaries (IwB) and Massive Change at Bruce Mau Design, has been a consistent supporter of Ghazaleh’s work and TheStoreFront Community project: “As a young designer she is clearly interested in pushing limits and finding strategies to make complex things work with apparent effortlessness. Most of all, along with a sharp intellect she brings a sense of optimistic good cheer to every task, making her a strong contributor on ambitious projects.”
Ghazaleh has made a career commitment to apply her design thinking at OCAD and award-winning design executions at Ringling College of Art and Design (Sarasota, FL) to connect information, people and ideas to design for change. Aside from her passion for design, Ghazaleh enjoys expressing herself with her creative writing and spoken-word poetry.
Maria Kubyshkina, 23
www.kmaria.com
Maria is an emerging artist, designer, filmmaker and writer and a recent graduate of Ontario College of Art & Design. Maria has been actively involved in community activities at OCAD, representing the student body at the Board of Governors and Academic Council as well as the Chair of Student Union. Maria was also awarded Millennium Excellence award in 2007 for her efforts in serving the OCAD community. At TheStoreFront Community, she is responsible for organizing, coordinating and documenting TheStoreFront's projects. With her involvement on this initiative, Maria hopes to facilitate the materialization of projects stemming from community involvement to bring positive change to the neighborhood and the city of Toronto at large.
Philip Roberto, 21
A Graphic Design student at OCAD, Phil has been a dedicated and committed contributor in the progression of TheStoreFront Community and its growth from preliminary research stages in the classroom. He is interested in showing how pursuits in visual communication can create, contribute, and facilitate positive opportunities and growth in a community environment. Inspired by OCAD’s Think Tank program, he is looking to connect OCAD youth with this opportunity and structure a relationship with the program’s premise of problem solving into action.
Dr. Rafael Gomez
www.thinktanktoronto.com
Co-founder / Director, ThinkTankToronto and
Professor, Faculty of Economics, Glendon Campus, York University
Rafael Gomez is interested in a number of areas of applied economic research. Areas which bridge the gap between traditional social science research and pure economic analysis. This, he believes, is the most fruitful (and useful) place to organize a research agenda since it can have real and discernable impacts (hopefully for the better) on society.
Bruce Hinds
www.ocad.ca
Professor, Faculty of Design and
Chair, Environmental Design, OCAD
Assistant Professor of Design at the Ontario College of Art & Design where he teaches Design Process, Interaction Design, Design Drawing, Think Tank (co-chair) and Biomimetics (curriculum leader). As a licensed Architect, Bruce maintains an active practice addressing issues of sustainable community structures in the Third World.
Current projects include working with a multidisciplinary team of physicians and specialists in the Kilimanjaro Region of Tanzania to construct a sustainable community for children affected and infected with HIV. Bruce is an active member of the Architectural Institute of British Columbia, The Ontario Association of Architects, The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Associate of the Architectural Institute of America, member of Architects for Humanity and the Toronto Society of Architects and an associate of the Ontario College of Art. Bruce holds degrees in Psychology, Architecture and Painting.
Keith J. Rushton
www.ocad.ca
Professor, Faculty of Design and
Chair, Academic Council, OCAD
Keith J. Rushton teaches in all four years of the OCAD program, offering courses in Graphic Concepts, Typography, Design Process, Graphic Communication, Colour and Two-Dimensional Design. He chairs the OCAD Academic Council, is a member of its Executive Committee, and serves on the Finance and Executive Committees of the Board of Governors. Keith is currently Principal, Keith J. Rushton and Associates.
He was previously President of Rushton, Green and Grossutti Inc., an internationally-recognized graphic design firm, and Advertising and Public Relations Manager for Canada Life Assurance Company.
Design work by Keith and some of the students he has taught have appeared in such magazines as Idea Magazine, Japan and Applied Arts, and books such as International Logos and Trademarks III. Letterhead and other stationery designs by Keith’s company are in the permanent collection of France’s Postal Museum, a member of the Louvre Museums, Paris, France. Keith and his former design firm won numerous national and international design and typographic awards.
3. PROJECT PARTNERS AND ADVISORS
ThinkTankToronto
www.thinktanktoronto.com
ThinkTankToronto (TTT) is a cultural and innovation specialist. The founders bring with them experience gained from having lived and worked in three continents and dozens of countries (Canada, England, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Phillipines and the United States). We want to help creative persons produce, distribute and present their new ideas to as many people as possible. We also have ideas of our own and the ThinkTankToronto trademark will help us launch these new ideas in the marketplace.
Think Tank Toronto has provided financial support and ideological guidance form the beginning of the project. Think Tanks Toronto members regularly participate in Storefront events and activities.
Contact Person: Rafael Gomez
Position: ThinkTankToronto, Co-founder / Director
Email: thinktanktoronto[at]gmail.com
Phone: 416.939.9216
Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD)
- Provided initial seed money investment to pay the reduced rent for the space to pilot the project from May to September 2008.
- Faculty members provided consistent support and facilitation.
- Donated chairs and tables
Contact Person: Sara Diamond
Position: OCAD President
Email: sdiamond[at]ocad.ca
Phone: 416.977.6000 ext. 300
City of Toronto Councillor Joe Pantalone's office:
- Communication of city stance and outlook on issues in the community.
- Supported with research and consultation to actualize TheStoreFront Community by providing legal information and serving as a reliable resources from the City of Toronto.
- The City of Toronto has agreed to cost-share the wireless initiative if we are able to afford its installation.
Contact person: Sonia D'Agostino
Position: Executive Assistant to Joe Pantalone
Email: sdagost[at]toronto.ca
Phone: 416.397.4110
Business Improvement Area Office, City of Toronto
- Information consultation
- Initial conversation between BIA and OCAD to build the platform to initiate a collaborative venture
- Provided the official city map print out of the area for economic research
Contact Person: Ron Nash
Position: Commercial Area Advisor
Phone: 416.392.7354
Email: rnash[at]toronto.ca
BloorCourt Village BIA:
Located along Bloor Street West, from Montrose Avenue to Dufferin, Bloorcourt Village, which became a BIA in 1979, is well known for its great variety of shops and services, catering to all tastes and ages. Shoppers are pleasantly surprised at the reasonable price ranges to be found here.
- Supported with information and encouragement
- We are committed to finding and strengthening partnership opportunity with the Bloorcourt BIA
Contact Person: Joe Perketa
Position: BIA Vice-Chair
Email: perketa[at]hotmail.com
Phone: 416.534.4207
4. SUPPORTIVE ORGANIZATIONS
Bloor Improvement Group (BIG):
Bloor Improvement Group is a dynamic volunteer coalition in Toronto, advancing the economic, physical, cultural and social life of the targeted local Bloor Street by creating opportunities and events that improve and celebrate the area.
- We served as the headquarters for their meetings and media launch.
- We also served as the volunteer / information hub for during their inaugural festival on June 21, 2008.
- We provided design services to publicize and elevate the impact of the community event.
- We also helped to produce a documentary about the neighbourhood to be screened at TheStoreFront during the festival.
Contact: Dyan Marie
Position: BIG founding co-chair
Email: projects[at]dyanmarie.com
Phone: 416.539.8129
CELOS (Centre for Local Research into Public Space)
- Provided panels with historic photographs of the neighbourhood place at glass front – it is the most major attraction of TheStoreFront Community for the passerby.
- Provided research data including booklets and laminated information
Contact: Michael Monastyrskyj
Position: Director
Email: hogtown.blues[at]gmail.com
Long & McQuade, 935 Bloor West:
- Partnered with Long & McQuade for our first event at the space which featured live music performances and a silent auction supported by local artists, designers and businesses. The purpose of the event was to fundraise for space renovations and wireless internet hubs for the community.
- Provided equipment and musical acts for event
Contact Person: Jon Long
Email: jonlong[at]long-mcquade.com
Phone: 416.588.7886
Bloor Dovercourt Appliances, 959 Bloor West:
- Donated several appliance pieces fridge, dehumidifier, fan, tools
- Supported in a variety of ways, providing access to telephone, printer, and also supporting with encouragement and information
Contact Person: Joe Perketa
Position: Owner and director
Email: perketa[at]hotmail.com
Phone: 416.534.4207
The L.O.F.T. (Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre youth program)
Initiated in 2001, "The L.O.F.T" was developed in consultation with and in response to the expressed interests of local youth, aims to address youth issues and concerns in the Christie Ossington community through meaningful youth engagement and community development. Among its goals, the L.O.F.T. provides opportunities for marginalized community youth (16 to 24 years) including, newcomer and immigrant youth, out-school youth, street-involved youth and youth with a previous criminal history, to develop skills integral to employment and education success while supporting their development as community citizens.
TheStoreFront Community and ARETERY organized a joint event in September featuring the exhibition of graffiti works, live graffiti, and community discussion on the impact and significance of graffiti as a form of public art.
Contact person: Javid Alibhai
Position: Youth Outreach Coordinator / ARTERY Youth art program leader
Email: javid[at]conc.ca
Phone: 416.534.8941
A growing list of supporters and potential partners:
Anarchist U
Architecture for Humanity (Bruce Gavin Ward, Chair)
ArchiTEXT (Zahra Ebrahim)
Beal Institute for Strategic Creativity (Greg Van Alstyne)
Bickford Park
BIG Festival participants
Bikes Without Borders
BlogTO
Bloor Collegiate (1141 Bloor W)
Bloor Dovercourt Appliances (959 Bloor W)
Bloor Improvement Group (BIG)
Cameron Sinclair (Architecture For Humanity)
Centre for Local Research into Public Space (CELOS)
Centre for Social Innovation
Christie Ossington Neighbourhood Centre (CONC) (854 Bloor W)
Christie Ossington Resident's Association (CORA)
Cleopatra (977 Bloor W)
Christie Pits Park
Concord Cafe (937 Bloor W)
DIG IN (Ann Homan and Donna Cowan)
Disgraceland (965 Bloor W)
Dufferin Grove Park
Dufferin Grove Resident's Association (DGRA)
Eritrea Canadian Association (920A Bloor W)
FoodShare (90 Croatia St)
Green Here
Hurricane's Bar (963 Bloor W)
Jane's Walk (Jane Farrow)
Linux Caffe (362 Harbord)
Long & McQuade (933 Bloor W)
Mark Kuznicki
Music Therapy (1175 Bloor W)
Nazaret Restaurant (969 Bloor W)
Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD)
On The Go On Bloor (975 Bloor W)
Phoenix Arts Group (Kathie Young)
Saving Gigi (859 Bloor W)
Sistering (962 Bloor W)
Smart Digital Centre (982 Bloor W)
Snail Mail (Sepehr Radjpoust)
Spacing
Toronto Craft Alert (Jen Anisef)
Toronto Free Gallery (1277 Bloor W)
Torontopedia
Wireless Toronto (Gabe Sawney)
Working Women (533A Gladstone Ave)
Yasi's Place (299 Wallace Ave)