Kensington Market
The first site that we are going to talk about was
a group project on Kensington Market, so the work here is reflective of all
members of the group.
We as a group
went on several different occasion at different times. Some of us went together
and them by ourselves on a different day and time to really "get a
feel" for the place.
Kensington market is a vibrant
destination filled with rich history and culture
It is a tourist destination billed as
one of the top things to see or visit in Toronto it attracts tourists
because of diversity of cultures shopping and a general hangout for the people
in Toronto.
The day we arrived the market was
filled with people who were out enjoying the positive change in the
temperature.
The weather plays an important
role in our experience in exploring this location, as Kensington is not a
"single structure" market. It is rather a location or area with a
collections of shopkeepers in a particular location similar to a plaza
where market goings stroll along exploring different shops and stores as they
go along.
The market is location
in this area of the city shown below.
Kensington location is right in the
middle of what is considered China Town in Toronto. So this location
gets a lot of foot traffic from people who might not have even known about
Kensington Market.
An interesting note that unlike today
in the 1930's and 1960's livestock was sold in the market right alongside fresh
fruit and vegetables. Live animals are not sold in any market in the city today
due to federal restrictions and health concerns.
Fruits and vegetables are displayed today very
similarly to what was done in the 1970's
All along the sidewalks various vendors displays can be seen
Fruits and veggies are
displayed in a very open sense., But there is more than just fruits and
vegetables.....
Packaging is reflective of what you
would expect or see in a typical grocery store. Where some products are self
pick and bag and others are already pre-packaged.
This is true for the fruits and
veggies but also for the specialty stores such as the Cheese shops where cheese
is displayed in a deli style manner where the buyer chooses the quantity of
what they want. But there are also prepackaged items sold as well.
There are local cheese and health
food products but there are also items from around the world and they are
displayed not hiding but rather highlighting their international origin. E.gs
are cheese from Brazil and England and Paris and other parts of the world and
health food products such as Quinoa from Peru, and Acai berry juice and other products
from the Amazon. Shea butter from Africa. And something as simple as Ginger
root from China in the fruit and vegetable markets (which is also in all
regular grocery stores across the country. In addition there are a lot of Asian
inspired ingredients for Asian cooking.
•The cheese and health food stores are a
perfect example of a mix of local and global experience and interaction with
the greater world.
. Globalization
in action
Many
of the houses that were built for the European immigrants still stand there
today.
This gives Kensington its unique
historical and vibrant setting that is still thriving and lively to this day.
In 2006 Kensington was
designated a National Historic Site of Canada
Kensington Market is
infused with multiculturalism
The market contains multicultural
food, entertainment and shops
Host for many concerts and festivals
throughout the year
A sense of diversity
and community in a small area of Toronto it is a epitome of mosaic
Toronto: Kensington is a combination of many different cultures all combined in
one small area of Toronto.
The market is
also accessible by
- Walking
- Some concerns with
Wheelchair accessibility
- Bicycles
- Car
- with Green Parking available
- Public
Transportation
- Queens Park or Spadina Subway
- College or Spadina Streetcar
Kensington market integrates with
nature in a very urban sense. The Market is a collection of or integration of
stores and restaurants and boutique shops in a neighborhood that is a mix of
both commercial and residential in some sections and in other parts are
completely commercial.
Other than that there really is no
rural present in the area.
Even though the location is very
central in its urban setting the people who frequent the location are not only
from the city. It is visited by a lot of sub-urban dwellers especially on the
weekends and in warmer seasons.
• A Art
and culture are linked in Kensington Market
·
Art is a way for people to express who they are
·
Art is connected to the many different types of
shops we see in the market
Graffiti is part of the
Art in the market
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•Graffiti is defined as: any
type of writing or drawing on a public wall or space. This is done by painting,
spraying, or scratching the surface
• Graffiti used to be looked at
as a negative hobby or thing people would do. In today's society it is
accepted, seen as a beautiful way to express and show one’s artistic abilities
Nature
… some parts of the area are
completely void of any trees as seen in a few pictures blow. No trees or very
minimal plantings can be seen even on the properties of
the buildings that are being used for residential purposes..
There are some very large trees present some of the streets and from
just looking at them you can see that they are quite old they have been around
for a long time. However there are not a lot of them. In the sense of Nature or
what’s natural there is a lack of its presence in the Market in the form of
natural vegetation.
One thing that is very
noticeable- unlike other more upscale areas of downtown there is a lack of
outdoor planters along the street in the business areas even though it was
winter usually wintergreens are in planters.
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