Toronto | Fifth Anniversary Blackout Party (PS Kensington)

"Black Out Fall Out" - Polysics //

I wasn't in Toronto for the power blackout in 2003. I had just fled the city, in fact, hopped on a train westward, and found work in Calgary. At the time all I remember is some keener news addict running into my oil tower announcing, "The power's all out in Toronto, New York, everywhere! It's probably terrorists!"

While the rest of us wondered how such centre-of-the-world locales could deal without computers, televisions, and dow jones indexes, I had friends who said these nights without power were some of the coziest in their time here -- people sat outside on their porches, said hello, relaxed a little, and enjoyed the moment. It provided a snapshot of the slow times of yesteryear, and the folks at Pedestrian Sundays Kensington don't want anyone to forget that.

This fifth anniversary party combined a street party full of kids in raver gear, parade musicians at Central Tech, and a Thursday edition of Critical Mass riders, all of whom converged together at the final meeting spot of Spadina and Bloor, where a makeshift piazza was created. When the cops came, the infamous Michael Johnson (kick-ass trumpet player, and presently one of the strongest advocates for new urbanism in the city) stood up on a bench, thanked everyone for coming, and made an announcement about the importance of public space and community building.

Awesome.