‘Metropolis in Motion’

Nov. 10, 2020 10:00 a.m.
City unveils its first public art piece in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

The City of Vaughan, in collaboration with Menkes Developments Ltd. and QuadReal Property Group, has unveiled a temporary public art installation prominently situated along Highway 7, leading  into the heart of what will soon become Vaughan’s cultural and entertainment hub – the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC).
 
The City-curated panoramic installation entitled “Metropolis in Motion” features the graphic design of established Vaughan-based artist Frank Mazzuca and stands at 63-feet wide and 10-feet tall. The three-dimensional art mural gradually reveals two entirely different images, engaging viewers travelling both east and west, with an inspirational phrase by famed urbanist and activist Jane Jacobs, illuminated at night on the west-bound side that reads “Design is People.” and the word “Vaughan” emerging on the east-bound side.
 
This is the City’s first installed work of public art in the VMC and will serve as the gateway to the South VMC, which will feature residential areas, retail, schools, parks, a community centre and a large outdoor stage. The vibrant urban centre will be a true destination for arts, culture and entertainment.
 
The continued support of Vaughan’s enriched artistic and cultural community through initiatives such as this public art aligns with the City’s Economic and Cultural Development department’s Business Resilience Plan (PDF). Presented to the City’s Ready, Resilient and Resourceful Committee of Council on June 23, this plan focuses on securing Vaughan’s place as the Region’s largest employment centre, enhancing Vaughan’s key strategic economic drivers like the city’s downtown commercial zone, manufacturing and logistics, and the health and tourism industries, and leveraging public spaces by supporting community events and the arts community.
 
City-building continues
 
This public art installation is yet another exciting milestone within the VMC. While the COVID-19 pandemic persists, city-building continues. Vaughan’s emerging downtown core continues to attract significant investment opportunities – in fact, a recent submission was received to develop two additional residential towers in the VMC. To date, close to 36,400 residents in almost 18,384 residential units are moving into the VMC. In total, staff are working on 38 development files – including six that are in the pre-application consultation phase and represent an additional 13,524 units – achieving 266 per cent of the residential units and 253 per cent of the population targets identified for the 2031 planning horizon.
 
Work is also underway to advance engineering projects in the area, including constructing a new trunk sanitary sewer along the Interchange Way and Exchange Avenue corridors. These upgrades are required to address wastewater capacity constraints in order to continue to support development and growth in the VMC. In addition to an update to the VMC Secondary Plan Review (PDF), the City has initiated a Transportation Master Plan, a Parks and Wayfinding Master Plan and completed two road environmental assessment studies to build on and advance existing VMC cycling and pedestrian plans and policies. The studies will help improve connectivity between major areas, including transit stations, schools, commercial areas and residential areas, in addition to other community features such as connections to pathways and open spaces.
 
QUOTE
 
“Celebrating art and cultural expression enriches people’s lives and helps foster a welcoming and vibrant community. This new public art piece will contribute to the sensory experience we aim to achieve within the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. In Vaughan, our objective is to continue to build a world-class city that encompasses good urban design and public spaces that foster community well-being. From establishing a multi-modal transportation system to help people get around, improving park amenities to encourage outdoor play and furthering residential and mixed-use developments in the VMC, these significant city-building projects contribute to Vaughan’s continued success. They will be places for our community to enjoy long after the pandemic has passed. Despite the universal challenges of COVID-19, Vaughan’s golden decade continues to shine bright. We are pleased to partner with Menkes and QuadReal to bring this installation to life in the heart of our city’s emerging downtown core.”
- Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua
 
QUICK FACTS
 
  • This is the City’s first temporary public art piece installed within the VMC.
  • “Metropolis in Motion” features the graphic design of established Vaughan-based artist Frank Mazzuca and stands at 63-feet wide and 10-feet tall.
  • The VMC Sub-committee most recently met on Nov. 10, 2020. The agenda is available online.  
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