Picturing the Ward

Picturing the Ward invites you to discover this historic neighbourhood through the words and life stories of former Ward residents and their descendants. In the telling of this history we hope to create a space for voices and perspectives that are often not heard. Through these stories and family albums uncover aspects of Ward life – experiences that, although rooted in the past, still resonate today. The legacy of this neighbourhood lies not in the buildings that once stood, but lives on in the lives of those who remain to tell their stories.

This exhibition celebrates the diversity that thrived in The Ward, while drawing out universal themes that may be familiar to us today: agency or a lack thereof; the importance of family and community for survival and a sense of belonging; and the daily struggle undertaken by so many newcomers who came to Toronto, either by choice or by chance, who were compelled to make a home and livelihood in a new city. Some thrived, while others struggled.

While each narrative presented here is unique, we challenge you to find parallels in your own family’s history. Do you have similar stories of migration in your past? Can you remember a time in your life when you were new to a place and struggled to belong?

These voices are a few among many. Today, the majority of newcomers live outside Toronto’s downtown core, which presents a new set of challenges that former Ward residents did not necessarily experience as many could walk to work and often lived close to their families and communities.  That said, the realities that many former residents of the Ward faced over a hundred years ago are shockingly not that dissimilar to the experiences of many newcomers today. By illuminating this history, we invite you to consider the impact that newcomers past and present have had on our city, province and country.

These stories are not unlike your stories. Many of us can trace our roots to distant lands. We should think of that journey, the love, hardship and perseverance it took to get us here today, and let the memory of these struggles inspire us towards building a more just and inclusive society for us all. ­

– Inspired by the words of Nelson Wong

This exhibition was made possible by:

Project Management Team

Alexis Kane Speer

Carolyn Rowan