64-525: Sankofa Square is a public square at the southeast corner of the intersection of Yonge Street and Dundas Street East in Downtown Toronto , Ontario, Canada. Designed by Brown and Storey Architects, the square was conceived in 1997 as part of revitalizing the intersection. Since its completion in 2002 as Yonge–Dundas Square (informally Dundas Square ), the square has hosted many public events, performances and art displays, establishing itself as
128-557: A "square" has a wider meaning. There are public squares of the type described above but the term is also used for formal open spaces surrounded by houses with private gardens at the centre, sometimes known as garden squares . Most of these were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. In some cases the gardens are now open to the public. See the Squares in London category. Additionally, many public squares were created in towns and cities across
192-545: A dynamic art installation and water sculpture in which the 600 water jets are programmed to vary, dynamically, over time. The fountains usually operate 24 hours a day. Other than the aquatic play area in front of the Ontario Science Centre (the centrepiece of Teluscape), Dundas Square is Toronto's only 24-hour waterplay area, open all day and night except during special events, maintenance, and other exceptions. The fountains usually run from around mid-April to
256-683: A marketplace but were built in front of large palaces or public buildings to emphasise their grandeur, as well as to accommodate military parades and ceremonies, among others (for example the Place Royale in Brussels and the Koningsplein in Amsterdam ). Palace squares are usually more symmetrical than their older market counterparts. In Russia, central square ( Russian : центра́льная пло́щадь , romanised : tsentráĺnaya plóshchad́ )
320-472: A new home for its Citytv and Omni Television stations. This new studio space is now operational. A "media tower" – a scaffold for billboards, operated by Branded Cities – has been constructed on the northwest corner of Yonge and Dundas. It is advertised as the tallest media tower in the world. Another large media tower, complete with a video screen, is a major feature of the Rogers Media building on
384-692: A particle in a proper noun. Like the Italian piazza and the Portuguese praça , the plaza remains a center of community life that is only equaled by the market-place. A plaza de toros is a bullring . Shopping centers may incorporate 'plaza' into their names, and plaza comercial is used in some countries as a synonym for centro comercial i.e. "shopping center". In the United Kingdom, and especially in London and Edinburgh ,
448-479: A plaza can mean one of several things: Today's metropolitan landscapes often incorporate the plaza as a design element, or as an outcome of zoning regulations, building budgetary constraints, and the like. Sociologist William H. Whyte conducted an extensive study of plazas in New York City : his study humanized the way modern urban plazas are conceptualized, and helped usher in significant design changes in
512-595: A prominent landmark in Toronto and one of the city's prime tourist attractions. Central to the Downtown Yonge entertainment and shopping district, the square is owned by the city and is the first public square in Canada to be maintained through a public–private partnership . The intersection is one of the busiest in Canada, with over 100,000 people crossing the city's first pedestrian scramble daily. Surrounding
576-409: A row of lighted fountains set directly into the pavement, a row of small trees along the southern edge, a transparent canopy over the plinth, and a new entrance to Dundas subway station below. A series of low, circular stone planters was added to the western side of the square in the summer of 2005. The square is not square-shaped, but an irregular pentagon. This angled northeastern side of the square
640-647: A sacrifice for some area residents, who feel a loss of the neighbourhood's identity and character (see "Controversy", below). The redevelopment of the Eaton Centre and the building at Victoria and Dundas were completed in 2004. Toronto Life Square, formerly known as the Metropolis development, began in January 1999 after the City of Toronto expropriated a number of properties, and a phased opening began in 2007. It
704-402: A street named Dundas Square. Dundas Street; an east–west street extended east through Downtown Toronto from near its original eastern terminus near Ossington Avenue by connecting several pre-existing streets: From the west, Agnes Street met Yonge Street at a T-intersection at the present Dundas Street intersection, while from the east, Wilton Street terminated at Yonge approximately 100 metres to
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#1732783316811768-556: A traditional town , and which is used for community gatherings. A square in a city may be called a city square . Related concepts are the civic center , the market square and the village green . Most squares are hardscapes suitable for open markets , concerts , political rallies, and other events that require firm ground. They are not necessarily a true geometric square . Being centrally located, town squares are usually surrounded by small shops such as bakeries, meat markets, cheese stores, and clothing stores. At their center
832-460: Is a back formation, since krásnaja (the term for "red") also means "beautiful" in archaic and poetic Russian, with many cities and towns throughout the region having locations with the name "Red Square." Gwanghwamun Plaza ( Korean : 광화문광장) also known as Gwanghwamun Square) is a public open space on Sejongno , Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It against the background of A Gwanghwamun Gate(Korean: 광화문). In 2009, Restoration of Gwanghwamun Gate made
896-675: Is a cognate of Italian piazza and French place (which has also been borrowed into English). The term is used across Spanish-speaking territories in Spain and the Americas, as well as in the Philippines . In addition to smaller plazas, the Plaza Mayor (sometimes called in the Americas as Plaza de Armas , "armament square" where troops could be mustered) of each center of administration held three closely related institutions:
960-470: Is a common term for an open area in the heart of the town . In a number of cities, the square has no individual name and is officially designated Central Square , for example Central Square (Tolyatti) . The most famous central square is the monumentally-proportioned Red Square which became a synecdoche for the Soviet Union during the 20th century; nevertheless, the association with "red communism"
1024-464: Is known as the hypotenuse, which features a structure supported by 11 round concrete pillars. This creates an industrial urban aesthetic, which, being to the north, casts no shadows on the rest of the space. The other three sides are square (i.e., at right angles to one another and to Yonge and Dundas Streets). As well, Dundas Square (the street) forms the square's southern boundary, running between Yonge and Victoria Streets. The surface of Sankofa Square
1088-601: Is known in the Southwestern United States , is a common feature within the boundaries of the former provincial kingdom of Santa Fe de Nuevo México . They are a blend of Hispano and Pueblo design styles, several of which continue to be hubs for cities and towns in New Mexico , including Santa Fe Plaza , Old Town Albuquerque , Acoma Pueblo 's plaza, Taos Downtown Historic District , Mesilla Plaza , Mora , and Las Vegas Plaza . In U.S. English ,
1152-519: Is not level; it is sloped upward away from Yonge Street to allow enough height to provide clearance for the Toronto Parking Authority garage entrance. The architects planned the slope of the surface to make it interesting and to accommodate the necessary clearances for what lies underneath. Level P1 houses the washrooms and changerooms, a green room for stage performers, and various utilities rooms, custodial and supply closets, and
1216-483: Is often a well , monument , statue or other feature. Those with fountains are sometimes called fountain squares . The term "town square" (especially via the term "public square") is synonymous with the politics of many cultures, and the names of a certain town squares, such as the Euromaidan or Red Square , have become symbolic of specific political events throughout history. The city centre of Adelaide and
1280-399: Is operated by a separate Board of Management . The site is owned by the City and administered by a Board of Management. The board of management for Yonge–Dundas Square was established in 2001, and is the first public–private partnership in Canada to operate a public square. In 2006, the square's Wi-Fi hotspot , set up by Wireless Toronto , was voted the best in the city. Some claim that
1344-797: Is referred to as The Piazza. In the Low Countries , squares are often called "markets" because of their usage as marketplaces . Most towns and cities in Belgium and the southern part of the Netherlands have in their historical centre a Grote Markt (literally "Big Market") in Dutch or Grand-Place (literally "Grand Square") in French (for example the Grand-Place in Brussels and
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#17327833168111408-417: Is surrounded on all sides by gigantic commercial billboards in a redevelopment scheme modeled on New York City's Times Square or London's Piccadilly Circus . Many have pointed to the square as a prime example of the creeping privatization of public space. Those making this point have been bolstered by the fact that the square's board is populated by local businesses and residents. The board of management for
1472-720: The Grote Markt in Antwerp ). The Grote Markt or Grand-Place is often the location of the town hall , hence also the political centre of the town. The Dutch word for square is plein , which is another common name for squares in Dutch-speaking regions (for example Het Plein in The Hague ). In the 17th and 18th centuries, another type of square emerged, the so-called royal square (French: Place royale , Dutch: Koningsplein ). Such squares did not serve as
1536-496: The Slave Trade Act 1807 that Dundas' approach was vindicated. Toronto City Council voted in 2021 to rename Dundas Street and other civic assets named after Dundas - such as Yonge–Dundas Square. A new name was to be chosen by April 2022; however, it took until December 2023 for City Council to approve the new name of Sankofa Square , after a Ghanaian term referring to the act of reflecting on and reclaiming teachings from
1600-460: The Slave Trade Act 1807 . Dundas first tabled a petition in parliament from the residents of Edinburgh who supported abolition in 1792. However, although he affirmed Wilberforce's motion in principle, he argued that a vote for immediate abolition of the slave trade would be unlikely to pass both the Houses of Commons and Lords. Instead, he added an amendment to Wilberforce's 1792 anti-slavery bill in
1664-505: The Toronto International Film Festival , Luminato , Nuit blanche and Pride Week . On June 29, 2014, the square hosted the official closing ceremonies of WorldPride . The square is property of the City of Toronto and is regulated by Toronto Municipal Code Chapter 636: Public Squares. These regulations govern activities in the square and the use of the property. As of April 2014, smoking is prohibited on
1728-449: The cathedral , the cantabile or administrative center, which might be incorporated in a wing of a governor's palace , and the audiencia or law court. The plaza might be large enough to serve as a military parade ground. At times of crisis or fiestas , it serves as the gathering space for large crowds. Diminutives of plaza include plazuela and the latter's double diminutive plazoleta , which can be occasionally used as
1792-699: The expropriation and demolition of the buildings on the site and the construction of Yonge–Dundas Square. The square is a joint project of the city, residents, the McGill Granby Association, the Downtown Yonge Business, and Resident Association, and the Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area, an association of local businesses. This effort was conceived and spearheaded by Arron Barberian of Barberian's Steak House , Robert Sniderman of
1856-580: The piazze of Italy are central to most towns and cities. Shops, businesses, metro stations, and bus stops are commonly found on piazzas, and in multiple locations also feature Roman Catholic Churches , such as in places known as the Piazza del Duomo , with the most famous perhaps being at Duomo di Milan , or government buildings, such as the Piazza del Quirinale adjacent from the Quirinal Palace of
1920-401: The water treatment plant and pump rooms for the fountains. At the southeast and southwest corners of Sankofa Square are drinking water fountains. The water fountain on the southwest corner (nearest to Yonge Street) is known for its large, cool stream of water that flows down the fountain to drains in the ground. The stream produced by the other fountain is warmer and flows less copiously. On
1984-471: The Dundas Square fountains were meant for waterplay and include a sophisticated filtration system that (according to both of the architects) keeps the water at or above "pool quality" water. According to Euser, the water is treated to maintain health standards for waterplay. According to facility administrator Christine MacLean, the granite that was chosen for the entire space has non-slip properties for
Yonge–Dundas Square - Misplaced Pages Continue
2048-773: The Italian president. The Piazza San Marco in Venice and Piazza del Popolo in Rome are among the world's best known. The Italian piazzas historically played a major role in the political developments of Italy in both the Italian Medieval Era and the Italian Renaissance. For example, the Piazza della Signoria in Florence remains synonymous with the return of the Medici from their exile in 1530 as well as
2112-790: The Middle Ages to today. Squares located opposite a Palace or Castle ( German : Schloss ) are commonly named Schlossplatz . Prominent Plätze include the Alexanderplatz , Pariser Platz and Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Heldenplatz in Vienna, and the Königsplatz in Munich. A large open square common in villages, towns and cities of Indonesia is known as alun-alun . It is a Javanese term which in modern-day Indonesia refers to
2176-623: The Senator Restaurant and Councillor Kyle Rae . Ron Soskolne was retained in 1995 to head up the planning of the regeneration project, and went on to become the chair of the Board of Management for the first decade of the square's operation. Designed by Brown + Storey Architects , the square was intended as a new public space in Toronto, somewhat akin to Nathan Phillips Square , designed by Viljo Revell for New City Hall . In 1999,
2240-931: The UK as part of urban redevelopment following the Blitz . Squares can also be quite small and resemble courtyards, especially in the City of London . In some cities, especially in New England , the term "square" (as its Spanish equivalent, plaza ) is applied to a commercial area (like Central Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts ), usually formed around the intersection of three or more streets, and which originally consisted of some open area (many of which have been filled in with traffic islands and other traffic calming features). Many of these intersections are irregular rather than square. The placita (Spanish for "little plaza"), as it
2304-486: The UK parliament calling for its "gradual abolishment" which unlike Wilberforce's previous 1791 bill, did pass; the first House of Commons vote to end the slave trade. Dundas tabled resolutions which planned to implement abolition by 1799, but his cautions were ignored and further votes on bills in 1796 also failed to win necessary support in the House of Lords. Ultimately, it wasn't until the successful passing in both Houses of
2368-725: The United States, to refer to a verandah or front porch of a house or apartment, such as at George Washington's historic home Mount Vernon . Several countries, especially around the Mediterranean Sea, feature Italian-style town squares. In Gibraltar, one such town square just off Gibraltar 's Main Street , between the Parliament Building and the City Hall officially named John Mackintosh Square
2432-515: The adjacent suburb of North Adelaide , in South Australia, were planned by Colonel William Light in 1837. The city streets were laid out in a grid plan , with the city centre including a central public square, Victoria Square , and four public squares in the centre of each quarter of the city. North Adelaide has two public squares. The city was also designed to be surrounded by park lands , and all of these features still exist today, with
2496-607: The burning at the stake of Savonarola during the Italian Inquisition . The Italian term is roughly equivalent to the Spanish plaza , the French term place, the Portuguese praça, and the German Platz. Not to be confused, other countries use the phrase to refer to an unrelated feature of architectural or urban design, such as the "piazza" at King's Cross station in London or piazza as used by some in
2560-497: The construction of a new retail and cinema complex to the north in 2007, called The Tenor (formerly 10 Dundas East , then Toronto Life Square and originally the Metropolis development project ), and the opening of 33 Dundas Street East to the southeast (on the corner of Victoria and Dundas), which used to be the home of Olympic Spirit Toronto . On October 22, 2007, Rogers Media announced that it would buy this building as
2624-502: The downtown core (or that they have missed an opportunity for what some critics consider more interesting architectural elements) to questions of what the true intent behind the ostensibly public square is. The Toronto Public Space Committee and organizers of Toronto iterations of the Reclaim The Streets phenomenon often point to the square as an example of what they consider a negative trend in urban planning. The square
Yonge–Dundas Square - Misplaced Pages Continue
2688-484: The end of October, making this one of two aquatic play areas in Toronto that opens very early in the season and closes very late in the season. To reduce costs, only the middle channel (the middle 10 nozzles of each fountain) can be animated, but the outer two channels can still be globally controlled. The outer two channels are often used to set a background (pedestal) level while the middle channel animates, typically for eight-second intervals. The directionality imposed by
2752-590: The entire property of the square. In the wake of the George Floyd race protests and social unrest, controversy arose over the namesake of Dundas Street, Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville , whose amendments to Wilberforce 's abolitionist parliamentary motions ensured the support required in both the House of Commons and House of Lords for the British Empire to ultimately vote to abolish slavery with
2816-466: The fountain water is solar heated. Three curved lighting masts along the south edge of the square, made of hollow structural steel , have a high-gloss white finish that contrasts with the rough non-slip texture of the black granite, and each support six mercury vapour arc lamps that create evening light that comes from approximately the same directions as natural sunlight does during the day (i.e., from various southerly directions). The fountains comprise
2880-494: The gate's front space as a public plaza. The square has been renovated to modern style has new waterways & rest Areas, exhibition Hall for Excavated Cultural Assets in 2022 Aug. The Spanish-language term for a public square is plaza ( [ˈplasa] or [ˈplaθa] depending on the dialectal variety). It comes from Latin platea , with the meaning of 'broad street' or 'public square'. Ultimately coming from Greek πλατεῖα (ὁδός) plateia (hodos) , it
2944-497: The intersection is the busiest in Canada, with over 56 million people passing through annually. The square's development is cited as modeling New York's Times Square , Tokyo's Shibuya district, and London's Piccadilly Circus . To manage the volume of pedestrians, a pedestrian scramble was installed in August 2008. The square frequently serves as a venue for public events connected to the city's cultural festivals, including NXNE ,
3008-451: The making of plazas. They can be used to open spaces for low-income neighborhoods, and can also the overall aesthetic of the surrounding area boosting economic vitality, pedestrian mobility and safety for pedestrians. Most plazas are created out of a collaboration between local non-profit applicants and city officials which requires approval from the city. Throughout North America, words like place , square , or plaza frequently appear in
3072-416: The middle channel's sequencer encourages bathers to run west rather than east. Moreover, the sequencer makes the bathing experience optimal for joggers who run west at exactly 20 km/h. Architects Brown and Storey, fountain creator Dan Euser, the firm that initiated the bidding, former Councillor Kyle Rae, and the management of Dundas Square have all confirmed that waterplay was one of the intended uses of
3136-572: The middle row of ten in each grille, and a third for all of the eastmost nozzles. The water that runs into the grilles travels west, under the raised floor of the Dundas Square slabs, to the treatment facility under the west end of the waterplay area. Sankofa Square is located within Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area (BIA). Other projects in the area include the redevelopment of the Eaton Centre ,
3200-412: The other hand, the fountain nearest Yonge street is also near a protrusion in the ground that has become a popular seat. The centrepiece of the square is the array of fountains designed by Dan Euser of Waterarchitecture. Two rows of ten fountains are spread out across the square's main walkway so that visitors have the opportunity to walk through or around the fountains. Unlike many other city fountains,
3264-566: The past, appropriated from the Akan people , who were historically involved in slave trading. Citing costs, Toronto ultimately decided to keep Dundas' name for the street but to rename the Yonge–Dundas Square, and the Dundas and Dundas West subway stations. The site is bordered on the north by Dundas Street, on the east by Victoria Street, and on the west by Yonge Street, and on the south by
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#17327833168113328-422: The safety of those running through or playing in the fountains. Each of the 10 water fountains consists of a stainless steel grille with 30 ground nozzles (arranged in three rows of 10) under it. The entire rock surface is of a very dark (almost black) colour and effectively absorbs sunlight, thus creating a warm surface on which to rest. The water runs under the dark rock slabs and is thus heated by them, so that
3392-656: The site of the May Fourth Movement , the Proclamation of the People's Republic of China , the 1976 Tiananmen Incident , the 1989 Tiananmen Square Protests , and all Chinese National Day Parades . The German word for square is Platz , which also means "Place", and is a common term for central squares in German-speaking countries. These have been focal points of public life in towns and cities from
3456-483: The south. In the early 20th century, Dundas was extended east from the Agnes/Yonge Streets intersection to meet with Wilton Street at Victoria Street, by building a link east and southeast to interline with Wilton; creating the present Dundas Street. The cut off section of Wilton from Yonge to Victoria was renamed Dundas Square. The square is on a slight incline, which architects Brown and Storey have said
3520-551: The southeast corner of Dundas Square; the video screen usually shows the CITY-TV broadcast. The building that was home to the Hard Rock Cafe (now a Shoppers Drug Mart ) on the southwest corner of the square originally features a series of billboards, but these were replaced by a large video screen in 2017. The introduction of the imposing media tower, screens, and brightly illuminated advertising billboards has been too great
3584-602: The space. The fountains are intended to appeal to children and adults, and there is evidence that has been realized. Because many people drink from the ground spray nozzles (some people even fill up water bottles from the ground sprays), and since waterplay is one of the intended uses, the water is tested daily, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., by the Toronto health department. The water is treated with bromine , which many bathers prefer to chlorine . There are three separate water treatment facilities, one for each group of ten westmost nozzles in each grille (200 nozzles total), another for
3648-768: The square are other major landmarks, including the Toronto Eaton Centre , Ed Mirvish Theatre , and the Citytv building. The square is accessible from the Toronto subway at Dundas station and is connected to Path , Toronto's underground pedestrian walkway. The square is continuously illuminated by large billboard screens and corporate logos, which has led to comparison of the square with Times Square in New York City , Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, and Piccadilly Circus in London . In 1998, as part of its Yonge Street Regeneration Project, Toronto City Council approved
3712-403: The square is an ABC organization of the City of Toronto. While there are permit fees for commercial events, community groups can use the square for free under the square's community use policy. All events are charged back for staffing and equipment use. Town square A town square (also a plaza , public square or urban square ) is an open public space commonly found in the heart of
3776-440: The square's design received the Award of Excellence for significant building in the design stage by the Canadian Architect magazine, in recognition of it being an outstanding example of contemporary architecture . The next year, Architecture magazine commended the square as a new form of urban space with great presence ... pushes the limits of invention and originality. Unlike Nathan Phillips Square, however, Sankofa Square
3840-414: The squares maintained as mostly green spaces. In Mainland China, People's Square is a common designation for the central town square of modern Chinese cities, established as part of urban modernization within the last few decades. These squares are the site of government buildings, museums and other public buildings. One such square, Tiananmen Square , is a famous site in Chinese history due to it being
3904-406: The term "maidan" across Eastern Europe and Central Asia, including Ukraine, in which the term became well-known globally during the Euromaidan . A piazza ( Italian pronunciation: [ˈpjattsa] ) is a city square in Italy , Malta , along the Dalmatian coast and in surrounding regions. Possibly influenced by the centrality of the Forum (Roman) to ancient Mediterranean culture,
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#17327833168113968-564: The two large open squares of kraton compounds. It is typically located adjacent a mosque or a palace. It is a place for public spectacles, court celebrations and general non-court entertainments. In traditional Persian architecture, town squares are known as maydan or meydan. A maydan is considered one of the essential features in urban planning and they are often adjacent to bazaars, large mosques and other public buildings. Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan and Azadi Square in Tehran are examples of classic and modern squares. Several countries use
4032-401: Was intended to evoke a theatrical stage. It is made with modular raised square textured 35.125 by 35.125 inches (892.2 by 892.2 mm) granite slabs (each slab costing approximately $ 1,500: $ 1,000 materials plus $ 500 labour), features a diagonally running zinc canopy along the northern hypotenuse of the "square", a movable plinth which serves as a stage for concerts and other performances,
4096-427: Was renamed "10 Dundas East" after Toronto Life magazine's parent company, St. Joseph Communications, sued to have the magazine's name removed from the building. In 2019, an existing smaller screen and two billboards were replaced by a massive curved video display on the corner of the building facing Yonge and Dundas. Criticism ranges from suggestions that the city has missed an opportunity for more green space within
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