Alex and Kevin conducted an interview with social activist and theatre artist Franco Boni. He discussed his employment experience in the Active 18 and West Queen West communities. Boni has an extensive theatrical background, having directed festivals and worked at the Theatre Centre on Queen Street West. He explains that Queen West has historically been an arts district, with affordable rent enticing artists who contribute to the vibrancy of the community.

 

Boni served as artistic and general director of the Theatre Centre for thirteen years. The Theatre Centre is an artist-run and led organization that originated as a collective. It has occupied a number of locations along Queen West, and it is currently located in a former Carnegie library. Young artists have traditionally comprised a significant portion of the center's membership, though they are not the only ones welcome.

 

Boni discusses the establishment of Active 18, which was instigated in response to developers purchasing land in the Queen West Triangle and displacing artists. Margaret Zeidler convened a community meeting at which she invited attorneys, planners, architects, and other members of the community to reimagine the area's development. Boni joined the Active 18 steering committee with the intention of not only contributing to the creation of a strong design for the neighbourhood, but also incorporating the Theatre Centre into the community's master plan, as theatres are essential gathering spaces.

 

Franco joined Active 18, a group dedicated to preserving historical structures and promoting excellent design in their community. They met routinely to discuss and engage with the concept of good design in an effort to prevent their neighbourhood from being overrun by identical condo buildings. Despite the fact that the neighbourhood still wound up with a large number of condos, the group was able to establish a park, a theatre centre, a mindfulness studio, and affordable housing options for artists. Active 18 existed from 2005 until approximately 2014. The group petitioned the Ontario Municipal Board to oppose the city and developers and engaged in conversations and relationships with those individuals. They intended to collaborate with developers and the city to promote good design and discuss the use and design of public spaces. Franco describes a park for which he served on the committee responsible for selecting the architect. The park has many trees, benches, and a playground, but its urban, gravelly design is disliked by some. The Great Hall, the Gladstone Hotel, and the Drake Hotel, which function as the street's anchors, are also mentioned by Franco. The community is presently uniting in opposition to a proposed high-rise condo on the site of the area's last remaining historic building, the post office. Franco emphasized the significance of preserving historic buildings in the neighbourhood, such as the Gladstone, the Drake, the Carnegie Theatre Centre, the Great Hall, and the old post office, because they serve as community gathering places. The formation of a group to resolve the preservation of the old post office building was mentioned. Franco, when asked about the identity of the neighbourhood, described it as youthful with a vibrant nightlife, but observed that many cultural spaces and galleries have vanished due to the high cost of rent. In 2003, Franco began working at the Theatre Centre when it was located in the Great Hall's cellar. Franco explains that the Queen West neighbourhood's artistic and cultural identity has evolved over time, primarily as a result of the area's high expense of living. As a result of artists leaving the neighbourhood because they cannot afford the rent, the cultural community is not as robust as it once was. Small, family-owned businesses are essential for fostering community relationships, but many have been compelled to close due to rising rents. Franco suggests that financial factors, which have made it difficult for artists and small businesses to flourish, are the primary cause of the area's transformation. Franco discusses the gentrification of Toronto's Queen Street West neighbourhood in the interview. As artists drew a community to the area, real estate agents took advantage of the situation, causing property prices to rise and artists to be priced out. This pattern has recurred repeatedly over the years, highlighting the significance of city and government policies that foster the growth of artistic communities, such as providing below-market rent to artists.

 

Franco recounts their experience working with a local condominium to establish a rapport between the theatre centre and the condo's occupants. They organized events and activities to interact with the community's residents and encourage their participation.

 

The Francos then discuss their educational and professional objectives. Franco suggests touring 401 Richmond, a building containing numerous galleries and organizations, including the Myseum of Toronto. The museum highlights exhibitions and projects relating to the history and creative past of the city.

 

Lastly, Franco mentions the West Queen West Heritage Plan, a city initiative that sought to preserve the neighbourhood's character by examining storefronts and preserving historic structures. However, Franco acknowledges they are uncertain about the plan's effectiveness.