Toronto Has Talent

If you have never seen Toronto's Graffiti Alley, it's worth a look. 

It runs between Queen Street and Richmond, east-west between Augusta and Spadina.

If you have never seen it but watch the Rick Mercer Show, then you HAVE seen it - that's where he films his 'rants'.

But there was another piece of graffiti I spotted the other day - not sure if it's still there, nor could I stop to take a picture of it.

That's because it is - or was - on a road sign over the 401 westbound, indicating the turn-off for Yonge Street and Bayview Avenue.

It wasn't a political statement, at least not in the sense of expressing anything in words.

It was just a flowery painting covering most of the verbiage on the sign.

An out-of-towner looking for Yonge Street or Bayview Avenue might have missed his turn.

An 'Alert Reader' - as I have said before, Dave Barry isn't the only one - sent this photo of the sign, taken (as it was promised) by a passenger.

It isn't very clear, and the graffiti seems less distinct here than I remember; perhaps the rain washed some of it off?

In any event, the first immediate and obvious question - how the heck did the perpetrators get up there?

Clearly, they didn't park a truck with a cherry picker in the middle of the highway. 24-7, there's too much traffic on that road to attempt that.

I figure they must have somehow scaled the gantry, crawled across to the sign, and worked their spray-can magic.

Massively and stupidly dangerous, and - you would think - with a strong chance of getting caught.

The second obvious question - all to what point?

Just to make people like me wonder how the heck they DID do it?

If so, mission accomplished...

Comments

[Fred Benzaquen]

Jim :
I saw that sign - and did a double take as I drove under it.
My reaction was one of anger. Pure and simple.
Is nothing sacred ?
And as you said - what was the guy trying to prove ?
That he could burn some money out of the Provincial public purse - Someone will HAVE TO come and fix this, Ha !
That and scribbling on Dollar bills are pointless pranks that deserve severe retribution.
Certainly not being labelled "talent".
Hope they catch him.