Pushing the right Buttons

Perhaps you’ve seen a new line of buttons around Toronto lately, brandishing the names and design of the city’s many subway stations?

Dubbed by the National Post, “the civic pride fashion statement of the year,” these subway buttons have created a stir, and perhaps even brought back some respect to the city’s often dumped-on transit system. It’s even been reported that, “Mayor David Miller is apparently a huge fan... [and that] he’s been handing out the buttons like candy around city hall.”

The idea was not the result of a TCC promotional initiative, but came from Spacing magazine, a Toronto-based mag which covers issues related to the city, and asks the question: “Whose space is public space?”

Matt Blackett, creative director of Spacing came up with the idea one day after seeing a TTC logo on a golf ball.

“At first we thought we’d make T-shirts, but then realized the difficulty, so we came up with buttons. It’s all done digitally, so we can easily do all the stations.” He adds that “we didn’t really do much other than put it out there and make it available, and the interest just snowballed.”

Running the operation from his St. Clair and Christie home, Blackett is in charge of everything from the design to the promotion. He even counts out the buttons individually to be mailed out to customers. “It gets a little boring counting out buttons for 45 different packages, and I’m not making much money off of it, but it’s definitely been a great success.”

The great advantage, he attests, is that “it’s pretty apolitical... you don’t have to be left or right to like it. People have an emotional attachment to certain stops and areas... in that sense, we’ve tapped into some inner-civic pride that’s not so much raw-raw Toronto, but more about our neighbourhoods and making it personal and identifiable.”

When probed a little further, however, he admits that there is a deeper meaning. “We’re trying to promote public transit. We feel that car culture ruins parts of the city, though we know it’s necessary, acting as more of a detriment as opposed to public transit which is a strong benefit.”

In addition, Blackett said that he’d like to see more attention paid to the aesthetics of the stations. “Art makes the stations unique and not turned over entirely to advertisers like St. George, where it’s covered in The Day After Tomorrow posters, or something like that.” At present, the TTC only allots five per cent of their overall budget to station art, though the new Shepherd line has gained some recognition for its murals.

“When people see it as a work of art, they’re more likely to respect it, and not let it get run down with garbage or graffiti,” said Blackett.

As for Spacing magazine, now with nine distributors and growing, projects like the button campaign are just the beginning. Though reticent about revealing all his future plans, Blackett talked proudly of Spacing’s association with the Toronto Public Space Committee, an activists/lobbying organization dedicated to bringing awareness and change to public space issues. “I’d like to think that the issues we’re bringing up will affect how people vote in the 2006 municipal elections, or at least make people aware of public space issues.”

Spacing’s distribution is not limited to Toronto, however, with mags being sold in Peterborough, Ottawa, Guelph, Hamilton, Oakville, and Mississauga. “I’m sure people from all over would like to try and make their city work better for them, be it parks, or any public spaces... there’s lots of people out there who want to bring these kinds of issues to their communities and neighbourhoods,” said Blackett.

Future projects include what he terms, Spacing salons, where groups of like minded people meet once a month to discuss public space issues, watch some short films, and come up with active ideas for change. “We’d also like to have film nights in various public spaces, kinda’ reclaiming the space and as a way to practice what we preach.”

For the time being, Blackett seems happy to keep pushing the buttons, and wait and see where it all ends up.

For more information visit www.spacing.ca

Images courtesy Spacing Magazine