Years on the Wall: Respect, Resilience, and Public Art on Ossington

Written by Sanjeev Wignarajah & danielle goldfinger

The Ossington Laneway, nestled between a wine shop and a neighbouring storefront, stretches from Queen Street to Humbert Street and was transformed in 2018 into a vibrant corridor of public art. Featuring work by artists like Peru, Lovebot, Spud, and many others, the laneway has become a hidden gem—like a west-end cousin to Graffiti Alley or Underpass Park 2.0.

What makes this laneway truly special is both its resilience and the deep respect it holds within the community. A year after its creation, much of the original artwork was vandalized—but instead of disappearing, the artists returned, repainting and reinvigorating the space. At the same time, some murals have remained completely untouched, standing for years without a single tag or mark. That kind of longevity is rare—and speaks volumes about the respect these artists command and the sense of ownership local residents feel for the laneway.

This is the power of mural art and graffiti: beyond aesthetics, they’re tools for transforming overlooked spaces into dynamic, healthy public places. Art signals that a space matters—that it’s watched, loved, and alive. It invites people to stop, engage, and connect with their environment and each other.

Today, Ossington Laneway bursts with bold colour and intricate detail. It’s a striking backdrop for photos, music videos, or a quiet moment of appreciation. And just like the Ossington strip itself—lined with independent cafés, boutiques, restaurants, and bars—the laneway reflects a neighbourhood that’s creative, eclectic, and proud of its local culture.

Laneways we love

 

Named in reference to the width of Downtown Austin’s laneways, 20ft. Wide was a five-day laneway activation that took place in April 2012. Led by The City of Austin’s Downtown Commission and Art Alliance Austin, the project’s goal was to demonstrate the potential of laneways as vibrant community spaces.

20ft. Wide Concept | Austin, Texas (Image Credit: TBG Partners)

BACKGROUND

Austin’s downtown laneways have been historically overlooked; perceived as unsafe, unsanitary eyesores, strictly reserved for utilitarian purposes such as trash collection and deliveries. In the early 2010s, the demand for engaging public spaces in Downtown Austin was growing and the City shifted it’s perspective on laneways. The hundred-plus blocks of laneways were now regarded as a way to provide vibrant urban spaces that could enhance the pedestrian experience and provide an urban respite from the bustling downtown. The City of Austin’s Downtown Commission created The Alley Activation Workgroup to examine the potential of investing in downtown laneways for this purpose. They were tasked with the revitalization of Alley 111, located in the heart of Downtown Austin (North-South from 9th to 10th Streets, between Congress Avenue and Brazos Street).

Art installation in progess (Image credit: TBG Partners)

THE PARTNERSHIP

The Alley Activation Workgroup was a multi-disciplinary group with representatives from the Downtown Commission, local design firms, individual architects, artists, and community activists. One of the primary project collaborators was Art Alliance Austin, a non-profit that connects Austin youth to art. They host events focused on creating opportunities for investment in and showcasing Austin as an art city.

THE ACTIVATION & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

This project had a small budget of $5,000 from a City of Austin Cultural Arts Division grant, which was used to create the overhead art installation. A local landscape architecture firm, TBG Design provided an additional $500 grant for art and design materials. The rest of the improvements were implemented using community donations.

Art Alliance Austin collaborated with other local organizations to create engaging programming including a candlelit dinner, a commuter’s pop-up breakfast, and a family day in the laneway,  alongside an “open day” for the community to experience the improved laneway without any active programming. 

Pop-up vegetation and an art installation of brightly coloured twine knits hung above paper cranes and upcycled street furniture passively transformed the experience of the space.

Creative Action, an Austin-based art education organization, engaged the city’s youth to create the art installation with their after school program, “Peace Cranes”, during which students folded the hundreds of origami paper cranes that were used to create the sculptural piece. 

TBG Design repurposed community donations of plant materials, pallets, and burlap sacks to create furniture that transformed the laneway into a multi-purpose space that encouraged social interactions. Stacked pallets were used as seating, polystyrene foam as steps, and clothing filled burlap sacks as cushions. 

This community integration contributed to the positive perceptions of the project. Throughout the activation, volunteers conducted surveys on the public's opinions of the revitalized space/project. 

20ft. Wide Activations (Photo credits: TBG & Arch Paper)

OUTCOMES

The community’s response was overwhelmingly positive and the project was acknowledged as a success by Austin’s City Council, who, in the following year, voted to establish a Downtown Austin Alley Master Plan. However, due to the reorganization of Austin’s City Council in 2014, the push for laneway activation lost traction. Despite this, 20ft. Wide shed light on what collaborative partnerships and devoted community efforts can look like at their best, and how grassroots approaches can bring new life to laneways.

Written by Isabel Lee | Exploring connected communities, happy cities,
and all things urban planning. | LinkedIn

 

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Just like our parks, Toronto’s laneways are often used by communities as much-needed shared spaces. Downtown back alleys have naturally evolved into helpful routes to avoid main street crowds; in residential laneways, kids can be left alone to climb snow banks without the worry of busy traffic.

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