Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit

The Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit transforms ordinary urban signage into moments of surprise and delight. Through its whimsical street signs and satirical heritage plaques, TSRU breathes new life into Toronto’s streetscape. By encouraging passersby to pause, laugh, and look at their surroundings with fresh eyes, TSRU adds a touch of magic to the everyday, proving that even the most mundane corners of the city can inspire wonder.

Roadside raccoon memorial plaque

This plaque on Christie Street commemorates a DIY tribute to a fallen raccoon, celebrating Toronto’s urban wildlife and world-class bureaucratic pace.

Banjara parking lot payphone plaque

This Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit heritage plaque playfully honours the now-vanished Banjara Parking Lot Payphone, turning a lost urban relic into a nostalgic reminder of technology’s fleeting presence.

Newspaper box heritage plaque

This Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit heritage plaque commemorates a vanished Toronto Star newspaper box, highlighting the swift evolution of news consumption and urban landscapes.

In 2017, the Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit modified several no trespassing signs bordering Grange Park. The altered signs featured playful warnings about the dangers of entering the space — a boring lawn behind an apartment building.

Toronto’s new (un)official coat of arms

This new and improved coat of arms for the City of Toronto playfully reimagines the city’s identity, combining humor and symbolism to reflect the quirks, challenges, and spirit of urban life.

No grouches

This reimagining of a no-littering sign swaps an outdated silhouette of a tin can for everyone’s favorite trash-loving curmudgeon. It’s a playful critique of both dated design and littering habits, proving that street signage can have a little sass.

Googly-eyed post heritage plaque

This Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit plaque honors an ordinary metal post and a playful father and son pandemic project.

This sign is backwards sign

This quirky sign on Christie Street flips expectations—literally.

Walking tour with CBC Radio

Check out this short video and full radio interview from a walking tour of some fake heritage signs with CBC Radio’s lovely Hayden Watters in summer 2024.

Poop zone PSA

The Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit's "Poop Zone" signs on Christie Steet warn pedestrians of avian bombardments, blending humor with urban wildlife awareness.

Rose the wild turkey heritage plaque

In 2020, the Toronto Sign Reimagination Unit installed a heritage plaque in Toronto's Christie Pits Park, commemorating a wild turkey that had become a local celebrity. The plaque acknowledges the bird's unexpected presence and its impact on the community.

This sign is on an angle

This sticker, boldly declaring "THIS SIGN IS ON A 13.7 DEGREE ANGLE," points out the obvious.

Crooked sign sign

This long-neglected sign, precariously dangling by a single bolt in a Christie Pits-area laneway, was adapted to embrace its obvious tilt.