Banners fly high over Uptown Yonge

[attach]1632[/attach]To celebrate the end of construction in the Uptown Yonge Street business improvement area, the group commissioned grade 12 students from St. Clement’s School to design banners to hang from area lampposts.

The BIA hopes the new look will help attract shoppers back to the area.

St. Clement’s was chosen by the BIA because the school has an advanced arts program.

“One of the units in our design course is we do a school reach where (the students) get an event within the community,” said art teacher Rosa Abbiento.

The winning entry, created by Cara Fletcher, included vertical stripes of bright colours and the slogan “shop, eat, stroll,” which she created for this project.

Fletcher’s design was inspired in part by her connection with the community.

“I grew up in the community and I go to school in the area, so I wanted to put my own aspect into the banner by making sure that the sign was colourful and would attract lots of shoppers,” she said. “You can do almost everything here.”

On May 5, the first six banners were put up, with more to be installed over the summer.

Aside from just wanting to attract more business to the area, BIA chair Paul Burey said that his group is attempting make the community stand out.

“We’re trying to bring identity to the area with the banners,” he said.