The Canadian New York: Sankofa Square— Street Photography with Blake Ferguson
- Blake Ferguson
- Apr 9, 2014
- 9 min read
Updated: Jul 28
Date Published: 04/10/2014
Date Edited: 06/03/2025
While it was all fun and games conquering boxy, quiet streets of Newmarket, Ontario — a town where routine moves at a walking pace, I would be lying if I said creativity did not occasionally run dry.
In a place where parking lots are more common than pedestrians, and the buildings rarely stretch above three stories, the camera can begin feeling more like a mirror than a window.
The heart of photography is not found in your surroundings, but is sparked by what you see in them. That said, when you have grown up in Newmarket, there is an immense craving for more. More texture. More movement. More life. Whether you are a photographer or not, the itch for escape is inevitable.
The buzz truly kicked off when my good friend Ben Cowderoy — fellow hobbyist and one of those rare creative engines that spark others to move — handed me his Sony A300 DSLR. It was like unlocking a portal. That first real DSLR camera felt like an extension of my eyes, and suddenly, the usual sights demanded new attention.
Fuelled by excitement, good company, and a need for something fresh, we set off for downtown Toronto with cityscapes and street photography as our only aim. Well, for me anyway, while close friends enjoyed the pace of the city through sightseeing and standard retail shopping therapy.
I have seen the CN Tower countless times through childhood basketball trips or family drives, but this time was different. Turning the corner of Simcoe Street and witnessing it from a new perspective- the CN Tower peaked upright like a sentinel through the gaps of the urban sprawl made my pulse spike.
For the first time, I was not under another jurisdiction. Considering the timing of my friends, this time, I was free. No deadlines, no guardians. Just the hum of the city and the Sony A300 DSLR camera in hand, ready to create aesthetic street photography visuals.
We were not chasing shots for a portfolio or following a mapped-out route. Solely a group of teenagers out to relish the summer with no agenda, but drifting from boutique to back alley, letting intuition lead. That is where the best shots live anyway — in the unplanned, the unpredictable, the in-between moments most people miss.
I came struck with photographic hype the second we popped up from the subway into Dundas Square — now officially Sankofa Square as of late 2023. The digital billboards and constant movement alongside the raw undercurrent beneath it all. Graffiti-tagged poles, stained sidewalks, the faint scent of fried food and exhaust — it was gritty, imperfect, and electric. The kind of place where every corner held a possible story, if you were still enough to catch it.
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Maintaining Current Events— Yonge & Dundas Square Renamed to Sankofa Square in 2023
Yonge–Dundas Square was officially renamed Sankofa Square in December 2023. The new name, Sankofa, derives from a Ghanaian meaning to revisit and retrieve, symbolizing reflection and learning from the past. This change was part of Toronto and a broader initiative to address historical figures and their legacies, distancing from Henry Dundas due to his controversial role in delaying the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade.
Sankofa Square is more than just a public plaza — it is the pulse point of Toronto- a cultural crossroad buzzing with performers, preachers, tourists, and quiet onlookers alike. For a Canadian Artist and freelance photographer, it is an open-air stage where urban theatre never closes.
As we drifted further into the centennial-era blocks of Toronto, I could not help but feel like I was walking through a dreamscape that blurred both time and influence. Brick-and-stone facades kissed the edges of modern glass towers — a clash of history and future frozen in sunlight.
Reflections danced off windows and puddles like they were performing for the lens of my Sony A300. Every step felt like a frame from a movie I did not know I was starring in. I love Newmarket, though the city's depths come with more revitalization through upbeat and energetic involvement. Summer in Toronto delivers a cinematic clarity you cannot manufacture, where vivid green leaves frame in sharp contrast against beige buildings and deep, cloudless skies.
Maybe I played too much Grand Theft Auto- but the endless streets of man-made structures, urban waste and grunge-like atmospheres, I was out to capture the same. While consuming visuals from inspirational outlets via Instagram, a source came from street photography, cityscapes and portraiture of characters in the city, such as New York. Where I itched to compose- I felt uncomfortable capturing street-photography portraits where strangers were the primary subject.
Then there was that New York-style fries truck. Parked right where you would want it to be — rugged, chrome, and unapologetically planted in front of a backdrop of urban scrawl. I switched to monochrome instinctively, wanting to strip the moment down to form and contrast. Grit in the metal, sheen in the grease, and shadow play that made it feel timeless.
As golden hour approached, I did not want it to end. The Sony A300 picked up the warmth in the bricks, the cool tint of shaded alleyways, and the sun slicing through high-rises like light through stained glass. For the first time, I felt like I was not just capturing the city — I felt absorbed within. I could have easily kept shooting through twilight, chasing silhouettes and glows until the city dimmed — but reality called us home. The train ride back to Newmarket felt quiet, like waking up from a lucid dream. But something was different now.
The city had imprinted itself on me through its layers, motion and its refusal to stand still. I rested knowing this marked the beginning of something much bigger — a lifetime of exploring, wandering, and capturing.
4 Fun Facts about Sankofa Square, Previously Known as Yonge-Dundas Square:
1. Designed as a Modern Public Square
Sankofa Square was redesigned in 2002 by Brown and Storey Architects as part of a revitalization project for the Downtown Yonge area. The square features a granite surface, a raised stage for performances, and a series of fountains designed for interactive water-play. The fountains have a sophisticated filtration system to maintain pool-quality water, ensuring safety for public use.
2. A Hub for Events and Performances
Sankofa Square hosts diverse events throughout the year, including concerts, cultural festivals, community gatherings, and public art displays. Notable events have included the Toronto International Film Festival, Pride Week celebrations, and WorldPride closing ceremonies in 2014.
3. The Toronto Version of Times Square
Sankofa Square is often compared to Times Square in New York City due to its vibrant atmosphere enhanced by large digital billboards and neon lights. The Yonge and Dundas intersection is one of the busiest in Canada, with over 100,000 pedestrians crossing daily using the first pedestrian scramble.
4. Managed Through a Public-Private Partnership
Sankofa Square is significant as the first public Square in Canada, maintained through a public-private partnership. Managed by the Sankofa Square Board of Management, a City of Toronto agency responsible for overseeing the Square and its operations, programming, and maintenance.
Sankofa Square is a dynamic and inclusive space showcasing the commitment of Toronto City Hall to pushing cultural diversity, public engagement, and historical reflection. Whether attending a live performance, participating in a community event, or simply enjoying the vibrant surroundings, the Square offers a unique experience in the heart.
While I hoped to experience more of the grunge the city proposed, I walked away as a satisfied hobbyist photographer through the street photography compositions collected through the concrete jungle and the architecture composed in the cityscape. Making way for the subway for the trip home, I had to pull off a gritty-like capture.
That lens has not seen half of what you have got to show me. I will be back for you, Toronto!
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...July 15, 2024 — New York could learn a few things from Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square, which has found ways to carve out moments of peace in the busiest part of the city.
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