The Good Bike Project

The Good Bike Project was conceived by Caroline and Vanessa Nicholas as a simple color intervention on the street project that we hoped would beautify and energize the grim strip of Dundas Street West. The bike’s bold, graphic and current aesthetic was an instant hit with passersby; and when we were ticketed by the City, support for the bike poured in from locals and from people in far flung places including Brazil and Australia. The controversy spawned a public art project - where Vanessa and Caroline salvaged over 80 rusted bikes from the trash heap and spray painted them in neon colours to create a community map of Toronto. Each bike marked a site that embodied the spirit of community and creativity - both historic and contemporary - that inspired us in the first place.