Toronto's underground PATH system first to see Sankofa Square signage

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Don’t be surprised if you start seeing signs for Sankofa Square, currently still called Yonge-Dundas Square.

One such sign was recently spotted in Toronto’s underground PATH and a city spokesperson confirmed there “will be a rolling update to signage, which began with the PATH system as it was part of the regular annual work they do and happens at no cost.”

Julian Sleath, Yonge-Dundas/Sankofa Square General Manager, says the Financial District BIA would be responsible for the sign changes in the PATH.

“Their mapping is responsible for the signage in the PATH system,” said Sleath.

“They do an annual update. Their budget is paying for the path system. It’s a gradual process as part of the normal routine changeovers and updates. (The new signage) is probably just in the PATH system (as it stands today).”

Toronto City Council heard back in May that the entire cost of renaming Yonge-Dundas Square will be anywhere from $105,000 to $200,000 for a sign bearing the city site’s new name, Sankofa Square.

The change is part of the city’s effort to eliminate the name Dundas from public assets.

Critics argue that Henry Dundas, a Scottish politician, delayed the abolition of slavery by 15 years. However, one descendent of Dundas, Bobby Dundas, has argued he was just trying to be strategic with his “gradual abolition” motion, according to the CBC.

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Proponents of using the name, Sankofa, say it originated in Ghana and refers to the act of reflecting on and reclaiming teachings from the past.

The cost of the sign change was detailed in a letter from City Manager Paul Johnson to Councillor Stephen Holyday.

“Specifically the signage is $105,000 of which currently $5,400 is being spent removing the pre-existing signage,” said Sleath.

“We will engage a company to help us with design and branding and over the next few months we will be working with them to finalize designs of what the new look will be and then we will commission a signage building company to install that. You probably won’t see any changes on the square itself until much later in the year.”