Matthew is the author and photographer of The Beautiful Mess of Toronto Laneways, a collection of over 100 images of local garages.
From Matthew’s introduction:
Growing up in the postwar neighbourhood of Willowdale, laneways were absent from my life. The closest suburban comparable was the mid-block paths that cut between two residential properties on those long, suburban blocks. As a kid with neighbourhood wanderlust, I was totally fascinated with these spaces, removed from front lawns and bordered by tall wooden fences. Kids would congregate there to play or ride bikes and get up to a lot of no good.
When I moved downtown in the mid-1990s, and began to explore my new neighbourhood, the old city’s laneways stirred up memories of those charming mid-block paths. I was struck by the contrast between how residents were meticulous about the upkeep of the front of their homes but were happy to have their 100-year-old shack out back become wildly dilapidated and overgrown by weeds.
I’ve often compared how we treat these two spaces that surround our homes to going out on a date. Before we meet up, we put some time and effort into how we look. We do this with the front of our homes as well. But the way we maintain our laneways is equivalent to how we look waking up the morning after that date, next to your new lover, with your messy hair, droopy eyes, and the creeping pangs of a hangover.
Though laneways often feel frozen in time, they aren’t immune to change. Possibly the most pressing issue facing these unique spaces is Toronto’s recent policy initiative to allow new (and legal!) laneway suites to be constructed. In my estimation, laneways offer the greatest opportunity for the city to add density with nary an impact on the oft-cited “character” of a neighbourhood.
With that in mind, I’ve taken it upon myself to document the beautiful messiness that I find in Toronto’s alleys. New development will certainly change the landscape of the city’s laneway network in the coming years and it would be a shame for us to forget the amazingly unique garages, workshops, and structures that have stood out back for over 100 years.
