The man who began his political career as a Toronto alderman left a lasting marking on our city—in more ways than you may have realized.
Post-and-ring bike stands
Layton always said that he and designer David Dennis came up with the unique lollipop design of Toronto’s bike lockups on a bar napkin over drinks at Foster’s pub. Dennis has quibbled with the details, but everyone agrees that Layton is the one who got the design implemented.
Bike lanes
Layton created the city’s cycling committee, and was its first chair. The original bike lanes in Toronto were built under mayor Art Eggleton with Jack Layton as their most vocal champion. In 1989, when the city’s first lanes were approved, Layton said they were “the new thinking for the ’90s.”
The windmill at the Ex
Layton was one of the three initiators of the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, and served as president of that anti-global-warming initiative for six years. He championed the WindShare project to build the renewable wind energy project at the CNE. Phil Jessup, a former TAF executive director, called the windmill one of Layton’s “key legacies.”
Blue Boxes
In 1987, Layton led a group of councillors to propose curbside recycling. The Star explained, “Every Toronto house, by next May, [will] begin saving bottles, cans and newspapers for recycling in a $4 plastic garbage hamper provided by the city.” Layton said he had faith the idea would catch on.
Official recognition of the Pride Parade
Following mayor John Sewell’s vocal defence of the gay community against police persecution, Art Eggleton’s mayoral victory in 1980—with strong anti-gay support—was considered a setback for Toronto’s LGBT population. Eggleton supported raids on gay bathhouses and refused to proclaim a Gay Pride Day through the 1980s. But in 1989, an NDP caucus of councillors led by Jack Layton successfully passed a resolution officially recognizing the celebration for the first time, over Eggleton’s objections. Two weeks later, the mayor reversed the decision.
The day was finally proclaimed for the first time in 1991.
