Don’t torpedo Liquor Donuts

Re Fairland proposal divides Kensington, July 23 One of Toronto’s most interesting public art installations in years, the soon-to-open Fairland Funhouse in Kensington Market, was beset last week by backlash from local NIMBYs who’ve discovered a 622-person liquor licence application for Liquor Donuts, the business that is to follow the temporary art maze pop-up.

Online comments were outraged, implying that they had no idea the art maze portion was intended to be temporary, and likened it to a “Trojan horse.” (Disclosure: I am friends with a few of the 50+ artists installing art at the Funhouse.)

This is astounding, because on July 4 the Star’s Raju Mudhar clearly said Liquor Donuts “will have a temporary space in Fairland during this pop-up. It will take over the entire space once this pop-up art experience is completed.”

The fire department determines how many people can safely evacuate a space. Those complaining know nothing about capacity applications: you aim high and you get a reasonable number.

There is no shadiness here. If this vocal minority of residents of the market get their way and torpedo Liquor Donuts, it will be at their peril; instead of art installations, vinyl pressing and twee confections, they’ll get something far more sterile in its place. Kevin Bracken, Toronto