If you walked along the sidewalks along Queen Street East in Riverside, you might have noticed a few new additions to the pavement.
Installed at key sites all along Queen Street East between East Don Roadway/Davies Ave and Empire Ave, the Riverside Bike Rings & Plaques Project honours the Riverside BIA’s 45th anniversary (in 2025) and the community’s ongoing spirit of connection to the river.
Photo credit: Kasia Grobel
Inspired by the original shape of what is now called the Don River, these new bike rings and plaques trace the forgotten bends of the river, each frame capturing a different curve of the Don River before it was straightened in 1886.
Collectively, they form a subtle wayfinding trail. As visitors move through the Riverside BIA, they encounter one historic curve after another, linking the neighbourhood’s vibrant present to its layered past.
The Riverside Bike Rings and Plaques Project is a collaboration between OCAD University, the Riverside BIA, and the City of Toronto.
Consisting of over two dozen new bike racks and commemorative plaques designed by OCAD University student Daniel Roe, this project invites the community to lock your bike, trace the steel, and pause — even just for a moment — to feel the river beneath your wheels.
Daniel Roe is a Toronto-based multidisciplinary designer working at the intersection of brand, product, and experience design. Currently in the Industrial Design program at OCAD University, he is honing his craft in form, materials, and manufacturing.
Guided by the belief that good design should be engaging, inclusive and contextual, he creates pieces that spark conversation and transform ordinary moments into memorable experiences.
Check out @danielroe.design on Instagram and his official website to see more of his work!
Special thanks to Mitch Korman and Korman & Company for providing the display space at 721 Queen St E for the project prototypes and information.
FUN FACT: Korman’s has a special connection to the Riverside BIA as the late Jack Korman was one of the original founders of the BIA and his son Mitch Korman (owner of Korman & Company) was a long-time Chair of the BIA Board!
Head over to Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood and check out the Riverside Bike Rings & Plaques Project! In the meantime, follow us on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog for regular updates on what’s new in Riverside!
Photos by Riverside BIA unless stated otherwise