Kensington Market, Toronto, 1983 © Avard Woolaver
Kensington Market is a vibrant multicultural neighbourhood in downtown Toronto, just off Spadina Avenue. It is likely the most photographed area in the city and it’s no accident that I did a lot of my street photography there.
Before moving to Toronto I vaguely knew about the place from the CBC TV comedy King of Kensington starring Al Waxman. And there was a famous Toronto band called Kensington Market with their hit, I Would Be The One. But nothing could prepare me for the unique vibe of the place.
This photo shows the storefront of Stranger Cole Roots Records. Cole is a Jamaican singer who set up this shop in the 1970s. Empty boxes from a nearby produce store litter the sidewalk. A man in a retro suit looks lost in thought. And I just happened to be passing by with my Rollei 35S.