Update: Vacant Lot Theme Park cancelled

Vacant lots in Toronto have been the subject of more than a few articles and art shows in recent years. On Saturday night a group of artists are holding Land of the Lost II (link is to Facebook event listing) in a vacant lot in the Lansdowne/Bloor/Dupont corridor.

Saturday, July 28, 2007 at 9:05pm

The Land of the Lost is a ghetto Disneyland in a vacant lot. it is place for building forts out of broken toys, playing in the rubble of civilization, the ruins of dreams, or just spanning time together.

On Saturday the 28th we will be having another small soirée with music, conversation, maybe a little dining and dancing…

You are also welcome to contribute to the Land of the Lost structurally, by building a fort or whatsoever your little heart desires.

This is not art or a “partee” per se but an exercise in relational aesthetics. Relational aesthetics is cultural practice based on inter-human relations.

If you come, bring something enjoyable to contribute to the gift economy. drinks or something tastey to eat.

To add to the mystery, you’ve got to RSVP for directions.

Update: You can’t stop progress — this just in:

Dear Friends;

As some of you know The Land of the Lost was a
miniature town, ghetto theme park, adult playground,
renegade community centre, spiritualist retreat, etc.
that some of us have been building and enjoying for
the past two and a half months now in a lot derelict
for some five years. Of course as a strategic outpost
in the revolutionary war for urban leisure it was
subject to some risks.

On Thursday The Land of the Lost was attacked by
real-estate insurgent forces and suffered great
losses, both structural and aesthetic. It would seem
that the construction of vertical coffin arrays
(condos) has resumed.

The bulldozers and destruction workers descended on
our little paradise and, as mercilessly as fate
itself, razed the entire area leaving an entirely flat
field of soft sandy dirt with nary a trace of our
former dreamland. Fatalities include: the staircase
tower, the shack, the cemetery, the bedroom, dining
area, the archway, the main entrance path, the front
office, pink temple, dance-floor and the conversation
pit.

Rather than mourning we will be celebrating and
beginning to plan the re-incarnation at another
location, to be launched at the next full moon in
approximately one months time. Please be in touch if
you’d like to contribute, collaborate and/or attend.

Thank you for your interest and my apologies for any
disappointment,

“This used to be my playground
This used to be my childhood dream
This used to be the place I ran to
Whenever I was in need
Of a friend
Why did it have to end
And why do they always say

Don’t look back
Keep your head held high
Don’t ask them why
Because life is short…”
–Madonna

If anyone should wish to see the hole where The Land
of the Lost once existed it is here:

Directions:
If you can find your way to the corner of Lansdowne and Lappin (1 block south of Dupont & Lansdowne) you are almost there. Walk West on Lappin to the end of the street, continue going straight into the parking lot. There is a small hole in the fence about half way down. Enter. (The hole in the fence was blocked, but there is a new hole there if you look closely)

(Photo by Kevin Steele is not the Land of the Lost lot)