Toronto neighbourhood recreated in 15 pounds of gingerbread

A group of Toronto residents have recreated a city block using only gingerbread, candy, icing, and sugar. (Facebook/Lori Steuart)

A group of Toronto residents have reimagined a section of the city’s Bloordale Village neighbourhood as a sweet treat just in time for the holidays.

Created by Lori Steuart, Olivia Jewer, and Lenny Olin, the 15-pound gingerbread sculpture features a number of buildings along the Bloor Street strip between Landsdowne and St. Clarens avenues, all of which are bedazzled with a healthy amount of candy.

“We thought, ‘wouldn’t it would be fun to do a whimsical cityscape where everybody knows and loves all of these businesses that are on the north side?’” Steuart said.

A detailed Hasty Market, Penny’s Bar, Wine Rack, and Carribean Queen Patties can all be seen in the festive display. In keeping with the Toronto brand, racoons are also featured heavily throughout.

Jewer, who owns Penny’s Bar, told CTV News Toronto that the original idea for the display actually came about through pandemic-induced boredom.

“It started last year, we made [a gingerbread house] and it was mainly because we were all in lockdown, everybody’s bored, let's find something to do,” Jewer said over the phone on Wednesday.

“I figured, everybody’s out taking these walks and has nowhere to go and nothing to look at so we decided to do one and put it in the window so that people on their ‘pandemic walks’ could have something to enjoy,” she said.

The display took a combined 150 hours worth of work over six weeks to complete, according to Steuart. That includes the aforementioned 15 pounds of gingerbread, 10 pounds of candy, five pounds of icing, and “so much sugar.”

The streetscape is currently on display at Penny’s Bar if you’re interested in taking a look for yourself. Jewer said she is considering raffling off the block for charity—if it doesn’t get eaten first.