Hart House [murmur] Project
You know those ghosts that live in Hart House at the University of Toronto? Well, they all have their stories, and now you just may have a chance to hear them.
[murmur], which has brought a new dimension to urban exploration in major Canadian cities, is launching it’s first project at the University of Toronto at Hart House, a historic and central building on campus. Launching in mid-March, the project will feature up to fifteen designated plaques in Hart House where students, staff, and visitors will be able to call a number on a mobile phone and hear stories that deliver a more intimate historical record of the location. Lasting just a few minutes each, the stories will be an archive of personal experiences and will be a reflection of the unique identity of the area.
The [murmur] network reaches from Vancouver to Montreal, and has an extensive presence in the Annex and in Kensington Market here in Toronto. Established in 2003, the project allows people to explore their city through collective stories and personal anecdotes — after all, as [murmur] creator Shawn Micallef says, “interesting stories aren’t limited to tourist attractions.” Micallef, associate editor of the acclaimed Spacing Magazine that explores Toronto’s public spaces, compares [murmur] to “taking a tour of the city but from a really intimate personal point of view” and hopes that such a project will help people understand their own city at a more personal level.
My own experience with [murmur] began last summer when I downloaded the Kensington [murmur] map from the website and went on a day of exploration — just me, my cell phone, and my camera. Each [murmur] story offered me a variety of insights into the exact area where I was standing — at times even directing me to look in a certain direction or walk in a certain path to get the full understanding of the experience — that a normal walk through Kensington Market wouldn’t normally capture. Not only was the experience quite enjoyable, but also helped me see Kensington as less of a mish-mash of shops and more of a collection of experiences that have shaped its history.
The Hart House [murmur] project promises to be an excellent way for students, staff, and visitors to learn about the people that continue to shape the history of Hart House and the share in the stories that places like the Great Hall and the Theatre hold. If you want to contribute your own Hart House stories or learn more about UofT’s [murmur] project, contact Jenifer Newcombe.