VoxBox: a new throwback from Moses Znaimer
Fresh spin on the Speakers Corner formula
A special alert to newsletter subscribers of Retrontario…
It’s been 35 years since Moses Znaimer started helping Toronto talk it out
Long before Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat and reality shows, at the intersection of Queen and John Streets in Toronto—outside of what became Citytv’s 299 Queen St. W. home in 1987—Moses installed a compact red video booth, and invited the city’s population to register their comments, kudos or complaints. The most compelling contributions were broadcast on-air.
The last few years have been a bit of a bummer… so, how about a throwback to bring some joy back to Toronto?
Now located in Liberty Village, next to the ZoomerPlex, you’ll find something called VoxBox. The format is the same. Just the calendar has changed.
Moses invites us all to show us your happy and your sad, your funny and your mad. Speak your mind and watch what you say on Rogers Channel 5, blogTO and on TikTok @SpeakTO
What are you waiting for? The VoxBox is up and running and looking for you to record your comments, kudos, and complaints, show off your talents, and hawk your wares.
For industrial-strength nostalgia, a loonie is required to operate the video booth. But, as per tradition, all proceeds go directly to charity: St. Felix 24-Hour Respite Centre, down the street from the ZoomerPlex in Liberty Village.
The ZoomerPlex is open for Doors Open Toronto
Saturday and Sunday (May 28-29, 2022)
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day
70 Jefferson Ave. in Liberty Village
If you’re a curious pop culture fan or history buff, the MZTV Museum will be free to the public as part of Doors Open Toronto at the ZoomerPlex.
Highlights of the museum include the RCA TRK-12 Phantom Teleceiver—from the 1939 New York World’s Fair—and the Kuba Komet—a marvel of German design that combined TV, radio and phonograph into a single stylish unit.
Fans of radio can also tour The New Classical FM and Zoomer Radio studios. There will be giveaways, free soft ice cream from GTA Softee. (Plus, if you need a booster, a Toronto Public Health mobile vaccine clinic will be on-site on Saturday.)
A brief history of the original Speakers Corner
Check out the article we wrote for blogTO and a YouTube playlist of collected moments from the booth. And we’ll talk more again to your inbox soon.
TIL: "Box populi: Prime Minster Jean Chrétien rallies his base on Speakers Corner. (Courtesy of the Toronto Star)" 😄🙃
I was on Speaker's Corner!