A NEW art display has been opened in Southampton to celebrate the area’s historic links to Canada.

Residents, Newlands Primary School pupils and members of the community came together at Toronto Court, Brendon Green, to open the improvements to their communal garden.

The celebrations included the unveiling of a Canadian brown bear display and a live-carving of a resident designed maple leaf, honouring the community’s long-standing connections to the North American country. Toronto Court was the first complex built for sheltered social housing in Southampton back in 1951.

It was funded by the Lord Mayor of London’s air raid distress grant, to which the people of Toronto Canada generously contributed in response to Southampton’s support for their troops during the war. The residents’ garden committee pulled together to raise cash for the project, with additional support from the Prince’s Trust and the council’s neighbourhood fund.

This came after locals decided they wanted a complete regeneration of their communal outside space, with additional disabled access.

Cllr Warwick Payne, cabinet member for Housing and Adult Social Care at Southampton City Council, said: “The improvements to the garden coupled with vital disabled access will encourage everyone to enjoy the fresh air and participate in a range of social activities that will help combat loneliness.

“It is great that with tenants pulling together to fundraise and with the support of the Prince’s Trust, pupils from Newlands Primary School, Neighbourhood Wardens and project team we are able to provide this valuable space for residents and their visitors, whilst nodding to Toronto Courts’ history.”

The art installations, based on an idea from tenant Paol Hart, were chosen by commemorate the links to Canada, with local artist Jo Tidey commissioned to hand-paint the Canadian brown bear artwork.

John Tory, Mayor of Toronto, Ontario, Canada added: “I’m glad to see the historic connection between our cities’ residents continues to be celebrated.

“The generosity of Torontonians today for the well-being of seniors remains truly remarkable and I’m so proud to see their past efforts have been built upon by new generations of Southampton residents.”