Written by Ana Sofía Hincapié Casas, Michael Brophy and Naomi Reid
Art, Action, and Advocacy: A Recap of our Family Art Afternoon
Art, Action, and Advocacy: A Recap of our Family Art Afternoon
On January 10, 2026, we gathered with local families for an afternoon of creativity and community action in London, Ontario. While the winter air was chilly, the energy inside was warm as we combined a love for art with a passion for better public transit.
The heart of the event was seeing kids dive head-first into craft activities. From the colorful fabrics draped across the ceiling to the activity tables buzzing with life, the space was transformed into a hub for young advocates.
Creativity and Conversation in Action
One of the highlights was a large collaborative banner titled "WE ❤️ THE BUS... BUT," where children used drawings and words to express what they love about transit and what they hope to see improved. Seeing the kids so engaged, whether painting or playing, reminded us exactly why we do this: to build a livable, sustainable future for them.
While the kids were busy with Michael working on the Bus banner, Ana and Naomi led a presentation on the motivation to focus on public transit in our city. Public transit is a key aspect of a sustainable city, which the city of London seems to have at the heart of its identity. The London plan emphasizes reducing greenhouse gases and creating walkable communities, which an efficient public transit would help to achieve. London is also part of the Active and Safe Routes to School program that encourages children and families to choose active transportation; here again, the use of public transit could be a key component to success. Nonetheless, around us, most people often prefer to drive than to take the bus. As the city is growing, this car-oriented approach it’s becoming an important problem: Traffic & road congestion is the second most important issue the city is facing right now, according to the 2025 Resident Satisfaction Survey for London. It seemed to us that there were important challenges to the London public transit, and we wanted to know what the kids and parents thought about it. We asked and discussed with them what they like/dislike about the system. Their answers were pretty much in line with our own. On the positive side, the buses are clean and well-maintained, the rides are affordable, are cheaper than paying for parking, and they run regardless of the weather. On the negative side, the buses are often crowded, there are no routes coming to some parts of the city, sometimes various transfers are needed for a trip, or the transfers take a long time, and it’s uncomfortable if one needs to carry big or heavy items. Then we discussed the Get on the bus movement, led by Dan Hendry. Started in Kingston 10 years ago and is now active in Barrie, Belleville, Brantford, Burlington, Guelph, Oakville, Orangeville, Orillia, Peterborough and soon Ottawa and other cities across Canada, including Halifax and Calgary.
After the presentation and discussion, parents and kids painted a bus that was later used for photos and play.
Naomi spent the later part of the afternoon at the button-making station with her son. The children were excited to create inspiring pictures with markers on the bus theme and other subjects that caught their fancy. Seeing their creations transformed into something wearable was thrilling for them. The machinery that made this possible was on loan from Reimagine’s Thing Library. In order to learn how to use it properly, we took some time at London Central Library’s Maker Space that also offers the button-making machinery for use by the public.
To keep the energy high, Mike brought music into the mix. With the ideas brought by the kids in the banner and the activities with the kids, Mike and the kids added to "The families on the bus" song we have started in a previous meeting last year. The "Wheels on the bus" song has 3 new parts written with the kids,based on what they drew on the banner: one about "how we love the bus and it's good for the planet", one about "waiting for the bus and it takes so long", and one about "sometimes it's boring, there's nothing to do on the bus”.
What’s Next?
The momentum doesn't stop here! We are already planning to take our transit campaign to Earthfest 2026. We also plan to connect with climate-concerned parents in London to join hands in our efforts to make the world climate safe for our kids. Being together and seeing our children play together in a happy space is so uplifting in these difficult geopolitical times.
Join Us! Are you a parent in London who wants to help shape a greener, more accessible city for our children? We’d love for you to join our next team meeting! Whether you have an hour a month or want to lead a project, there is a seat at the table for you. Email us at [email protected]
