Amid the introduction of polarizing legislation that would, if passed, require municipalities like Toronto to receive approval from the province before installing new bike lanes, one local artist has swooped in to pay tribute to the city's cyclists through a unique form of street art.

Toronto-based multi-media artist Martin Reis recently transformed several bike parking spots near 297 Harbord St. into colourful "lollipops" to pay homage to the long history of yarn bombing around the world. 

Yarn bombing (also known as wool bombing, yarn storming, kniffiti, or graffiti knitting) is a type of graffiti or street art that uses colourful displays of knitted or crocheted yarn or fibre to reclaim and personalize what Reis characterizes as "sterile or cold public spaces." 

The start of the movement has been attributed to Houston-based artist Magda Sayeg, who boasts over a decade of work including a crocheted covered bus in Mexico City. 

With bike hate sadly back on the agenda, it seems, here is some bike love instead: 3 New Bike Parking Lollipops. pic.twitter.com/SD6RyZjSoE

— Martin Reis (@BikeLaneDiary) October 16, 2024

Reis says he dressed each bike parking spot in merino and lambswool, silk, and acrylic yarns, with flower tops made by his partner Wendy. 

"When I look around the city, aside from the natural spaces like parks and vegetation, I see a lot of grey and hard surfaces. So I felt it was time to make our city a bit softer, cozier, fuzzier, and more," Reis told blogTO. 

Depending on the type of yarn used, the artist says each single-stitch crochet lollipop takes anywhere from eight to 12 hours to complete and install. 

"I am very grateful for the very positive response so far. Folks tell me they find them beautiful and young children really like the pretty crochet flowers. Also happy to read in the online comments that cyclists appreciate that the yarn protects their bike frames from getting scratched," Reis said. 

"Always happy to send some bike love to my friends on two wheels." 

Earlier this year, Reis made headlines when he transformed an unpretentious wooden pole into a Lego tower as part of his project, appropriately dubbed Le Tour de Lego. The tower is located right in front of Sam James Coffee Bar on Harbord Street, next to the new bike parking lollipops. 

Someone in Toronto is transforming a plain street pole into a colourful LEGO tower https://t.co/VFwUU5yPgi

— blogTO (@blogTO) February 27, 2024

In 2023, Reis went viral when he dressed in a soccer referee uniform to issue red and yellow cards to careless drivers at the intersection of Richmond and Pearl Streets. For his performance piece, called Crosswalk Referee, Reis used the "universal languages of football and humour to address pedestrian safety, privilege, and social interaction in a dense urban setting."