Name: Iconic Toronto art van up for sale
Uploaded: 2026-01-19T14:52:25.311Z
Duration: 2 min 16 s
Description: A well-known piece of Toronto’s history is hitting the market. The iconic art van has drawn thousands of visitors over the years. CBC’s Mercedes Gaztambide spoke with the owner’s granddaughter about why it’s time to sell.

A well-known piece of Toronto’s history is hitting the market. The iconic art van has drawn thousands of visitors over the years. CBC’s Mercedes Gaztambide spoke with the owner’s granddaughter about why it’s time to sell.

Toronto

A distinctive, art-covered van that has become a familiar sight in downtown Toronto is being put up for sale. Its creator, 81-year-old Albino Carrera, can no longer care for the vehicle after losing his driver's license and suffering a recent stroke. 

Carrera's granddaughter has listed the van online, receiving offers up to $9,000 and support from neighbors. The family hopes to find a buyer who will maintain the van's whimsical decorations and honor its legacy as a neighborhood icon.

Iconic Toronto art van up for sale

If you live near downtown Toronto you may have seen this decked-out van either being driven around town or parked in front of Albino Carrera's equally unique house on Clinton Street. Carrera is now 81 years old, has lost his driver's license and can't care for the car anymore. So his granddaughter says it's time for it to go to a new home. He asked myself and my dad but then we're like it's just gonna stay in the garage like we don't really drive it like we have you know other means like our own cars and stuff like that but he was just like okay then maybe sell it but like for a good price. He's like that's worth a million dollars and I'm like okay we'll see what we can get. Earlier this week Carrera suffered a stroke and is now in hospital. With repairs to their house needed and her grandfather's health declining Diaz posted the car on Facebook marketplace and woke up to a wave of messages from neighbors asking if her grandfather was alright and offering up to $9,000 for the van so far. Diaz says it's hard to put a price on something so sentimental. He's just very like sad every time he mentions it he's like crying or like you know he's like oh my god when you were little we did this we did that I'm like he still remembers which is good. He's like he wants her to go to somebody who's willing to like you know care for it not remove everything even like you know he's like it should be in a museum it should be somewhere like you know for people to see he wants people to see it. For Diaz the van carries a lifetime of memories with her grandfather. Do you have a favorite thing on here or something that like always catches your eye? Elmo. Oh my gosh I didn't even see him. That's like really ancient. Elmo and my little pony. This is actually mine so why is it here? Over the years thousands of visitors and even celebrities would stop by to take photos. Carrera's neighbors also see themselves in his work. I curbed this thing it was trash and then a few weeks later I found it was part of the mosaic so I'm like okay this is like it's like he's assembling you know a little mosaic of the neighborhood. Just nice to see that there's some kookiness and whimsy left in the world. Carrera's granddaughter says she's waiting for the right price and the right buyer to hopefully preserve the family's legacy. Mercedes Gaston Biré, CBC News, Toronto.

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