By IAN ROBERTSON

The beloved founder of the iconic San Remo Bakery is being brought back to life in a beautiful mural that shows his love for South Etobicoke, native Italy and baked treats.

Work has begun on a massive art mural of bakery founder Natale Bozzo on the south side, on Simpson Ave., of the famous bakery with Royal York Road in the background.

The images include the ancient Coliseum in Rome, a modern building there, SkyDome and the arch bridge over Humber River, plus people and with Bozzo on the right holding a large tray of doughnuts, one of his favourites.

Bozzo loved both his homeland Italy, and Canada, the country that took him and his family in.

Art team leader Christiano De Araujo pays attention to the minute details. On this day he is using a portable machine to spray paint onto wall as an assistant works with a brush.

De Araujo is aware that his masterpiece will be viewed by many area residents and San Remo fans, who loved Bozzo. There are still daily lineups by residents as they wait to get inside the bakery.

The patriarch of the family-run bakery died from COVID-19 complications last February following a six week battle with the virus.

Born in 1945, Bozzo immigrated to Canada from Italy at the age of 15.

He started working in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood at Sicilia Bakery on College Street before opening SanRemo Bakery with his brothers in Etobicoke in 1969.

“He was larger than life and we will miss him dearly and will work very hard to keep his memory alive and to honour him,” the family mourned on Facebook.

Within just an hour of being posted, the statement had already garnered some 800 comments of condolences.

He was mourned by thousands of Etobicoke residents, and politicians of all stripes, who loved his treats.

The mural is expected to be completed in a couple weeks.