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Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

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  1. Streetside spots can’t even be criticized for (mis)using public funds because the City is taking on the pilot project in its usual extremely risk averse manner; namely, no public funds have been set aside for the project at all. On top of the processing fee to have proposals reviewed, all furnishings (including mandatory planters for live greenery), certified designer fees to ensure parklets are up to the Ontario Building Code’s accessibility standards, season permits for the spaces, and insurance must be paid out of pocket by businesses or community groups. These are just other forms of ‘developers’ the City is looking to to create privately owned places in what look to be public spaces. Also, as these spaces will only be approved on quieter side streets, the City dismisses the opportunity to use the pilot to disrupt or challenge current traffic patterns. By not taking a bold stance (financially or in the face of traffic) with Streetside Spots, the City is negating the project’s transformative potential.