We began 2020 with a bit of optimism — how could we know? We had an episode about the public realm and its importance, and spoke to urban researcher/writer Cara Chellew about re-starting the Toronto Public Space Committee. Well, public space became a crucial issue throughout this pandemic and battle for civil rights, and we asked Cara what her Public Realm Resolutions are for 2021.

Staying with the public space theme, writer and artist Shari Kasman tells us all about Bloordale Beach: a barren, gravel lot where a school had recently stood that everyday people took upon themselves to transform into a “beach” for socially distant hangouts.

Finally, a year after the first PlazaPOPS experiment in activating strip mall parking lots as community space, we talk to “The Urban Geographer” Daniel Rotsztain and landscape architect and Guelph University Assistant Professor Brendan Stewart about the project, and their recently released report.

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