Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region.
Evan Thornton summarizes both sides of the debate surrounding the recently approved redevelopment plans in Landsdowne Park. While many remain split on the merits of the plan, there is concern about the process used and how the vote reflects on the urban/suburban divide.
Dwight Williams introduces an interesting proposal to integrate the transit and Landsdowne redevelopment achievements of City Hall into a new transit proposal that offers to service the Landsdowne site while integrating into the city’s existing transit plans.
Alanah Heffez talks to skateboarders in Montreal’s Peace park about their perspective on the uses of public space and the failure of the city to address the needs of a significant and active community.
Devin Alfaro talks about famous urban thinker Jane Jacob’s lesser publicized opinions on the issue of Quebec sovereignty. Contrary to what you may expect, Jacobs considered sovereignty a practical idea when viewed objectively.
As politicians continue to ignore demands for an independent inquiry into the failures of the police at last weekend’s G20 Summit, Spacing played host to a number of attempts to bring some sense about how the legacy of the G20 weekend will forever change Toronto. Jonathon Goldsbie is scathingly critical of Mayor Miller’s complicit response. Matt Blackett discussed the most important questions to be asking in the wake of the incidents. Dale Duncan reflects on the need to question police tactics on large event crowd control. Emma Feltes talks about how police used features of the public space against the populace.
In the immediate aftermath of the weekend, Spacing also featured excellent reports and unique perspectives on what happened on the city’s streets. Matt Blackett highlights some of the most powerful footage of the protests while Nicole McIsaac shared observations from a weekend amongst the protests, and reported on the mood of the street following the weekend.
In Halifax, Katie McKay shows how the public space of the Halifax Common was recently utilized to host the largest Pow Wow ever held in Atlantic Canada.
Rachel Carolin Derrah profiles the Neighbourhood Earth Project launching this summer in parks throughout the North End of Halifax. The project aims to educate about local landscapes and urban ecology.