Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region.
Eric Darwin takes Ottawa’s recent low-key proposal for a new pedestrian/cycling bridge across the Rideau River as an opportunity to look at some of the exciting work being done on such bridges elsewhere. In doing so, Darwin highlights the potential for the bridge to be both iconic and a functional extension of the adjacent parkland.
The internet regulating body ICANN is set to allow dotCity domain names and Morgan Peers uses this as an opportunity to explore the position of a civic community on the internet through his own experiences within information ecosystem of Ottawa.
Alison Creba takes a fascinating look at different examples of roadside marquees and discusses what they say about the urban vernacular of the city through their contribution to urban hum.
In one more sign that spring is coming, Crystal Melville profiles the upcoming Seedy Saturday event hosted by the Urban Farm Museum Society of Spryfield in which budding gardeners can exchange seeds and share gardening know how.
Adam Chaleff -Freudenthaler looks back at the Miller administration to consider the subtle ways that a mayor influences the direction of their city. While broad policy initiatives are called the broad strokes, decisions such as where to spend time and which groups to support reflect the small strokes.
The Headspace series produced another installment this week as Luca De Franco interviewed Brian Iler from the waterfront advocacy group Clean Air. With the Toronto Port Authority attempting to start construction on a pedestrian tunnel to the Island Airport some time this year the discussion provides a fascinating looking into the many facets of the airport issue.
Devin Alfaro examines bold and exciting plans to for the redevelopment and growth of Montreal’s Downtown West End. The plans offer a a comprehensive vision for various aspects of the area, but as with most such schemes questions remain around implementation of improvements to the public realm.
Spacing Montreal tells the story of Maggie Flynn an artist who’s unconventional work has helped to transform the urban landscape of the area. Recent projects include installing a tea room in disused bus shelter and other projects to better utilize urban spaces in a social way.
Photograph by Sean Hill
2 comments
re the photo: I love the Toronto Island Airport. And I have zero sympathy for the hyper-elitist petit borgeouis who live on the islands or along the condoville waterfront towers. Suck it up, the economy that made you rich enough to afford 500,000$ single bedroom condos needs this economic engine called the island airport. Don’t like it? Move.
On the one hand the island airport makes the waterfront more interesting because watching airplanes land is amazing no matter how many times you see it. And yeah the island airport is an economic engine sure but what about the potential for other uses on that land? What a large use of space in such a valuable location. Once the airport rail link gets built I think the economic case for the island airport will decline. In which case its pretty questionable spending more money on it now.