Spacing Saturday: Election Fallout, Zinemobiles and Jane’s Walks

Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region.

As the dust continues to settle from the dramatic results of the federal election, Devin Alfaro used two separate posts this week to comment on the representation in Montreal. First, he breaks down the many ridings that changed hands in the election to paint a new picture of the city’s political landscape. Secondly, in an election day post he takes a look at the role of big city mayors in endorsing parties and shaping the election debate.

Alanah Heffez profiles a fantastic new public art exhibit in Montreal’s Quartier des Spectacles. The exhibit provides users with a series of swings in which each trio of swingers contribute to a classical music composition through the momentum and height of their swinging.

In the premiere of a new feature called Clickshift, Kathryn Hunt uses the return of warm-weather cyclists to the roads as an opportunity to explore how different riders conceptualize their relationship with cars. Going beyond the word of mouth that educates most cyclists, Hunt looks at just what exactly the rules of the road are governing cyclists.

In a post written on the even of the election, Clive Doucet emphasizes that cities, as human political creations, can be fundamentally effected by the outcome any one election. Using trajectory shifts caused by past municipal elections in Ottawa as examples Doucet makes some predictions for what a Harper majority could bring for cities.

Based on a curiosity regarding how the street-involved population proves residency in order to vote, Jessica Walker highlights the inherent difficulties of lacking an address and profiles the innovative Navigator Program in Halifax. Arising from the need to diffuse tension between shop owners and panhandlers the program aims to identify and fill in the gaps social support services and is funded largely by local business.

Just as libraries often reach out to geographically or otherwise segregated communities through book mobiles, a new project in Halifax aims to take Zines mobile by wheeling a collection of local publications around the streets. The project is currently looking for Zines to participate.

Jessica Lemieux takes a look at how the Norway Maple tree, a common part of urban landscapes in Southern Ontario, is both an invasive species and a symbol of local sustainability. While the Norway Maple can often crowd out local species like Red and Sugar Maple, its resiliency makes it ideal for tapping to produce Maple Syrup right from the backyard.

With Jane’s Walks going on this weekend, Dylan Reid takes a look at how the project has spread throughout the world in just a few years, why it is so appealing and adaptable and how Spacing is contributing to some walks in Toronto.

Photograph by: Alexandra Guerson