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Canadian Urbanism Uncovered

  • Who You Gonna Call? Part 2

    The City of Toronto website is full of useful but hard-to-find information. As a follow-up to the sidewalk-obstacle-busting phone numbers I provided in an...

  • Pedestrian Crossover Review

    I told someone recently that I had been at a meeting dealing with a review of pedestrian crossovers, and they got that glazed look in their eyes. But once...

  • Council Sidesteps Dog Decision

    What is the public space conflict that arouses the most intense passions in the largest number of people? Is it cyclists versus motorists on our streets...

  • Ring Cycle: More Phone Numbers

    In an email exchange with city staff regarding the previous post about missing rings from bike lock-ups, staff have told me the number to call regarding...

  • Who You Gonna Call? Obstacle-Busters!

    At the Toronto Pedestrian Committee in January, we heard a presentation from city staff about sidewalk obstacles (construction scaffolding, patios...

  • Petty Laws Week

    London, Ontario city council has just passed a law banning under-18s from purchasing markers or spray paint without a parent or guardian present. Yes...

  • Montreal Street Furniture Project

    I’ve been posting my impressions of public space in some cities I’ve visited recently, and the last of the current bunch is Montreal. Montreal...

  • Vancouver Impressions

    Continuing my series of thoughts about public space in other cities, I visited Vancouver for the first time in years earlier this winter. It’s a...

  • Catcalls

    It’s easy for a male like myself to forget that public space can be made significantly less friendly for women, through catcalling by men...

  • Pedestrian Bridges

    In Saturday’s Globe and Mail, John Lorinc reports that there is a proposal afoot for a pedestrian bridge designed by architect Will Aslop (of OCAD...

  • Making Rural Development Work

    The Town of Caledon, a rural area just north of Brampton, has come up with a promising way to encourage development without sprawl. The township prides...

  • Ottawa Public Space

    I went on a trip to Ottawa in the fall, and noticed good, interesting, and bad public space initiatives. The Good Ottawa has made many pedestrian-oriented...