The gh3 design firm, based here in Toronto, has been chosen as the winner of the international design competition for June Callwood Park. Spacing's Shawn Micallef originally wrote about this competition back in mid-October of 2008. The gh3 proposal [PDF] for the thin strip of parkland at the base of Fort York physically embodies the legendary June Callwood's voice -- the ground and pathways between the trees and benches are wavelengths, a visual representation of Callwood saying "I believe in kindness." The design plan also includes plantings of native Canadian trees and a sampling ...

  Toronto is once again having a snowy winter, and the City's Coldest Day of the Year Ride for cyclists is coming up this Friday (January 30). With these things in mind, here are some thoughts on how to tackle the streets on two wheels this season.  Cold.  Dark. Ice. Snow.  I used to have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of riding a bike in the dead of winter.  Why bother cycling during a deep freeze in the first place? Turns out, there are ways to make it work, and the Cold Weather Cycling ...

  Each Monday, we bring you some of the popular posts from our sister blog, Spacing Montréal. We'll keep an eye open for topics and discussions that are pertinent to current public space issues in Toronto. • Montrealers turned a brutal cold weekend into some winter fun.   Olivier Plessis reports on the massive snowball battle that took place on Mount Royal. • Will Devimco and the city have to go through another round of public meetings concerning the Griffintown development plan?  Chris Erb takes a look at reports about Devimco re-addressing their ...

Each Monday, we bring you some of the popular posts from our sister blog, Spacing Montréal. We'll keep an eye open for topics and discussions that are pertinent to current public space issues in Toronto. • Alanah Heffez examines the plan to fix the brutal gash created by the Ville Marie trench highway. This is part of a new Société Radio-Canada development plan that is meant to re-link the street grid through the site. Meanwhile, the MTQ continues to wallow with plans to build a new trench highway along ...

We're pleased to announce the return of Facebook Friday. Every Friday, Spacing profiles a Facebook group that is using the social network to articulate their experiences and share information about Toronto. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - The City of Toronto has been conducting a Class Environmental Assessment to return Jarvis Street to prominence. Facebook's Jarvis Streetscape Improvement group gives you the opportunity to be part of the project. There is very little question that that Toronto's oldest paved road needs an overhaul ...

Each Monday, we bring you some of the popular posts from our sister blog, Spacing Montréal. We'll keep an eye open for topics and discussions that are pertinent to current public space issues in Toronto. • A sign bans winter fun at Murray Hill Park, writes Alanah Heffez. Westmount and City Public Works however, says tobogganing and skiing is still allowed on the small hill, about four degrees steep, where the city has set up mattresses to keep people from sliding into the street below. • The very popular before-and-after Spacing Montreal feature by Guillaume ...