This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This is a follow up post by Katie Felton, Nicol Bernstein + Kate Schuyler that includes their proposed design for the Niagara neighbourhood -- click here to see their original post. Identifying a Need The catalysts for our design proposal were the very specific needs we identified within the Niagara community. Revitalization and illuminating the character of the neighbourhood were at the top of our minds. As well, we felt with the development plans for Stanley Park and the planned pedestrian/cycling bridge south to Fort York, there will be a call for destination spots in the neighbourhood. In other words, Niagara needs a claim to fame that will generate buzz and draw people from all over the city. Somehow, this solution must stimulate the local economy but also serve a larger purpose in the community in terms of programming and mixed-usage.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This post is a follow up to Giny Kim's first post exploring New Toronto. This is her proposed design for the area. For the last 6 weeks, I’ve researched and observed New Toronto, interviewed people and learned the history of this old neighbourhood. My final task was to come up with an intervention that might help revitalizing the neighbourhood. While I was observing and interviewing the neighbourhood and the people living in it, I noticed that several people who once lived in this neighbourhood have moved to another neighbourhood. Compared to the past, when New Toronto was active with several well known industries offering jobs to people, the neighbourhood seems a bit empty and quiet. During the interview with John Schaffer, the chair of B.I.A. of Lakeshore Village, he suggested that New Toronto required more density in order to be revitalized. In New Toronto, there is contrast to the condition (environment) of some of the living areas. The newly developed town house area is in good condition for people to live and feel safe, but some of the old apartments and undeveloped areas are in poor condition and safety. This might be one of the reasons for less density in the neighbourhood. Before I decided what kind of design intervention I was going to suggest for this neighbourhood, I’ve gone through critical thinking process of currently available resources and advantages of the neighbourhood to prevent overlap and to come up with the most needed design development this neighbourhood requires. The suggested design idea can be built on the north side of Birmingham st. & 8th St.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This post is a follow up to Ilona Valcov, Andrey Chernykh and Michael Sudiacal's first post exploring The Port Lands. This is their design proposal for the neighbourhood. Transformation of Unwin Avenue Site plan of design intervention featuring future development in the area. The street will see an evolution from heavy industry to a pedestrian prioritized destination as part of the future Lake Ontario Park in Port Lands neighbourhood.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This post is a follow up to Gillian Herold, Daniel Kim, John Koutoulakis and Max Pravosoudov's first post exploring Alexandra Park. This is their design proposal for the neighbourhood. Illustrated  psychogeographic map of Alexandra Park by Max Pravosoudov. Concept Statement The advantage that Alexandra Park has is its location. Located in between areas with rich cultural development, Alexandra Park has the potential to become one of the best places to live in Toronto. Our proposal will attempt to preserve the identity and history of Alexandra Park, while enhancing community life and engaging neighboring communities. Alexandra Park is a community driven neighborhood with a history of engaged residence and community members that have brought positive change to the area. Based on the diverse culture of Alexandra Park and the need to break down barriers, we will design a public space that supports existing programs within the community and allows for their expansion, while encouraging public life and creating a venue for neighboring communities to mingle. Alexandra’s Walk An illustration of how the banners would display art done by members of Alexandra Park.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This New Toronto post was researched and written by Giny Kim. Click here to see a larger version of their psychogeographic map of the area. The historic town of New Toronto is a neighbourhood in the south-west end of Toronto. New Toronto was established in 1890 and it once was an independent municipality starting 1913 and ended in 1967. Once its population reached 5,000 it had highest value of manufacturing per square mile in North America. North of Birmingham Street in New Toronto has traditionally been a large industrial district, although a number of industries moved or closed in the period from 1987 to the early 1990s.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This Fort York post was researched and written by Amanda Compagnone and Stephanie Reich. Click here to see a larger version of their psychogeographic map of the area. The Fort York neighbourhood is located south of CN and CP railways between Strachan Avenue on the east and Dan Leckie way on the west, and extends south to the Lake Shore. Currently this neighbourhood is ever-changing and, at some times of the day, seems like a residential ghost town. It also contains historically rich sites such as Fort York garrison along with a few existing industrial buildings, some of which have been converted to meet the need for residential uses in the area, while others are still in need of restoration. Amongst the converted buildings is the ‘Tip Top Lofts," the original manufacturing, warehousing, retail and office operations of Tip Top Tailors Ltd. built in 1929, designated as a heritage structure in 1972 and converted to lofts in 2002.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This post was researched and written by Gillian Herold, Daniel Kim, John Koutoulakis and Max Pravosoudov. The psychogeographic map of Alexandra Park is by Max Pravosoudov (Click here to view a larger image of the map.). Alexandra Park is a neighborhood in a unique location in downtown Toronto. Its boundaries are defined by four large and well known roads: Dundas Street West, Queen Street West, Bathurst street, and Spadina Avenue. It’s amazing how a large portion of Alexandra Park goes unnoticed while the surrounding areas such as Kensington, Chinatown, and Queen Street West, are being occupied by so many people. Not many people seem to know about the area, especially the Atkinson Housing Co-op, due to the fact that it is a very enclosed community. However once exploring the area and reading articles and websites about the Atkinson Co-op there seems to be an interesting story that is reflected by the environment and space within Alexandra Park.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This post was researched and written by Ilona Valcov, Andrey Chernykh and Michael Sudiacal. The psychogeographic map of the Port Lands above shows the static elements of the area (see large version here) while the map below shows the layers of activity (see large version here). The Port Lands neighbourhood has existed for the last 20+ years as an unprecedented opportunity not so far from downtown Toronto and remains an extremely underutilized and unwelcoming landscape of former heavy industry and stands at the precipice of transformation.  The Port Lands are human-made and were created by decades of infilling of what was once the largest wetland on the Great Lakes. Beginning in the 1880s, the area was gradually filled in to make more land available for industry and shipping. Since it was created, most of the Port Lands have been utilized for industrial uses and the majority of the area currently lacks servicing for other uses.  From observations it became obvious that the neighbourhood still maintains an active light industry with storage facilities and warehouses for light manufacturing.  The roads feature more pedestrians, cyclists and joggers on the weekend and more trucks and cars during weekdays.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD’s Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class is about). This post was researched and written by Katie Felton, Nicol Bernstein + Kate Schuyler. Click here to see a larger version of their psychogeographic map of the area. The purple circle represents the abattoir smell radius. Illustration by Nicol Bernstein. All photos by Kate Schuyler. The Year was 1793... It is difficult to imagine that at one time what is now the Niagara Street area, sandwiched between modern Fort York and Wellington neighbourhoods, was the sort-of shoulder-bone of Old York during the 19th century. Niagara Street itself was laid down over 160 years-old, as a flowing curve that lined the banks of the now buried Garrison Creek. The Niagara Neighbourhood was considered a part of the Fort York military reserve, at a time when the Western-most reaches of York began at modern-day Peter Street and the Toronto Islands were still connected to our shoreline by a peninsula. The Fort at York was placed strategically at the base of the peninsula as an access point from the Toronto Bay. The settlement began just South of where Front Street is today and at the lower-end of Bathurst. However, the city’s shorelines were later extended South by 900 metres using landfill methods, which brought drastic changes to public use of the Niagara area and became the heavily industrialized area we now know as the Lakeshore. With the dilapidation of the Old Fort and plans for a New Fort elsewhere, land lots in the area were sold to officers and the highest bidders, signifying the beginning of its now primarily residential land use.

This is part of a series of posts by students in OCAD's Cities for People summer workshop (click the link to read a bit about what the class was about). This post was researched, photographed and written by Mary-Ellen Simko. More information on the psychogeographic map above at the end of the article. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - History of the Area Both Alderwood and Long Branch, adjacent neighbourhoods in the southwest corner of Etobicoke, were a part of Colonel Samuel Smith's land and many of the streets in Alderwood are named after the farmers in the area. The Alderwood name became official in 1933 and was derived from the First nations word "Etobicoke," meaning "the place were the alders grow." Long Branch was named after a resort in New Jersey and ferry boats brought thousands of Toronto vacationers each summer to use the cottages, hotels, the boardwalk and amusement rides including a Coney Island Carousel. It became a more accessible community in 1916 when Lake Shore Boulevard was paved and turned Long Branch into a year-round community. Stats for Ward 6 Alderwood and Long Branch are home to 56,620 people that comprise 26,240 households located in an area approximately 18 square kilometres in size. In 2006 56% of the occupied private dwellings (31% were single-detached houses) were owned while 44% were rented spaces.  72% of these south Etobicoke residents drive to their jobs while 79% took non-work related trips by car. Most of the new immigration to the area has been from Eastern Europe (primarily Poland) with the highest percentage arriving between 1991 - 2000. Ward 6 has an average household income of 69,500 which is lower than the city of Toronto however 20% report having an income over 100,000. The population demographic has increased between the ages 45-64 but decreased for the age group 5-9 however 60% of households have children. (more info here - pdf) Transit and how to get there Both communities are serviced by the Lakeshore east/west Go transit line that stops at Long Branch Go Station while north/south Browns Line has an off-ramp from the QEW and 427 highways. TTC tracks have existed along this southern edge of the city since 1912 and the all-night 501 Streetcar connects the western Long Branch loop to the eastern edge of Toronto at the Neville Park loop. Bus routes on Browns Line and Kipling join the neighbourhoods with the Kipling Subway station.