This series features highlights from the ongoing exhibit The Fourth Wall: Transforming City Hall. The exhibit, on now at the Urbanspace Gallery, considers possible avenues to break down the barriers to participation in civic life that exist at Toronto’s City Hall. Planning application notices. They are so banal that you’d be forgiven for not noticing them as you move about town or flip through The Sun*. But these dull documents hold an important key to engaging Toronto’s citizens in helping to shape their communities. Under the Ontario Planning Act, developments requiring an Official Plan Amendment, a Zoning By-law Amendment, a Draft Plan of Subdivision or a Draft Plan of Condominium require the posting of a sign. The notice is intended to let the public know what’s happening and to make them aware of the avenues they have to provide their comments on the proposal. The Act stipulates a number of text and graphic requirements including the date/time/location of the required public meeting, the purpose of the amendment, prompts about how to access additional information and a key map. A lot of information for a tiny little notice! What’s most unfortunate about all of these requirements is that in spite of their intention to ensure that the public is informed and engaged, they really do the opposite. Hidden in legalese, disguised by the drab design, the average citizen is likely to miss the fact that these notices are meant as an invitation to provide feedback on the proposed change.

This series features highlights from the ongoing exhibit The Fourth Wall: Transforming City Hall. The exhibit, on now at the Urbanspace Gallery, considers possible avenues to break down the barriers to participation in civic life that exist at Toronto’s City Hall. During his inaugural speech, Mayor Rob Ford said: “This council is not supreme. We were elected by the people. The people of Toronto are supreme.” That may be so, but looking around this city it would be easy to think otherwise. In Commonwealth cities, including Toronto, it is common practice to refer to our mayor as his or her ‘worship’. Though this practice is not enshrined in any official bylaws or protocol, we continue to elevate our Mayor to the level of the divine. Would a Mayor by any other name smell as sweet? Meanwhile, the City is peppered with buildings and public spaces named for politicians, corporations, private philanthropists, and celebrities. As this graphic shows, places named for average citizens who’ve made a difference in their community are less common.

This series features highlights from the ongoing exhibit The Fourth Wall: Transforming City Hall. The exhibit, on now at the Urbanspace Gallery, considers possible avenues to break down the barriers to participation in civic life that exist at Toronto’s City Hall. Young people are a largely untapped population in local decision-making. Brimming with passion and energy, young people are often eager to join important conversations when they are given the knowledge and opportunity to make their voices heard. As many cities have recognized, a culture of civic engagement begins by engaging young people. By making a habit of participating in civic life at a young age, these individuals are likely to be engaged into adulthood. A number of programs have sprung up to capitalize on this potential.