By Mike Layton
As summer slowly comes to a close, it is important to reflect on the ways that our city has developed during these challenging times. Our response to the pandemic has uniquely highlighted that investing in public green spaces and active transportation infrastructure means a better quality of life for Torontonians.
Tags: Annex · Columns · Opinion
GRAPHIC COURTESY BEINENSTOCK NATURAL PLAYGROUNDS: Green highlights the Margaret Fairley Park revitalization as an example of how the approach to local greenspace has changed over the years. The fencing is being replaced, which will make the park bigger, and the splash pad will provide more opportunities for water play than the old wading pool.
Upkeep, or lack thereof, marks the return of our popular Grading our Greenspace feature. Published in two parts, we visit parks in our coverage area and review them based on cleanliness, amenities, and atmosphere. Our round-up reflects a mixed bag: some parks continued to be great, while others seem to have dipped further into mediocrity. Unkempt parks, with uncut grass, poorly maintained amenities, and dying flowerbeds, are a major complaint among park users, something that shouldn’t be difficult to address. With greenspace at a premium in our neighbourhoods, our parks have become more important than ever. What our reviews demonstrate is that parks, when well maintained, are thriving community hubs. We’ll publish our second part in the July edition and look forward to your comments, whether they be on parks or on our reviews. All reviews and photography were done by Geremy Bordonaro and Emily Rea.
By Joe Cressy
Downtown communities like ours face unique challenges and countless opportunities. Almost every day, in conversations at our local coffee shops, in public meetings, and as we connect with our neighbours, we look for ways to work together to build our communities. We look for opportunities to enhance our parks, support our neighbours, and to create new public spaces.