What's On at the Library

This fall, Toronto Public Library is partnering with the University of Toronto School of Cities to offer a free, four-part lecture series called Where We Gather, which examines how public spaces shape city life in Toronto.

Presented as part of our On Civil Society program series, the goal of Where We Gather is to encourage discussions around the role of public and private spaces. 

Photo source: Dan Newman via Unsplash.

As Toronto's population continues to grow and the number of residents living in multi-storey buildings rises, the ways in which we encourage and support the city's public spaces increasingly matters. Parks, playgrounds and city streets are where we gather. Urban experts will lead the Where We Gather programs which examine some of the challenges and questions that we should be asking to make sure that we get the most out of our public spaces. 

The first session took place at Toronto Reference Library on the evening of Tuesday, September 17. At the event, the audience was introduced to public spaces in the city and the key debates and challenges that Toronto faces in designing, supporting, maintaining and improving public spaces that promote public life. The speakers for this session were: 

• Alex Josephson, Co-Founder, PARTISANS
• Ann-Marie Nasr, Director, Parks Development and Capital Projects, City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation
• Alissa North, Associate Professor, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto

Moderated by Shauna Brail, Associate Professor and Associate Director, School of Cities, University of Toronto, this session included a "thought-provoking and change-inducing" discussion: 

Thought-provoking and change-inducing discussion by @partisansarch @AnnMarieNasr @UofTDaniels @shaunabrail @UofTCities at the @torontolibrary last night. Can't wait for Part 2 of this series on designing, maintaining and improving Toronto's public spaces! #WhereWeGather pic.twitter.com/kHhAtsF8WJ

— Yusra Qazi (@theyusraqazi) September 18, 2019

In case you missed this first session, here are some highlights from the program: 

#UofT's Alissa North @UofTDaniels reflecting on community activated spaces, to ravine developments. pic.twitter.com/Z4njKL3b2x

— School of Cities (@UofTCities) September 17, 2019

Magically creating common ground and community #WhereWeGather says @AnnMarieNasr pic.twitter.com/mol7HQ4c4F

— School of Cities (@UofTCities) September 17, 2019

We need to demand better… Projects need to be fought for, and can leverage public infrastructure, says Alex Josephson @partisansarch #WhereWeGather pic.twitter.com/4A1hxPnpuR

— School of Cities (@UofTCities) September 17, 2019

Shout out to @Artscape Wychwood Barns and #TurnOnTheHearn via @Luminato. Public realm, public spaces include Parks, Ravines and Streets. So much of our city seems off limits but the potential to explore and expand is ready to inject more public into our lives. #OnCivilSociety pic.twitter.com/GvDUKucW9n

— Lanrick Bennett Jr. (@myonlinelifenow) September 17, 2019

Read the School of Cities' recap of the event here.

Upcoming Where We Gather Lectures

Photo from Wikimedia Commons by TheTrolleyPole.

Streets of Toronto

Bloor/Gladstone Branch – Monday, October 7, 6:30 to 8 pm.

Nearly one third of our city land is comprised of public streets. This session examines the many ways our streets can and should be used – for vehicles, cycling and active transportation, patios, seating areas, pedestrians, plazas and more. What are the opportunities to use streets differently to support public life in the city?

Speakers for this session:

• Marianne Hatzopoulou, Associate Professor Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering and Canada Research Chair in Transportation and Air Quality, University of Toronto
• Jon Johnson, Assistant Professor, Woodsworth College, University of Toronto
• Elyse Parker, Director, Policy and Innovation, Transportation Services, City of Toronto

Moderated by Matti Siemiatycki, Associate Professor and Interim Director, School of Cities, University of Toronto

Photo source: School of Cities.

Public Life vs. Digital Life in Toronto

Runnymede Branch - Tuesday, October 22, 6:30 to 8 pm.

This session addresses the use of technology in public spaces – including ethics, best practices and upcoming challenges.

Speakers for this session:

• Lisa Austin, Professor and Chair in Law and Technology, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto
• Beth Coleman, Director, City as Platform lab, Associate Professor, Institute of Communication, Culture, Information and Technology (UTM) and Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
• Jesse Shapins, Director, Public Realm, Sidewalk Labs

Moderated by Mark Fox, Distinguished Professor and Associate Director, Research, School of Cities University of Toronto

Photo from Wikimedia Commons by Orwen Byrne.

Public vs. Private Space

North York Central Library – Wednesday, November 6, 6:30 to 8 pm.

This final session examines the distinction between public space and private space. The types of activities currently permitted in Toronto’s public spaces, as well as future-focused suggestions for change will be discussed. This session will also highlight situations where private spaces mimic public ones such as bookstores, coffee shops and the opportunities and obstacles of each.

Speakers for this session:

• Christopher Essert, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto (updated 2019-10-22).
• Renée Gomes, Vice President, Development, First Gulf Corporation (updated 2019-10-16). (Updated 2019-10-30).
• Dave Harvey, Founder and Executive Director, Park People
• Paul Hess, Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto (updated 2019-10-16).
• Shawn Micallef, Co-founder, Spacing Magazine (updated 2019-10-22).
• Jane Wolff, Associate Professor, John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto (updated 2019-10-16).
• Yvonne Yeung, Manager, Urban Design, City of Brampton (updated 2019-11-05).

Moderated by Marieme Lo, Associate Professor and Associate Director, Education, School of Cities, University of Toronto 

Founded in 2018, the University of Toronto's School of Cities convenes urban-focused researchers, educators, students, practitioners and the general public to explore how to make cities more sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and just. 

The School of Cities, along with Toronto Public Library, are two of the many organizations identified in the City of Toronto's first Resilience Report, which sets out a vision, goals and actions to help Toronto survive, adapt and thrive in the face of any challenge, particularly climate change and growing inequities.  

Related Books

Updated September 24, 2019. Included the School of Cities recap blog post of the event. 

Updated October 16, 2019. Speaker Jane Wolff no longer available. Added Paul Hess, Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Planning, University of Toronto, to last session on Public vs. Private Space at North York Central Library – Wednesday, November 6, 6:30 to 8 pm.

Updated October 22, 2019. Speaker Shawn Micallef  no longer available. Added Christopher Essert, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, and Renée Gomes, Vice President, Development, First Gulf Corporation to last session on Public vs. Private Space at North York Central Library – Wednesday, November 6, 6:30 to 8 pm.

Updated October 30, 2019. Speaker Renée Gomes no longer available for last session on Public vs. Private Space at North York Central Library – Wednesday, November 6, 6:30 to 8 pm.

Updated November 5, 2019. Added speaker Yvonne Yeung, Manager, Urban Design, City of Brampton to the last session on Public vs. Private Space at North York Central Library – Wednesday, November 6, 6:30 to 8 pm.