Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region. As cities around the world continue to push for titles of largest new urban parks, Christine McLaren looks at the pros and cons of large urban parks and in the process strikes at the comparative value of smaller parks that are responsive and well integrated to their specific community. Ian Lowrie contributes to the Cartographically Speaking feature with the first two of three installments in a series using mapping to show the relationship between crime an urban form in Greater Vancouver. First looking at broader areas of crime intensity and then focusing in on the details of these areas. As Saint John heads into a municipal election Abad Khan recaps a tumultuous year while attempting to frame the upcoming vote and the challenges the city faces moving forward. Alexandre Laquerre uses historical images to show how government office blocks have dramatically altered the urban context in Hull. My City Lives, takes readers on a three part guided tour of the historic 'Old Town Toronto' neighbourhood with guide Bruce Bell. The first installment introduces the broader neighbourhood, while the second looks at the iconic Gooderham Flatiron Building. John Lorinc focuses on the topic of GTA transit funding, as the region looks to build off the momentum of the populist subway debates. Lorinc shares the results of a Spacing-Environics poll showing wide support for a gas tax and later goes into detail about the political difficulties ahead.

Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region. As the Vague Terrain exhibit closed at the Surrey Art Gallery, Don Schuetze noticed the strange coincidence that another exhibit opened at the new downtown library in Surrey's emerging center; a fitting basis for a discussion of the relationship between city and suburbs. Gordon Price uses his Price Points feature to show a surprisingly traditional looking easter home in the heart of Vancouver's West End. A further look at the building reveals a lot about the issue the missing middle in Canadian residential construction. Drained for the spring, a contemporary view down the final leg of the Rideau Canal reveals how much space has been opened up along the waterway since the 1920's. Alexandre Laquerre compares post card images of Ottawa's evolving museum scene at the Canadian Museum of Nature. As talk of Ford's subway notion subsides, transit advocates are turning their attention to a badly needed downtown relief line. But in light of urban/suburban divide and conquer politics, the search is on for a better name for the proposed line. Spacing put the question to readers and received over a hundred ideas. With the Hot Docs film festival set to get underway, Jacqueline Whyte Appelby starts a look at some the screenings which may of particular interest to Spacing readers.  

Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region. Canadian planning students gathered in Vancouver this past February for the annual CAPS Conference. Andrew Cuthbert recaps the keynote messages delivered there by various planning luminaries while Cameron Barker profiles some of the conference's walking tours. Eve Lazarus looks at the interesting history of the eccentrically designed Dominion Building in downtown Vancouver, which for a brief period following its completion in 1909 was the tallest in the British Empire. At Elgin and Queen Streets in downtown Ottawa, historic photos show how space has been opened up to enhance public vistas. Along Wellington Street however similar photos show how building mass has increased significantly, filling a different demand of government. Spacing's Shawn Micallef was fortunate enough to be part of a University of Toronto Architecture laneway studio this past semester. Micallef brings the intriguing results of this studio in a series of posts on ideas of laneways uses at sites throughout the city. Ryerson University students have finally succeeded in their long running campaign to close Gould Street to cars in the heart of the campus. Daniel Viola discusses the vote that lead to the creation of Ryerson Square and the site's future potential.

Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region. Kathleen Corey presents a plan to address the lack of places to sit on busy Robson Street that builds on the area's traffic calming mini-parks, drawing inspiration from abroad to create an exciting and much needed new public space. Patrick Condon presents the final instalment in a series of collaborative student work on the future sustainability of Vancouver, summarizing the group's push for new connections, good jobs and affordable places to live. Alexandre Laquerre shows the striking transition from a tight urban block to the Garden of the Provinces over a 100 year period in the heart of the nation's capital. With High Park's fantastic, labrynth-like play ground in ruins following a recent incident of arson, Emma Feltes shares the story of how the playground brought the community together, acted as a hub and is inspiring a new collective spirit in the drive to rebuild. As the redevelopment of Canada's largest public housing project continues at a remarkable pace, My City Lives brings a video previewing the exciting new Regent Park Arts & Cultural Centre opening this Fall.

Spacing Saturday highlights posts from across Spacing’s blog network in Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and the Atlantic region. Vancouver first lost its public market in 1897 when its building was converted into City Hall, Jeff Nield explains why the concept of a food system is still essential to a city's well being, profiling the hubbub around a soon to open new food hub. Peacock sits down with Jak King, the unofficial historian of Commercial Drive, the 'back door to Vancouver.' King uses his detailed knowledge of businesses, technological change and personal stories to look back on a unique part of a city which tends to spend more time looking forward. Alexandre Laquerre continues his photographic series looking at the changing streets of Ottawa's Centretown neighbourhood over the course of the 20th century. With Toronto's municipal political theater taking a twist towards mayoral impeachment this week, John Lorinc questions the merits of the strategy and its implications for the Mayor's opponents. Alex Bozikovic uses the No Mean City architectural feature to look at a recently approved plan to drastically improve Market Street, next to Toronto's Saint Lawrence Market. The improvements will open the street to patios and frame the last project advanced by noted developer Paul Oberman.