Category: Community
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Grand Opening of New Algonquin College Campus, Perth, ON
It was great to attend the grand opening of the new Algonquin College campus this past week. I graduated last year from the Advanced Housing – Construction Carpentry program and was not sorry to see the old campus torn down. It was never meant to be a permanent building, it had been band-aided to death… Read more
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Not Your Folks’ NFB, For Sure
In early elementary school I distinctly remember seeing the National Film Board (NFB) production of Nahanni on one of those days, I’m guessing, when the teacher needed a break from the usual. The black and white images of buddy chasing his dream of striking gold on the Nahanni river in the Northwest Territories stuck with… Read more
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New York’s Flophouse Voyeurism
Maybe I’m just being overly sensitive, but I’m revolted by this article from The New York Times. It’s about the gradual gentrification of an age-old flophouse in The Bowery, where marginalized tenants who pay less than ten dollars per day and live in cage-like accommodation, are used as marketing pawns to attract upscale hipsters to… Read more
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Restoration
One of my favourite summer experiences took place in one of Winnipeg’s roughest neighbourhoods. On a drive around town, I spotted the most amazing mosaic mural under construction in a most unlikely location. I made an illegal left turn into an empty parking lot and jumped out with my camera in hand. I happily snapped… Read more
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These Boots Were Made for Walking
I finally connected to Toronto. I think four key factors shaped the positive outcome. First, I trained in so was car-free and walking everywhere; the weather was unbelievably gorgeous; I stayed with a friend well outside the downtown core; and I almost exclusively walked and took public transport to get around. Read more
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Prairie Love
My father’s 80th birthday and a 2,200 kilometre drive brought us to a family reunion in the middle of Canada. We’ve tooted around the province and Winnipeg marks the finale. Another day of relentless blue skies and the city continues to surprise me with its ubiquitous public art, wealth of classic architecture, and intriguing tapestry… Read more
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Parks (By and) For the People
New Ruralism is as applicable as New Urbanism for creating usable, meaningful public spaces and associated public life which suit a variety of purposes for people at varying stages of their life. It is not an ‘and/or’ proposition, but about enrichment for everyone. Read more
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The Rising Tide of Inequality
Check out Armine Yalnizyan’s summary on the Conference Board of Canada’s report on rising economic inequality in Canada. Yalnizyan, a Senior Economist with the left-of-centre Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, emphasizes the significance of the report being funded by heavy hitters within the business community vs. the usual suspects of academics, journalists and social think… Read more
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Companies We Keep: Employee Ownership and the Business of Community and Place
In terms of time invested and ease of creation, this has been the most difficult entry I’ve written to date. I’ve wracked my brains to figure out why and concluded early this morning that it’s because a number of ideas in John Abrams’ book Companies We Keep simply scare the pants off me. I find… Read more
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Making Room(s) for Autism
Although I’m not there yet, I’m told it’s incredibly difficult to watch your kids grow up and move away from home for the first time. But for families of adult children with special needs, independent living is not a standard milestone. I came across this article from The Portland Press Herald that tells the story… Read more