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KHANA DANIYAL • OLIVIA FERREIRA • KIRA PHILLIPS • NAOMI SOUFI SABBAGH • GEON SAGONG • OSHIN SHAH • CHRISTINA VO • ZULAIHA ZAIBA
Streetscape

Question posed: How might we design a combination of place and experience to promote physical/mental/sociological health, enrich the environment and engage equitable social community experience?

The goal of this project was to build a stronger community in Parkdale. With a current need for more transportation, safety precautions and green spaces the design deals with these issues to enhance the community while still preserving the character of the neighbourhood. The pedestrian bridge addition will enhance the walkability and safety of Parkdale while also reflect the cultural aspects that make the area so unique.

To trigger change in Parkdale, the enhanced streetscape and adding a path connecting both of the streets allows for easier travelling and creates a more pleasant experience among the residents who need a place to relieve stress. Overall, the safety measures provide a sense of comfort and security for everyone, especially the women of the neighbourhood who have previously felt unsafe at night. By creating more green spaces and art installations/murals provide opportunities for the whole community to get involved and showcase their skills. Elements such as sheltered canopies and heated bus stops allow for the street to be user-friendly and welcoming during a variety of seasons. Caters to all weather conditions. Increased bike lanes and pedestrian walkways promote a more active and healthy lifestyle and contribute to the well-being of the community as a whole. Having a farmers market and local gardens provides everyone with an option to get healthy and substantially cheaper food options that were previously not accessible by all.




Present day: Jennifer is a Parkdale resident in her mid-20s. She is a small business owner and shares a house on Dunn St. with her roommates and dog. She is a third-generation Polish immigrant and has lived in Toronto all her life. Due to the pandemic, she relies on the outdoors paths to get exercise and walk to her dog but her long hours force her to walk at nighttime. The unsafe streets make her feels anxious and scared.
One month later: With the new addition of the pathway and parkette to connect the streets of Parkdale Jennifer starts to feel safer walking alone at night. The lights added onto the site liven the atmosphere of the space to make her feel calmer.
Six months later: As time progresses, more artwork and spaces are added to enhance the pathway causes Jennifer to use the pathway more. This inspires her to take more photos and become an influencer as she continually enjoys the picturesque atmosphere Parkdale has to offer and encourages others to join her.

Present day: Tenzin is a recent immigrant from Tibet in his late 20s. He and his family moved into an apartment on Jameson St. in Parkdale. Tenzin struggles to meet new people due to the large language barrier. He is an aspiring artist who attends OCAD and hopes to one day express himself and show his culture through his art. He doesn’t interact much with people in his community and spends his time mainly commuting between school and home.
One month later: Tenzin learns about the construction of the new pathway and with the pandemic lockdowns he decides to go out and explore the space. As he walks through it he gradually meets new people and starts to form connections with other residents in the area.
Six months later: Tenzin begins to make friends and improves his English through the social interaction he receives. They begin to get more involved with the community and take part in community programs around Parkdale. As a result, he uses his artistic talents to become involved in created murals around the design.

Present day: George is a retired second-generation immigrant who in his late 60s his wife and himself decided to move into their son’s house on Dunn St. to take care of their grandkids. He tries to get involved around the community as much as he can however, with very few transportation options around Parkdale he relies heavily on busing and outdoor infrastructure and faces mobility issues since he cannot walk for very long.
One month later: While walking around the neighbourhood and taking care of his grandkids George tries to make friends his age in the neighbourhood. With the new additional seating and transportation, he feels more comfortable to walk around the area because he can take any breaks needed to rest while waving at other pedestrians.
Six months later: The new bus stops and transportation facilities around his house encourage George to utilize the public transit system more especially during the winter when the weather isn’t as ideal to walk anymore. The new stops help George to meet other elderly members of the neighbourhood and make friends engage with the community better.


One year later: In a year there is a vast improvement in the residents’ life in Parkdale. The interventions have allowed people to explore new interests, develop their careers and make new friends. Jennifer has many new opportunities as she explores new projects around Parkdale to get more involved and is more calm and relaxed as she can exercise and walk her dog safely. Tenzin got to make new friends and develop his English from these social interactions to eventually hold events with other people to paint more murals. Finally, George can connect and meet with other people and get out of his house to be active while also being able to move around the area better than before during the winter times. They even meet each other in the farmers’ market to share their experiences about the pathway.
Toronto Metropolitan Department of  Architectural Science Toronto, CA.