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02 Sep 08

"Benches easy on city's bottom line - and ours," by Christopher Hume (T.O. Star)

Brief article on the benefits of public benches on city sidewalks, and that T.O. has too few of them. Interestingly, this is something that has been bugging me for a while about Victoria, too. Too often, there is literally NO WHERE to sit, even on d/t streets with broad sidewalks. As soon as the street is out of the tourist district or off Government, no more benches. No benches on Fort or on Yates, two streets that are wide and generous in other respects (and the sidewalks are wide enough on Yates, although mingy on Fort). The comments on this article are useful, too.

www.thestar.com/487488 - Preview

thestar christopher_hume toronto cities amenities public_space street_appeal street_usage sidewalks

David Miller first got elected mayor all those years ago was his insistence on the public realm, everything from sidewalks and parks to subways and community centres.
Miller's argument was that we must create not just a livable city, but one we can fully inhabit. Livability, with overtones of convenience, isn't quite the same as inhabitability, a more all-encompassing term.
6 more annotations...
- The inhabitable city is one that can accommodate large numbers of people but which also engages residents at the most personal level. It is the city designed for the individual, not the masses, a dangerous and abstract concept at the best of times.
  - I like that distinction between inhabitability for the individual, not the masses... - on 2008-09-02
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- As it turns out, of course, doing one means doing the other. Take care of the individual; take care of the community.
- In hard-working Toronto, benches – public benches – are for the homeless, the indigent, the addicted, or worse still, the skateboarders. Thus they are a problem to be avoided, provided sparingly and with much disapproval.
- Most of Toronto's outdoor seating is in cafes and restaurants, but they are private and, therefore, controlled.
  For residents to feel the city belongs to them in a meaningful way, however, they must feel comfortable within it. They must believe themselves safe and secure, not just in the city but of it.
  We must remember that streets aren't simply ways to get from A to B, but are themselves destinations.
  True, our sidewalks tend to be narrow and mean, but we love them anyway and need more ways to enjoy them. The answer, obviously, is benches, benches and more benches. Planners should demand that all buildings of a certain size and use must have benches. All public facilities should have benches, as should corners.
  - Yes, corners should have benches. - on 2008-09-02
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- Then the city should focus on trees, which once defined Toronto, and drinking fountains, which used to be ubiquitous. After that, let's look at clocks.
  In these ways, we could enhance our relationship with the city at relatively low cost. Even if Toronto doesn't change, the experience would.
- We have no benches because our municipal leaders fear the homeless will take them over.
  
  Homelessness must be solved in realistic, humane ways. But denying everyone an attractive city where its people have a place in it, shows the failure of our leadership.

29 Aug 08

The RSPB: Health

Intro page from the Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds (RSPB) to a report by a Dr. William Bird (ha!) called "Natural Thinking," available as a PDF download. Bird's report is an "investigating [of] the links between the natural environment, biodiversity and mental health."

This could be a useful reference for urbanist writing, insofar as it underscores the importance of amenities as a necessary complement to density. You don't want to have density while simultaneously "automating" everything (no more walking, driving only, no interaction with nature, etc.). Even small "hot spots" of natural interaction will work, or more walking with actual natural elements at hand.

www.rspb.org.uk/...index.asp - Preview

health mental_health nature amenities stress research rspb

Outdoor activities, particularly walking, offer a cheap and accessible route to better health for all, and address many of today’s pressing public health issues. The continued use of green space for physical activity is strongly linked to the quality of the landscape - in terms of beauty, diversity, and contact with nature.
Green space has a key role to play in the drive to increase levels of physical activity across the nation. Detailed studies of two recent schemes, using the natural environment to promote fitness (‘Health Walks’ and ‘The Green Gym’), show that being in contact with nature both encourages people to take exercise and sustains their participation in physical activity.
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- Access to green space can also help alleviate a range of mental health problems. For example, contact with nature reduces stress within minutes; increases the elderly's sataisfaction with where they live and improves children's concentration and self-discipline, including the symptoms of attention deficit disorder (ADD).

14 Feb 08

EcoDensity raises fears of crowding without amenities

Crosscut's David Brewster referenced this article in his critique of 2 Seattle developments. Key aspect is that if the amenities aren't delivered, you can't have the density. It won't work -- the amenities HAVE to be first-class. Recall Edward T. Hall and his commentary on Calhoun.

www.canada.com/...story.html - Preview

amenities eco_density frances_bula urban_development vancouver

As well, they worry there isn't enough emphasis on creating affordable housing or complete neighbourhoods with libraries, transit and community services to go with the density.
Lehan said people feel the process is being rushed through and they fear that the new charter will mean that "we will have 40-storey towers that will be built in the middle of nowhere."
- - sounds like a typical NIMBY panic-mongering reaction... - on 2008-02-14
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- As well, they don't like a postscript added by Coun. Suzanne Anton to consider taller buildings in the city's heritage neighbourhoods of Chinatown, Gastown and the Downtown Eastside.
  - I'd agree with them that historically significant neighbourhoods shouldn't be subject to extreme make-overs. Infill is one thing, getting rid of surface parking lots, ditto. But razing and rebuilding gets trickier, and some areas have protection. As for including the DES...? Not so sure about that one. - on 2008-02-14
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- Colin Gray, chairman of the Dunbar Visions group, which developed the west-side neighbourhood's local plan 10 years ago, said Toderian met the group before Christmas and allayed some of their fears.
  On the other hand, Gray said, residents hear about proposals to build seniors' residences in their neighbourhood that are much higher than the current four-storey limit.
  "There's this pressure to use the seniors' card to get more height. It just feels like there's huge pressure to get higher density."
  - So? Lift the height from 4 to ...what?, 6-storeys? Big deal. That's not exactly "40-storeys towers in the middle of nowhere," is it? - on 2008-02-14
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18 Jan 08

Cities ramp up kid-friendly hospitality - USATODAY.com

Featuring many comments from CEOs for Cities's Carol Coletta, on the various strategies cities are being encouraged to use to make them more child-friendly.

www.usatoday.com/...2008-01-16-KidFriendly_N.htm - Preview

amenities ceos_for_cities child_friendly cities neighbourhoods urbanplanning