Incredible things happens when people come together in public spaces. The real magic is that it unfolds in unexpected ways.

In our latest interview, we talked to Jason Thorne, Toronto’s Chief Planner and Executive Director of City Planning, about designing public spaces that bring cities to life. He says planning spaces to be flexible rather than prescriptive is one of the keys to seeing them bustling with activity — kids climbing on a log, families picnicking or friends just hanging out on a sunny afternoon.

"We have to think about public spaces as these opportunities for joy around the city."

Read the story to learn about the spaces that bring him joy, how to ensure everybody feels welcome and how you can help make your city more vibrant and joyful. Read the story →

What do public spaces mean to the people who use them? In Voices in Public Spaces, we ask community members to share how public spaces impact their lives. It’s all about real voices sharing real reflections.

In this episode, we chat with Amy Tsaur, who’s been coming to Evergreen Brick Works since she was six years old. She says teenagers are happy to put down their phones when there are good spaces to enjoy the outdoors. Watch the video →

MEASURING IMAGINATION. Here’s a peek behind the scenes at Evergreen: we absolutely love using the phrase cities bursting with life. You’ll hear it in meetings, read it on the website and see it on signs at the Brick Works. It’s even the theme of the next Evergreen Conference. We think it sounds nice. But what does it mean? 

Cities often prize efficiency, measuring success in seconds saved, square footage added or cars moved. Those are really important, but we think a city really comes alive when there’s space for creativity, wonder and imagination. 

It turns out that imagination is a superpower that has all kinds of benefits, according to Psychology Today. They say a well-nurtured imagination improves problem solving, emotional resilience, social connection and even personal fulfillment.  

But who has the time to daydream and play pretend as adults? It turns out human imagination can even become more active with age, according to another study. “We just need the freedom of the right environment and opportunity to explore the limits of our imagination,” says Dr. Angela Nyhout, Assistant Professor at Kent’s School of Psychology. 

How good is your environment at fueling your imagination? I created some rough indicators: 

1. How common is it to see spontaneous play, like kids building forts or impromptu games on the street?

2. How frequently can you connect with nature, which exposes you to a rich array of shapes, textures, sounds and movements, and inspires so much art and creativity.

3. How often can you discover unexpected delights, like installations or pop-up events?

4. How easy is it to find places to gather and share ideas, like plazas, benches or community gardens, and how welcome do you feel there?

5. How often do you hear noise beyond traffic — like music or people’s laughter — sparking curiosity and wonder? 

These aspects of city life aren’t easy to measure directly. But tools like Evergreen’s Places4Wellbeing can help capture how public spaces affect people’s wellbeing — from happiness to feelings of belonging — showing the role they play in making cities burst with life. Want to help make places where imagination can thrive? Click the yellow box below.

🖊️ ETHAN ROTBERG, SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST | EVERGREEN

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🎨 This month's banner illustration is provided by Biljana Carter. Visit the Evergreen Garden Market for more prints from this artist.

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Evergreen is a national non-profit transforming public spaces in our cities to build a healthier future for people and our planet.