In 2010, Evergreen transformed an abandoned brick factory into one of the world’s leading examples of how to make best-in-class, irresistible and sustainable public spaces. 

But the story of the Brick Works actually begins in 1882, when the Taylor brothers bought the site to build a paper mill. But while digging fence posts, they struck something more useful: good quality clay. A brick-making plant was born.

By the 1980s, most of the clay deposits were depleted, and the brick factory was closed. Debates over the future of the site lasted nearly two decades, until a December morning in 2008, when Evergreen broke ground and began construction to revitalize the heritage buildings.

We’re marking the milestone with never-before-seen photos. Travel back more than 100 years: 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.

In this episode we caught up with Kim and Leroy, members of the Blind Roadrunners, a recreational run club that pairs sighted and non-sighted runners. They explain that while sidewalks can be full of obstacles, city trails provide a safer and more accessible place for them to run. Watch the video →

ROOM TO ROAM. It might sound strange now, but my childhood was spent roaming the neighbourhood. We didn’t have fences between houses — we just roamed from backyard to backyard all the way to the local forest.  
 
What if we could get some of that freedom back? 
 
As we celebrate the 15-year anniversary of the grand opening of Evergreen Brick Works, I’m reminded of why we set out to imagine a new life for this abandoned brick factory. 
 
In the early 2000s I was an Evergreen design consultant with the Toronto District School Board, working with designers, schools, families and children to make greener school grounds that were better for people and the planet.  
 
As the vision for the Brick Works began, I was brought onto the project to apply that same child-centred approach. In between the grid of the city and the majesty of the ravines, we wanted a place for kids to wander and play.  
 
It was important to us because it felt like childhood was becoming more indoor and prescribed. New neighbourhoods were being built around cars rather than people. Children were losing the chance to roam. 

The evidence shows playing outdoors helps kids be more resilient, gain confidence and learn to manage their emotions. From our work greening school grounds, we’ve also seen that these spaces help children get along better with each other and even do better in school compared to kids without access to green spaces. 
 
But designing the Brick Works with kids in mind meant thinking about the world from their perspective — literally.  
 
We didn’t just walk around the site, we got down on our knees to see it from their level. At about 95 centimetres, the average height of a three-year-old, the world looks different. What would they notice? What could they climb? What would invite them to explore?   
 
That vision translated into features like child-sized picnic tables and raised garden beds at a height where little ones could reach in with a trowel. 
 
The Brick Works is never a finished space. It’s a living example of emergent design — flexible, adaptive and always leaving room for kids to roam, discover and shape their own experience.

🖊️ HEIDI CAMPBELL, SENIOR DESIGNER, CLIMATE READY, CHILD-FRIENDLY PUBLIC SPACES | EVERGREEN

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🎨 This month's banner illustration is provided by one of the junior campers at Adventure Camp at the Brick Works!

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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.