In her book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, renowned urbanist Jane Jacobs wrote about watching the daily “intricate sidewalk ballet” in her neighbourhood. It helped shape her concept of Eyes on the Street, and how much better our shared spaces feel when they're filled with life. 

But how can we do our best people watching without places to sit and watch?

We asked Streetlife, a company that creates street furniture in Canada and across the globe, about the impact of thoughtful seating in public spaces. 

“If it’s designed with intention — offering options for different postures, group sizes and physical needs — it sends a clear message: ‘Everyone is welcome here.’” 

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 Daria, a Toronto-based illustrator, graphic designer and muralist. She says public art can engage people, even in everyday spaces like sidewalks. We also get to see her mural on a concrete barrier, a project designed to bring a bit of nature into the city. Watch the video →

MAKE TINY CHANGES. Every day I walk (or bike) my kids to and from school, which requires crossing a busy, four-lane street with buses, trucks and a whole lot of very impatient drivers trying to get by one another—many of whom are not paying attention to pedestrians at the stop signs. Regularly, I would see drivers roll into the intersection while kids were crossing or about to cross. After witnessing (and experiencing) several close calls, I reached out to the town and requested more visibility for pedestrians. A month later, fresh crosswalk lines were painted.  

This little victory reminded me of something valuable: not every change needs to be big in order for it to make a difference. In fact, sometimes several smaller efforts can add up and make more of an impact than one big thing. It also highlighted the role of simply being present and paying attention where you live. When we notice problems in our communities and take simple action, we’re playing a part in transforming how that place feels and functions.

I sometimes worry that we are becoming increasingly insular as a society, often not looking far beyond our own needs and wants. This can make it a lot harder to see our communities as others experience them—like the parent struggling with their stroller on an unshovelled sidewalk or an elderly neighbour with nowhere to sit while waiting for the bus.  

Taking ownership and cultivating a sense of responsibility for the place in which we live doesn’t need to mean running for local office or volunteering our time (though those are good things). It can be a lot simpler: spending more time out and about in your neighbourhood, paying attention to how it works and when it doesn’t—and for who. Then take one tiny action to try and make it work better for more people than it was before. The best part is, your tiny action may inspire someone else’s and before you know it, you’ve got real change happening. That crosswalk I told you about? Another parent recently started a petition to get a crossing guard there to bring more visibility to the kids just trying to get to school.  

🖊️ BEN BARTOSIK, MANAGER OF BRAND AND CREATIVE | EVERGREEN

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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.