MICRO-CONNECTIONS. Surrounded by people and still feeling isolated? Ironically, you’re not alone. Research suggests that, especially since the pandemic, urban areas are experiencing a crisis of loneliness and accompanying mental health challenges.
But we’re inherently wired for connection. There’s strong evidence that social support and a sense of belonging contribute not only to mental wellbeing but to physical health too.
While research often focuses on close relationships with friends and family, there’s another, often overlooked type of connection that plays an important role in urban life: micro-connections.
Micro-connections are the small, frequent and sometimes fleeting interactions that happen in everyday life. It could be a casual conversation with a neighbour, a ‘good morning’ to the barista you recognize or a smile exchanged as you pass someone on the trail. These moments may seem insignificant, but they leave subtle social footprints.
Harvard researcher Hanne Collins refers to these moments as “weak social ties,” and research suggests they may be more valuable than we once imagined. One study found that it wasn’t simply the total amount of social interaction that mattered most for wellbeing, but that “interacting with a more diverse set of relationship types predicts higher wellbeing.”
In other words, regular micro-connections can play a meaningful role in reducing social isolation—especially in cities, where you cross paths with so many different people every day.
So how do we create more opportunities to say hello to strangers? It doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when public spaces are intentionally designed and programmed to bring people together.
In Toronto, Evergreen Brick Works acts as a demonstration site for creating micro-connections in our cities. The farmers market brings visitors and vendors together; the gardens invite strangers to work side by side; the Children’s Garden helps kids build confidence together; and community events create more opportunities for connection. These everyday interactions leave a growing footprint.
Places like this depend on community support. As a charity, Evergreen Brick Works is made possible because of generous donations from you. Every gift, every purchase and even every visit helps ensure this incredible landmark stays open. Click the box below to support a place you love.
🖊️ ETHAN ROTBERG, SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST | EVERGREEN
