👥 Public spaces support ageing in place
New Q&A |
🎨 New crafts for kids (and kids at heart)
Bird egg artist |
💡 The 2026 Evergreen Conference
Exciting conversations |
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Does making connections get harder with age? |
You’ve likely heard that Canada is facing a loneliness epidemic. But older adults are among those most at risk.
A new survey published in January by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) showed 43% of older adults were at high risk of social isolation and 57% were experiencing loneliness. This can lead to serious mental and physical health ramifications. To learn more about the importance of strengthening social networks and how our communities' public spaces can support social health, we spoke to Talia Bronstein, the NIA’s director of policy. Read the story →
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| 'Feeling less alone is critical to our public health' |
Social connection should be seen as a public health priority. To explore the link between public space and connection, we spoke to someone at the forefront of the research. Read more → |
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| Friendship 101: A guide for grown ups |
Adulting is hard, but making friends doesn’t have to be. Here are eight simple ways to find new friends. Read more →
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| Crafts with kids: try these nature favourites |
There's no better way to connect with others and nature than with some fun and easy nature crafts. We just added our bird egg artist guide, alongside some past faves. Read more → |
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Why a conference on public spaces? |
Public spaces define our cities. They demonstrate what our society values. With the proper investment and co-creation, they have the potential to create more livable, connected and climate-ready communities.
Through expert talks, nature walks and hands-on workshops, the Evergreen Conference is an opportunity to learn and connect with people across sectors committed to building these communities to create cities bursting with life. Watch →
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TALKING TO STRANGERS. I feel genuinely energized when I meet someone new. It’s rare that I connect with someone and don’t feel inspired by the interaction. Even a short conversation sparks something.
It turns out that the impact of connecting with strangers is very real. In one study, people reported greater happiness and belonging on days when they interacted with more acquaintances (called “weak ties” in the study), rather than only close friends and family.
“Future work should continue to move beyond interactions with close friends and family, to further investigate the happiness potential of interactions with weak ties and strangers,” conclude the authors of the study.
Many Canadians—close to half, according to Statistics Canada—are missing a sense of belonging to their community.
As we set out to create the 2026 Evergreen Conference, a moment to explore how public space enables thriving communities, it was clear that we needed more opportunities for these sorts of interactions.
The conference is both an example of the magic of connecting with new people in a beautiful public space, and a moment to have that conversation. It’s about bringing the challenges of your local context and connecting with others to help find solutions to this. Solutions that scale, that make the most of limited budgets and show how public spaces can respond to these challenges.
But simply putting people in the same room isn’t always enough to spark those kinds of connections. I’ve never really been drawn to traditional conference settings, which is why I wanted to approach this differently. For me, that meant bringing more creativity and joy into the experience. When you let your guard down, it opens the door for more genuine (and ultimately deeper) connections.
Activities like the Placemaking Warehouse (basically the adult version of a kids’ camp program) and off-site tours will give attendees a chance to have some fun together. See if connecting with strangers gives you the same lift it gives me.
🖊️ EMMA VREDENBURG, PROGRAM MANAGER | EVERGREEN |
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We're looking for skilled, passionate individuals to join our team. As we work to build better public spaces, we're dedicated to developing a workforce that reflects the spaces in which we live and work. See open positions →
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Employee spotlight series |
Our staff spotlight series shines a light on the voices and perspectives of the Evergreen team. Meet Lor, Outdoor Educator and Inclusion Specialist at Evergreen! Lor helps us deliver active, hands-on educational programming at the Brick Works! Read more → |
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What's on at the Brick Works |
April is Earth Month—and at the Brick Works, we're celebrating all month long. Join us for workshops, presentations, tours, art installations, marketplaces and more. Learn more → |
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MUST-READS FROM AROUND THE WEB |
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📎 What is a Third Place? Beyond the Buzzword
Free, familiar spots to gather beyond home and work are disappearing, even as their role in building connection and community becomes more important. Project for Public Spaces → |
📎 David Suzuki is turning 90 — environmentalists may have ‘lost, big time,’ but he still has hope David Suzuki reflects on his legacy and urges people to build community connections to face future challenges. Toronto Star → |
📎 Why we walk faster and socialise less in public spaces
AI analysis of cities shows people move quicker and interact less than decades ago. Using these tools to test designs might help reverse that trend and make public spaces more social again. The Guardian → |
📎 The case for pedestrian-oriented development
Projects like Atlanta’s Beltline show how trails and walkable spaces can drive growth, turning underused land into vibrant neighbourhoods. The New Urban Order → |
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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. |
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