Sidewalk Toronto Summer Kids Camp October 2018
Contents About Kids Camp 05 Curriculum 07 Detailed Program 09 Campers Reflections 13
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About Kids The Sidewalk Toronto Summer Kids Camp was created for children to learn about cities and help shape the future of Quayside, Toronto s newest waterfront neighbourhood. Camp Camp was held for three week-long sessions in July 2018, in partnership with the YMCA of Greater Toronto. It was open to children ages 9-12 who live in North St. Jamestown, Regent Park, West Don Lands, or St. Lawrence and the Esplanade. Campers were recruited with the help of local community groups and centres in each of the different neighbourhoods. There was no cost to attend. The Camp curriculum engaged and educated children about the characteristics of cities and their neighbourhoods, and how these communities evolve over time. Campers took field trips to different sites in downtown Toronto, participated in activities to learn about city planning and technology, and swam and played at the new Cooper Koo Family Cherry Street YMCA. Throughout the week, campers also shared some of their ideas for making a new community at Quayside a great place for children and families. These ideas reflected what they were learning during camp as well as their own experiences growing up in dense urban neighbourhoods in Toronto. At the end of each week, campers reflected on what they value most and created collages explaining designs for their ideal waterfront neighbourhood. Kids Camp wrapped up with a barbecue for campers and their families in August, where families had a chance to explore campers collages and Sidewalk Labs experimental workspace at 307 Lake Shore Boulevard East in Quayside. Sidewalk Toronto Summer Kids Camp 5
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Curriculum The Camp curriculum centred on five themes relating to how Toronto and other cities have evolved and developed over time. Each day began with a trip to a different neighbourhood and activity relating to one of these five themes. Day 1: Changing Cities Day 2: Green Cites Day 3: New Cities Day 4: Moving Cities Day 5: Future Cities During the week, campers explored different sites around Toronto, while photographing and documenting their favourite ideas and places. At the end of the week, campers worked together to design components of their ideal waterfront community. Two Master of Planning students from Ryerson University and the University of Waterloo supported YMCA camp counsellors in delivering the curriculum. Counsellors guided campers through various activities in a fun, age-appropriate format, but made sure to introduce key urban planning concepts and terminology including: urban density, adaptive reuse, raised bogs, multi-functionality, and multi-modal. By the end of the week, many campers became familiar with these terms, and some were using them conversationally. Changing Cities Green Cities New Cities Moving Cities Future Cities Location 307 - Sidewalk Labs Workspace Evergreen Brickworks Corktown Common and Underpass Park Union Station and King Street Pilot 307 - Sidewalk Labs Workspace Key Questions + What makes a city different than a town or a village? + How is technology used in cities today? + How does technology shape our cities? + How do cities reuse spaces? + Where can we find nature in Toronto? + What is the role of nature in our cities? How is it used? Who uses it? + How do cities change over time? + What makes a neighbourhood? + How is Toronto a City of Neighbourhoods? + How do people use different spaces in Toronto? + How do people get in and out of Toronto? + How do people commute and get around the city? + What does the city of the future look like? + How can technology be used to improve the quality of life in cities? + Toronto s Waterfront + Toronto s Industrial + Toronto s Industrial + How People Travel In, + Quayside Collage + The Quayside Project History Waterfront Out, and Throughout Activity Learning Objectives + The Role that Technology Plays in Cities + Adaptive Reuse and Urban Transformations + Multi-functionality: + How Neighbourhoods Form and Adapt + Multi-functionality: Toronto + How Transit Demand Changes Parks and Nature Arts and Play + Multi-functionality: Role of Public Space
Detailed Program Day 1 - Sidewalk Toronto Visit Campers began the week with a visit to Sidewalk Labs experimental workspace at 307 Lake Shore Blvd East. Sidewalk Labs Policy and Communications Associate Habon Ali and Director of Health and Human Services Alexis Wise welcomed campers and presented a brief history of Toronto s waterfront. The presentation also introduced some of the components of the original Sidewalk Labs vision for Quayside. During the presentation, campers saw images of famous cities and had to identify them. These were used as examples of dense urban development from around the world. After the presentations, Naama Blonder, Architect and Urban Designer at Smart Density, led the campers through a giant board game called Kids Build Cities. The interactive game challenges kids to build their own cities, while encouraging discussion about city planning and development. It helped demonstrate that urban development involves the prioritization and mixing of urban activities and forms. Finally, campers were given notebooks and disposable cameras to document the week s learnings. Campers were told to photograph neighbourhood features they thought should be included in Quayside. The pictures would be used to help campers describe and design their ideal waterfront neighbourhood on the final day of camp. Day 2 -Evergreen Brick Works Visit Campers visited Evergreen Brick Works, a city park and cultural centre located on a former quarry and brick works site. This visit demonstrated that wildlife and nature can be encouraged within a city, and that nature is important not just for public enjoyment, but also to help achieve a city s sustainability goals. Sidewalk Toronto Summer Kids Camp 9 Evergreen Arts and Exhibits Project Coordinator Hannah Kemp led campers on a tour of the site and explained its industrial history. Hannah briefly explained how the discovery of rich red clay on site and the Great Fire of Toronto led to the growth of the local brick industry and helped promote economic prosperity in Toronto during the early 20th century. The tour showed how, following the closure of the original brick works, conservation efforts and habitat creation helped to reintroduce wildlife to the site. Campers identified plants and animals, explored the trail network, and looked out over the city from viewing platforms. At different points in the tour, examples of adaptive reuse were identified as Hannah described the remediation efforts that were used to create a park and community space.
Detailed Program Day 3 - Corktown Common Campers took a tour of the Canary District and Corktown Common, where they learned more about Toronto s industrial waterfront history. Counsellors highlighted ongoing development efforts in the Canary District and campers learned about the process of creating a new community on former industrial land. Campers identified the mixture of uses in the new community, and discussed what additional features could have been included. Then, campers participated in a mapping activity, which helped them identify the different features of their own neighbourhoods. Following this activity, campers talked about the Canary District s multi-functionality specifically the role it plays as a public space, a playground, and a raised bog. Finally, campers enjoyed the playground and murals in Underpass Park. Camp counsellors reminded campers that the park is both an example of adaptive reuse and multi-functionality. Day 4 - Union Station and King Street Metrolinx staff led campers on a tour of Union Station. Campers learned about the history of Union Station, and how this transit hub s role has expanded due to the transportation demands of the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area. Then, campers were taken behind the scenes to the GO Transit Control Centre to learn how transit services are provided to thousands of regional riders every day. On the walk back from Union Station, campers saw the public spaces reclaimed by the King Street Pilot Project. The Pilot Project helped illustrate the concept of multimodality to campers, and highlighted downtown Toronto s diverse transportation demands for pedestrians, personal vehicles, streetcars, and cyclists. Campers discussed how the pilot prioritizes cyclists and transit users, and what potential efficiencies could come from changing how streets prioritize different types of traffic. In the afternoon, campers did a programming exercise led by the Code-Mobile, which introduced campers to the possibilities and limitations of technology. Campers considered and documented one problem they thought technology may solve in future cities. Sidewalk Toronto Summer Kids Camp 10 Day 5 - Quayside Campers ended the week back at Sidewalk Labs 307 space in Quayside for an activity about designing their ideal waterfront, based on everything they learned that week.
Campers Reflections On the final day of camp, campers used the photographs and notes they had taken throughout the week to identify features that would belong to their ideal neighbourhood. Campers created collages for a new neighbourhood at Quayside, and used these collages to present and describe their favourite ideas. Across the three different weeks of camp, some common themes emerged from the campers. Full images of the colleges can be found on pages 11-12, and 15 of this report. Add green spaces for both recreation and special events I look for a space where I can relax and take a deep breath. - Camper, age 10 Because we included gardens, everybody will have a place to get to know each other and the rest of the community. - Camper, age 10 Campers consistently talked about parks and community centres as being important and desirable elements of a neighbourhood, as they provide spaces to play with friends and family, and take part in public events like festivals and concerts. Some campers also talked about how parks and gardens are areas of respite and escape. They often described city life as noisy and distracting. Many described lacking access to quiet personal space in their own homes because of the need to share spaces with family members. Parks were thus seen as important places for them to relax in a quiet and peaceful environment. Make streets more pedestrian-friendly Sidewalk Toronto Summer Kids Camp 13 When there s a lot of traffic, I feel safer inside of a car instead of on the sidewalk. But I still don t feel safe in cars. - Camper, age 9 With the water, there s always something to do, but you don t always need to be doing things to enjoy it. - Camper, age 9 Some campers felt that the volume of traffic downtown makes them feel unsafe. They expressed feeling afraid of reckless drivers, and sometimes feeling unsafe on sidewalks when they are close to many fast-moving vehicles. For this reason, some campers indicated they feel safer inside of moving cars rather than walking on the sidewalk. Most campers thought it was important to reduce the amount of car traffic and make streets more friendly to pedestrians. Ideas proposed by campers include road sensors which alert drivers to other cars, cyclists, or pedestrians before changing lanes, and raised sidewalks and pedestrian bridges to separate pedestrians from cars. Improve access to the water All campers agreed that access to the water should be improved. Most campers suggested including seating or viewing platforms along the water s edge. Some campers suggested bringing animal or marine life to the site. One camper suggested creating transparent buildings, to ensure views of the water would not be affected.
Campers Reflections I feel safe when I m surrounded by people, and I know that they will be taking care of me. - Camper, age 9 Provide safe, stable places to live Campers talked about safety as a top concern for them in their daily lives. As previously mentioned, many of them said that they sometimes feel unsafe living in a downtown urban environment due to the loud noises and fast-moving traffic. Some campers discussed feeling insecure about the presence of many strangers, and some do not feel safe in multi-unit residential buildings. For this reason, campers felt it is important for Quayside to provide homes that would make them feel safe and secure. They suggested that building a sense of familiarity and community within apartment or condo buildings was important. Some campers worried about having to move away from their homes, and thought that owning their home could create greater stability and prevent this from happening. Finally, campers emphasized the importance of having good flood and fire protection in Quayside to ensure that residents are protected against potential natural disasters. In houses, it s your personal space. You re used to your surroundings, it s familiar and it s safe. - Camper, age 11 Use interesting historical features in Quayside for programming Campers were interested in reusing the existing spaces in Quayside in new and creative ways. They suggested introducing a museum about Toronto s industry, an art gallery, or an outdoor movie theatre. Reduce the impact of the Gardiner Expressway on Quayside Home is somewhere safe and comfortable. It s not about your surroundings, but friends and family, and belonging. It can be the friends and family that make up a community. You know that you are home from the people around you, and you know that you belong. - Camper, age 12 Many campers thought that the noise, pollution, and vibrations from the Gardiner Expressway would make Quayside a less desirable place to live or visit. Some campers proposed removing the Gardiner altogether, while others suggested building a barrier to reduce the negative impacts on the community. Make Quayside open to everyone Campers thought that homes, businesses, and tourist and visitor spaces should all be included in Quayside. Campers especially wanted to make sure that Torontonians from outside the neighbourhood could easily visit. Campers further emphasized the need to welcome visitors from around the world. Sidewalk Toronto Summer Kids Camp 14
For more information, visit: sidewalktoronto.ca For general inquiries, please email: hello@sidewalktoronto.ca