As Dave Harvey retires from his co-leadership position at Park People, he reflects on the incredible journey since founding the organization in 2011.
Why are events in parks important? How do grants fit into Park People’s larger goals for creating change in city parks?
We know we benefit when we get outside and connect with others when winter makes us feel isolated. Here are some ideas for how your group can animate parks in winter.
Here are some valuable tips to create a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment for participants of all abilities, backgrounds, ages, and gender identities!
Watch our special launch webinar with the Report's authors to get the inside scoop on our findings.
How the City of Charlottetown’s experience with Hurricane Fiona demonstrates the importance of cross-departmental partnerships and resilient infrastructure to mitigate the impact of extreme winds.
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Park People is Canada’s expert in public space studies. Informed by your needs, Park People will design public life studies and lead engagement programs. For public life studies, our work will include everything from planning and volunteer recruitment to analyzing and communicating results. We make engagement fun and informative and get people outside the meeting room through walks, talks, and events. Park People takes the guesswork out of understanding your park.
Client: The Aga Khan Council for Canada2021
The Aga Khan Council for Canada hired Park People to understand better Aga Khan park use patterns and opportunities to strengthen community engagement within the park.
Park People conducted an in-depth park usage study with observational mapping, detailed analysis of usage patterns of the park’s six microsites, and community surveys. We highlighted strategic improvements to drive higher foot traffic, help stimulate the economic corridor on Wynford, increase accessibility, and better serve equity-deserving neighbouring communities such as Flemingdon Park, Don Mills, and Thorncliffe Park.
Client: City of Toronto2020
The City of Toronto hired Park People to conduct a Public Life Study of Toronto Island. The city aimed to gain a deeper understanding of how the Island – one of the largest green spaces in the city and regularly visited by thousands of people annually–was used. Using behavioural observation and mapping methods on eight zones across Toronto Island Park and a community survey, Park People provided a snapshot of public life to inform the creation of the Toronto Island Master Plan. We highlighted eight key findings and included recommendations, such as making ferry docks more inviting places to spend time and adding rentals for beach items (umbrellas, chairs).
Client: City of Gatineau2019
The City of Gatineau chose Park People to organize a forum that marked the start of the consultation phase for their upcoming 10-year master plan covering recreational, sports, and community infrastructure. Park People designed the event and coordinated over 20 speakers, including an inspiring keynote, interactive workshops, and a panel of Gatineau, Montreal and Quebec City park experts.
The forum gathered city employees, elected officials and partners and helped facilitate knowledge sharing and relationship building, setting a solid tone to inform the coming master plan.
Client: City of Toronto, Transportation Services2018
The City of Toronto’s Transportation Services division chose Park People to lead the design of the public life study of the King Street Transit Pilot area. This pilot prioritized streetcar travel along King Street and created nearly 20 new public spaces within the street right-of-way. Dividing the street into eight study zones, Park People examined the number of people walking and biking, how many people spent time on the road, who they were, and what they did. In our final report, we highlighted the need for more places for people to eat and drink, winter-friendly programming, and better accessibility for seniors.
Client: Toronto Region Conservation Authority2018
The Toronto Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) hired Park People to lead a community engagement exercise for the Meadoway, a hydro corridor converted into 16 kilometres of linear green space in Scarborough.
To engage people in this new large-scale project and understand how it can connect with people’s daily lives, Park People used community mapping to collect points of interest from residents on blown-up and open digital maps. We produced an illustrated map of the critical points of interest along the Meadoway, which was distributed to residents along the Meadoway to show how their input was used. The map also created a fun tool for residents to explore neighbourhoods along the route.
Client: Waterfront Toronto2016
To solicit feedback on the design and programming of a proposed new linear public space underneath an elevated highway, Park People was hired by Waterfront Toronto.
Park People led interactive walks that engaged over 200 people and created a blog series on the site. The walks were complementary to other engagements Waterfront Toronto was leading. Still, they differed by taking people out of meeting rooms and into the actual space to respond to questions and prompts. We produced a report for Waterfront Toronto that helped inform design and program planning.