Launch Webinar – The 2022 Canadian City Parks Report

Adri Stark is a Senior Project Manager specializing in research and policy at Park People, and co-author of the annual Canadian City Parks Report. She leads Park People’s research on encampments, and has co-authored reports on the social impacts of parks, factors that elicit a sense of belonging in public space, and more. Adri holds an MA in Human Geography from University of Toronto, where her thesis explored how informal recyclers (also known as binners) use public space as a workplace. She is pursuing her PhD in Urban Planning, Policy, & Design at McGill University, exploring municipal policy responses to encampments.

Emily Riddle is nehiyaw and a member of the Alexander First Nation in Treaty 6. She lives in amiskwaciwâskahikan. A writer, editor, public library worker and researcher, she sits on the board of advisers for the Yellowhead Institute, a First Nations-led think tank.

Jake Tobin Garrett is a writer, illustrator and public space policy and research consultant. He was previously Park People’s Manager of Policy and Planning and continues to work with the organization as a consultant.

Zahra is a public interest designer and strategist focused on shifting power to people who are typically underrepresented in institutions and systems. Her work has focused on deep, community-led approaches to policy, infrastructure, and service design. She is the CEO of Monumental, supporting vital institutions in their efforts around an equitable recovery, amplifying BIPOC leadership, and launching creative, socially-driven initiatives.

Prior to this role, she built and led Doblin Canada (Deloitte’s Human-Centred Design practice), focusing on engaging diverse sets of stakeholders to use human-centred design to address complex organizational and industry challenges. In her early career, Zahra led one of Canada’s first social design studios, working with communities to co-design towards better social outcomes and leading some of Canada’s most ambitious participatory infrastructure and policy programs. Zahra has taught at OCADU, MoMA, and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto. She is the Vice-Chair of the Canadian Urban Institute and the Board Chair for Park People.