Abstract: This report presents an ambitious vision for a connected Greenways network of off-road multi-use trails (greenways) in publicly owned corridors throughout Scarborough. Scarborough is fortunate in having major opportunities to build Greenways in existing public rights of way with no need for land purchase or expropriation. The Greenway network presented here sets out a vision for a connected network that reaches to every corner of Scarborough, with 93% of Scarborough residents living within 1km of the proposed network. Some off-road paths currently exist, but most are in parks, and are very narrow. Crucially, they don’t connect together to form a network and are therefore almost useless to get around Scarborough. The total network we propose is 133.3km in length, of which 50% already exists as paths and trails. This is a major head start, but it should be a major priority to improve these paths and connect them together. A major Toronto policy priority is to facilitate the shift to a mobility culture in which active transportation plays a meaningful part. The reasonable fear of dangerous roadways is an important obstacle to a greater share of active transportation for mobility in Scarborough, and Greenway networks can make a major contribution to building a walking and cycling culture for everyday mobility. This Greenway network will transform Scarborough from an active transportation desert to the place with one of the best urban off-road active transportation networks in the world. Plans for active transportation including Greenway network plans must be in place before large-scale intensification redevelopment of Scarborough accelerates. No further public land corridors should be privatized before a plan for a complete network of off-road multi-use trails is agreed and established as City policy.
Andre Sorensen: Born and raised in Kingston, Ontario. Professor Sorensen did graduate studies in Geography at the London School of Economics and Political Science where he completed a Post-doctoral Research Fellowship and taught as an Assistant Professor at the University of Tokyo in the Department of Urban Engineering from 1998 to 2002. His research examines long-run patterns and processes of urbanization and urban development, with a focus on the political dynamics of rule-making, the emergence of institutions that structure sets of available choices and provide incentives for different approaches. Recent work draws on historical and sociological institutionalist ideas about path dependence, processes of incremental change, and urban politics to study urban change processes and the incremental change of urban property and property rights. Major current projects are on the development of the Toronto city region over the last 60 years, land-use and transportation policies, the emergence of condominium as a form of property ownership since the 1960s, and the application of New Institutionalism in urban governance, property and planning theory. Professor Sorensen has taught numerous undergraduate courses in urban geography, and at the graduate level, Programme in Planning JPG1510 Recent Debates in Urban Form, a course on concepts and debates about good and bad patterns of development, JPG 1554 Transportation and Urban Form in collaboration with Professor Paul Hess, and most recently JPG1504 Institutionalism and Cities: space, governance, property & power. This course focuses on the role of institutions (defined as shared norms and understandings, standard operating practices, and enforceable rules) in structuring processes of urban change, governance and planning. He has been a faculty member in the Department of Human Geography at U of T Scarborough since 2002.
Co-presenters:
Allison Oki: A graduate of the City Studies program at U of T Scarborough, Allison is currently in the Master of Science in Planning program at U of T St. George. Her main research interests involve making cities more liveable, equitable, and environmentally sustainable, and she strongly supports building more safe and active transportation networks in Scarborough and beyond.
Amaan Jabbar: A fourth year U of T Scarborough student specializing in City Studies, Amaan's interest in city planning sprouted as he discovered the complex variety of urban-issues and decided to educate himself on these topics while striving to make a difference in his city. While outside of school, Amaan is the Transportation Chair for his local community organization where he recently successfully advocated with his community members to re-design a local road to make it safer for cyclists, pedestrians, and parking. Amaan is passionate about transportation equity and sustainable development. He aspires to pursue a Master's degree in Planning with a concentration on environmental planning or transportation planning.
Karen Khan: A fifth-year student at U of T Scarborough specializing in City Studies, Karen's exposure to diverse and dynamic urban issues throughout her career as a student has ignited a passion for exploring ways to make cities more sustainable, equitable, livable, and vibrant places for all. She hopes to pursue a master's degree in Public Policy, with a focus on housing policy, so that she may leverage her passion to make a difference in her home-city, Toronto.
Anastasiia Ostrovskaia: A fifth-year student at U of T Scarborugh double majoring in City Studies and Environmental Studies. Anastasiia's research interests revolve around sustainable cities, spatial justice, green infrastructure, and transit inequity. She aspires to pursue a career in urban planning with a focus on environmental planning or transportation planning.
Great Explorations, is a series of academic discussions we hope will inspire our communities. Our special thanks to our engaged, critical thinkers who attend our speaker series. The dialogues that came out of these talks, both in-person and online via Zoom, are integral to our campus community and Scarborough communities at large. We welcome your input for future topics, as well as a review of previous recorded sessions available on YouTube.