Holly Fraser

What if the suburbs were actually the centre of a city? A collection of urban islands—complete communities for residents to work, dine, shop, gather with friends and family, and travel throughout with multiple transportation options.

U of T researchers, city planners, politicians and residents are looking to groups like the Institute for New Suburbanism to bridge the conversation of how we can better plan the space of our suburbs to meet the broad needs of its residents by creating comprehensive neighbourhoods within the larger city framework.

“These days, if you’re a millennial and want to buy a house in Toronto, you almost need to be a millionaire. So when millennials seek less expensive housing in suburban areas, they’re looking for typically urban uses—a coffee shop, live theatre and music, and locations to meet others and have interesting conversations,” says Dave Hardy, a registered professional planner and executive director of the Institute for New Suburbanism.

Hardy notes that millennials look to areas that provide convenience of movement and urban amenities. This shouldn’t seem too idyllic for Scarborough, which was built from a history of villages and already offers entry points for the Institute’s vision.

“We hope to grow the story of Scarborough by enhancing the quality of life of its residents through community planning, design and development,” says Morgen Peers, managing director for the Institute of New Suburbanism, at the Institute’s launch event on September 15 in Scarborough. He says we need to overcome the notion of ‘downtown’ as the only city centre, and instead, better plan suburbs to meet the broad needs of its residents.

As an anchor institution, U of T Scarborough has room to grow, as outlined in its Master Plan. Researchers from the University, including Professor André Sorensen, expert of urban planning and chair of the department of human geography at UTSC; and U of T Professor Paul Hess, an expert in pedestrian and transportation design, co-authored Choices for Scarborough: Transit, Walking and Intensification in Toronto’s Inner Suburbs last year.

Sorensen, a featured speaker at the Institute launch, says a change in thinking would be to start to design the suburbs to be less automobile dependent.

“This would be a major change and Toronto, especially Scarborough, is well positioned to be a world-leader in transforming its inner suburbs away from automobile dependence and towards places where residents have a genuine choice of travel modes and can enjoy living in complete communities.”

Sorensen stresses this isn’t an anti-car conversation, rather a discussion of livability and building infrastructure that is highly competitive with cars and able to connect with regional transit systems. Using Eglinton, Lawrence and Sheppard as examples, Sorensen says these are ideal potential corridors to create mid-rise, mixed-use space that would function like boulevards.

“These streets are wide—double the width of downtown streets like Bloor—they can accommodate dedicated transit lines, two car lanes in each direction, bicycle lanes and wide sidewalks—everything you need for a high-quality boulevard that’s a complete community in itself in a linear form,” he says.

Mayor John Tory and the City of Toronto are listening. Tory spoke to the importance of the Institute for New Suburbanism and says Scarborough stands out as a unique community with a distinct lifestyle, with its residents leading its transformation and development.

“In the face of increasing infrastructure challenges, it is critical that we study the suburbs and explore opportunities to further develop and grow these communities,” says Tory.

The Institute will engage Scarborough, the GTA and like-minded people around the world in four areas of conversation: Integrated community planning, research and dialogue, neighbourhood design, and, mobility and town centres.

The Institute will host its next event with Judith De Jong, a leading expert of design innovation in architecture and urbanism, on October 12.

Connections and Conversations: Finding community at U of T

lavende4 — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 18:15:45 +0000

Connections and Conversations: Finding community at U of T

lavende4 Tue, 09/20/2016 - 14:15

Cutline

Left to right: Heather Hines, Titi Oridota, Kaye Francis, Jeevan Kempson, Deborah Simon-Edwards, Sharon Grandison, Suzanne Macintyre, Liza Arnason, Kimberly Yeh, Archana Sridhar, Sandra Carnegie-Douglas, Amorell Saunders N’Daw (Photo by Rachel Halpern)

Rachel Halpern

Holly Fraser

Author legacy

Rachel Halpern and Holly Fraser

Topic

Our Community

Connections and Conversations, an affinity group for racialized U of T staff and their supporters, hopes to spark tri-campus conversations about topics like racism and equity.

The new group recently hosted its inaugural gathering at the OISE library. The staff-driven initiative is supported by the Anti-Racism & Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO). Founding committee member Amorell Saunders N’Daw says there are many more events to come and encourages participation from racialized staff and their allies.

“We really want this to be a supportive and collegial network that’s open to the U of T community and helps each and every one of us flourish and thrive in this environment,” says Saunders N’Daw, director of governance at U of T Scarborough and assistant secretary of the Governing Council at U of T.

Creating a continuum of collaboration is an important part of the group's mandate. From guest speakers providing expertise in resume-building or career advancement, mentorship opportunities, or learning and upgrading skills, the group will work across the University to provide staff with resources, while also encouraging them to form alliances outside of the group and foster one another’s growth.

Neil Chakraborty, resource planning and analysis officer at UTSC, says he looks forward to connecting with others, gaining insights and sharing knowledge about the challenges one has as racialized staff. “I’m also interested in research around diversity and minorities.”

The inaugural event facilitated dialogue around these topics, including a panel discussion, a networking session and a keynote address from Celina Caesar-Chavannes, parliamentary secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada, Member of Parliament for Whitby and a former member of the Governing Council of the ��Ƶ.

“Why do we need a group like this? Because it’s 2016 and inequity still exists,” says Caesar-Chavannes. “Why aren’t the credentials enough? It’s time to make it awkward. People are dismissing the talent pool to maintain the status quo when we know that our diversity makes us better.”

Following the keynote, a panel addressed the theme of the inaugural gathering, "Beginning the Conversation” and included Professor Kelly Hannah-Moffat, incoming vice-president of human resources and equity; Archana Sridhar, assistant provost in the Office of the Vice-President and Provost; and Kim McLean, chief administrative officer at the Faculty of Arts & Science. The panelists provided their perspectives and insights about supporting and enabling racialized staff to thrive in the workplace.

The discussion resonated with many attendees, including Antonia Maughn, conference coordinator at U of T Mississauga.

“I found out about this event last minute and I am so glad that I did,” she says. “It actually covered a lot of things that I am too shy to talk about in my own department and when Celina [Caesar-Chavannes] broke the ice with her humour, experiences and what she does, I felt I could identify with that.”

Saunders N’Daw is thrilled to hear positive feedback from the community.

"Toronto is one of the most diverse cities in the world and our student population is reflective of that,” N'Daw says. “But when you start to look at the top, much of the leadership and decision-making positions don’t accurately reflect this diversity.”

One of the issues the group would like to address is hiring practices.

“I know the University is committed to making this [anti-bias training] a reality and is already starting along that path,” says Angela Hildyard, vice-president of human resources and equity. “It’s also very important for racialized staff to have networking opportunities, be on committees and decision-making bodies, and know there’s a path for them to learn, grow and feel supported in their career ambitions.”

The group follows a tri-campus model, with local chapters at each campus and a steering committee member serves as a liaison for members of its local chapter. And while the focus is on racialized staff, Connections and Conversations encourages non-racialized allies who are supportive of the mandate to participate. Saunders N’Daw notes many times staff who aren’t racialized may be in more senior positions within the University and can act as a mentor or resource to support racialized staff.

“It’s important everyone joins the conversation around how we can make our work environments more inclusive,” she says.

For Maughn, the event left her with some important take-aways.

“I’ve learned some tools from the panel discussion and I think I’m going to take those back with me and work with them,” she says. “The event was refreshing, informative and I would recommend it to anyone—I never thought that it would be available to me in my 31 years that I’ve been here.”

To learn more information about Connections and Conversations, visit: www.antiracism.utoronto.ca/resources/affinitygroup.html

U of T Drizzy: the elusive artist opens up about the Contact Festival, @champagnepapi and more

krisha — Mon, 30 May 2016 15:49:18 +0000

U of T Drizzy: the elusive artist opens up about the Contact Festival, @champagnepapi and more

krisha Mon, 05/30/2016 - 11:49

Cutline

(image courtesy @U of T Drizzy)

Holly Fraser

Holly Fraser [featuring lyrics by Drake]

Author legacy

Holly Fraser [featuring lyrics by Drake]

Topic

Even Drake follows the ��Ƶ student artist known as @uoftDrizzy.

Called “pure gold” by Huffington Post, reimagined through an interactive U of T Scarborough campus tour by CBC Arts and picked up by news media around the globe, the @uoftdrizzy Instagram account became insta-famous this year and has more than 17,000 fans – including Drake – who follow, like and comment on the parody account.

The U of T Scarborough mastermind behind the account isn’t just into Drake and Photoshop – this Instagrammer runs a youth basketball program, has counselled women and children living in abusive environments. A passion for creativity drives the student's projects, which include volunteering to create graphic layouts for a fashion magazine and taking on work-study positions at UTSC.

One rule? No U of T Drizzy work on the weekend; that time is spent disconnected to the online world and connected to family, friends and Sunday meal prep.

Six U of T Drizzy posters were mounted in the Environmental Science and Chemistry Building and Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre during Doors Open Toronto and visitors were invited to take a photo with one and be entered to win a UTSC & Drake-themed Summer of 6-teen Starter Pack.

Below, U of T Scarborough writer Holly Fraser talks with @UofTDrizzy about what it's like to be featured in the prestigious Contact Photography Festival and more. Drake lyrics used by @uoftdrizzy within this article appear in italics.

We’re so happy to have U of T Drizzy at UTSC to talk summer plans. You’ve already been busy this spring – tell us what you’ve been up to lately.

Drizzy doesn’t take semesters off. I’m currently taking a class downtown but back at UTSC for the second-half of the summer. I’m in the Contact Photography Festival through May because I just wanna be… I just wanna be successful. You’ll have to bear with me, it’s been a moment since I’ve done some public speaking, I find nowadays it’s just best to keep quiet. But uh, sometimes you just gotta let it out. This weekend I’m popping over to UTSC for Doors Open Toronto to check out the Environmental Science and Chemistry Building, a local author will be there and you can see the earth tubes, some pretty dope stuff. So, now the doors open and we all goin’.

Speaking of the Environmental Science and Chemistry Building, we saw a photo of you sitting on top of it. What was that all about?

Man, I was on top of the world that day. I’m ballin’ outta control, keep on receiving the scholarships. And you should really see the VIEWS from that building.

So what’s going on for summer?

The weather is looking up so you can spot me in the Valley or picking up a bike from the bike-share to cruise around ’cuz my mother embarrassed to pull my Phantom out. We need to figure out something though, a bike won’t cut it from downtown when I come to UTSC because I take Eglinton to 401 East and exit at Markham Road in the east end. Did you know you can rent garden space or check out the bees on the rooftop here? Man, I got love for this city. What else… hmm… I guess just a couple days on the beach, then its adios. And you know I’m always doing work, work, work, work, work, work.

You were recently at UTSC’s Doris McCarthy Gallery – what was happening there?

The Scarborough Film Festival kicks off June 2 and free student screenings are at UTSC June 8. The DMG (use the short-form, fam) hosted students to network with the team and some dope English and film profs. Plus, I got car money, fresh start money, I want Saudi money, I want art money.

You know convocation is coming up, so what advice would you give students who are graduating from UTSC on June 2?

Wanted to tell you, accept yourself—you don’t have to prove [expletive] to no one except yourself and if you end up needing some extra help, then I can help.

Speaking of convocation, when will you graduate?

I’m taking my time to experience UTSC, I got love for this city. Did you know there’s 150 student clubs at UTSC? Have you tried the food in Scarborough? Yo, it’s delicious. And bruh, TPASC is so big I get lost there every time I go play ball. I mean, I’m too busy. Born a perfectionist, guess that makes me a bit obsessive. And you know I got a thing for words so when it comes to writing essays, paperwork takin’ too long and I think that my profs, well, maybe they don’t understand me.

You brought your mom to campus a few weeks ago, what did you take her to see? Is there anything you want to say to her?

Well I’ve been watching the Toronto Raptors lately and haven’t made time for mom. I took her to Mother’s Day brunch at Miller Lash House and then we had a stroll around campus. Mom, You and The 6 raised me right. I’m always being true to what you taught me.

That’s sweet.

I spilled all my emotions tonight, I'm sorry.

Don’t be sorry! Speaking of emotions, people around here are asking if you’re single.

Call me Heartbreak Drake, I’m the hardest one to tame. As a man, I’m just honest; as an artist, I’m a king. But for real, I don’t kiss and tell. And I’m on my grind—I have a show on Fusion Radio and represent SCSU. And I wouldn’t change a thing if you paid me. I took my wildest dreams and then mapped ’em out.

The artist behind U of T Drizzy stresses the importance of self-care and plans to continue U of T Drizzy as long as it’s entertaining.

“For me, doing well in school is very important. So when you’re trying to do that with work and school and maintain relationships with friends and family, it’s important to find time to just chill out and take care of yourself,” says the artist. “I put a lot of love into U of T Drizzy and I feel I get a lot of love back.”