What's Happening in Downsview, ON…

Citizens and visitors went strolling through the city last week as part of Jane’s Walk; a community involvement event put together to encourage people to get to know their own great city. The event is a worldwide celebration that involves over 600 neighbourhood walks in 85 cities.


Jane’s Walk originated in Toronto five years ago as a way to commemorate the life and philosophies of renowned urban activist Jane Jacobs, who wrote the iconic best-seller The Death and Life of Great American Cities in 1961. Jacobs work was influential in changing the idea of urban sprawl spreading out into the hinterland unchecked and freeways randomly criss-crossing through the heart of a city. Similarly to Rachel Carson, she supported the idea of returning nature to the city.


Jacobs often wrote that exploring the city on foot is the only way to really understand how a city operates. In this spirit, volunteers organized a weekend of guided walks, each one dealing with an aspect of urban planning. As part of the fifth year anniversary, the walk near Downsview was scheduled as one of 111 walks throughout the city of Toronto. Led by Himy Syed, the theme of the walk explored the idea of “Transit City, Toronto’s Missing Transit System”.


Advertising for the worldwide event could include flyer and brochure printing, listing the names of the walks, the locations, the volunteer leader, maps, and the time. Three years ago, the number of participants was 10,000, and the number grows year by year.