Planning Pool

Portland Food Carts: Photo by Author

In Portland you might enjoy a steaming bowl of curry, while in Accra a spicy box of jollof.  Both purchased for a low cost and in a convenient location.  What is known as a cart in Portland or New York, a kiosk in Accra or Moscow, might also be a booth, pavilion or a stand.  Each is a different form of micro-enterprise that plays an increasingly important role in our cities today. A kiosk is an efficient way for an individual to start a business with low costs and short time, while providing an immediate service to an urban area.  Congruently, the vibrancy of a neighborhood can be accentuated through the articulation of these small forms.  But … Continue Reading

Much is often said about Montreal’s urban successes, however, its suburbs and exurbs are rarely referenced. Pointe-Claire, QC, is about a twenty- to thirty-minute drive from Montreal’s downtown. Its landscape is spread out, dominated by roadways, strip malls and industrial parks, and as a result, is comprised largely of parking lots.

My dad has a tendency to walk extremely fast, so every time I stopped to take a photo he invariably made his way into the shot. All photos by author.

My father wanted to run to a bank machine after we returned from my grandmother’s funeral in Pointe-Claire. This is probably because he needed more cash on hand for the minimum $20 cab fare needed to get, literally, anywhere. Knowing from previous experience how dangerous the walk … Continue Reading

Pedestrians in Manhattan eye the traffic warily and consider jaywalking. Thanks to Oleg Dulin for the great Creative Commons photo.

While Christopher Hume’s article was written in response to the crackdowns on jaywalking following this year’s pedestrian deaths in Toronto, Tom Vanderbilt’s article was actually published about two months prior, in a similar response to the American media’s own shellacking of what were referred to as “foolish” and “lackadaisical” jaywalkers. Clearly, the issue is ongoing. As a matter of fact, the issue of pedestrian rights has been ongoing for quite some time now.

In his 1964 book, The Heart of Our Cities: The Urban Crisis, Diagnosis and Cure, Victor Gruen was responding to these very same concerns when he remarked:
“It is felt … Continue Reading

In Toronto, it is legal to cross a street mid-block as long as you yield to traffic and are not adjacent to a marked pedestrian crossing. Thanks to Nekotune for the great Creative Commons photo!

Early 2010 saw an uncharacteristically high number of pedestrian fatalities in the Greater Toronto Area. After the media storm that ensued, coupled with more pedestrian deaths in other parts of Canada, police crackdowns emerged across the country targeting jaywalkers in Toronto, Ottawa, and Calgary.

Crackdowns on jaywalking are a popular response because they seem to promote safe streets while quelling illegal behavior; above all, they offer the appearance of “doing something”. Unfortunately, publicly addressing what some consider to be reckless behavior on the part of pedestrians … Continue Reading

Jakarta residents celebrate Car Free Jakarta. Thanks to Luluk on Flickr for the great Creative Commons image!

In Vancouver, Canada, the 2010 Olympics are taking over more and more of the city in preparation for the official games and festivities. Starting last week, the city began closing roads and beefing up security, with more closures happening as time passes. As much as these obstructions are annoying to residents, in the grand scheme of things, they are publicly accepted and really not that disruptive. This has got me thinking: if Vancouverites are able to live with all these streets and access points blocked off for the next month or so, why … Continue Reading

Heading south on Main, photo by author.

The APA has announced the results of its 2009 Great Places in America awards. I was really pleased to see Main Street in Greenville, SC celebrated as a 2009 Great Street! Greenville’s Main Street was one of the reasons I chose to go to university in the city. Main Street is definitely a lively and attractive place, filled with bustling restaurants, heritage storefronts, shops, ice cream parlors, public art, benches, trees, and plazas.

Some of the highlights of Main Street are the new trolley bus, Falls Park and the Liberty Bridge, Greenville Drive baseball, and the street itself, which is often used for festivals like Artisphere and Fall … Continue Reading