Increasing green space for a green recovery and resilient city: easier than we think?

Throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic, social distancing measures and various restrictions led residents to Toronto’s parks and outdoor spaces. Efforts to keep people distanced such as circles (external link)  painted on the grass were put in place and the increased demand demonstrated the inequities present for residents in many of Toronto’s neighbourhoods in accessing green space. Data (external link)  shows that areas with the least amount of park space are located in downtown Toronto. 

These neighbourhoods tend to mainly have apartment buildings or condos and therefore residents have little to no access to private green space. Access to quality urban green space is beneficial for the environment, our health and the economy. Access to green space leads to better health outcomes, both physical and mental (1). Urban green spaces also provide environmental benefits such as nature and biodiversity conservation, improved air quality and contaminant clean up (2).

How does it relate to pandemic recovery and resiliency? 

The City of Toronto has indicated the need to find opportunities for access to green spaces for those who are least able to access them in their COVID-19 Impacts and Opportunities  (PDF file) Report (external link) . Creating a city that is less car dependent and more green is essential for resiliency and can be supported by complete streets and quality public space, which includes green space (3). The City of Toronto also has a  (PDF file) Resiliency Strategy (external link)  which contains many plans to achieve a resilient city, a significant portion of which are related to the environment and climate change, such as the parkland strategy and green streets plan. Focus must be placed on reducing inequities, including in access to and benefits from green spaces, in order to ensure Toronto can recover from and thrive in any acute shocks or future pandemics. Climate action failure has been shown to be one of the highest risk factors for infectious diseases, which can lead to more frequent pandemics in the future (4).

What can be done immediately in the Ryerson Community to address this deficiency?

Increasing green space in urban areas is often thought of as a difficult task since vacant land is scarce downtown. Increasing green space can be done through the implementation of green streets (external link) . However, smaller-scaled interventions can drastically help soften the landscape and are quick and cheap to implement. Influential designers have used the “Light, cheap, quick” methodology for creating successful public spaces with limited funds and resources (5).

If you are familiar with the Ryerson Community and surrounding areas, it is evident that there is a lack of greenery. Take a tour with google maps (external link)  and notice the harsh landscape one will experience walking along Dundas Street from the subway. Small scale actions, such as the implementation of potted trees and plants could be a pilot program to soften the landscape along Dundas Street. This location is an excellent choice for a pilot program as the landscape is extremely harsh and lacking in greenery. Furthermore, when the YongeTOmorrow (external link)  plan construction is underway, access will be limited and therefore students, staff and community members will likely re-route along Dundas Street. This increased foot traffic makes this an impactful location for a pilot program. This plan and others such as the  (PDF file) Toronto Metropolitan University Campus Public Realm Plan already are advocating for an increase in green space in the community. In fact, projects from the Ryerson Public Realm Plan have already been implemented that have resulted in more pedestrian-friendly and greener streets, such as the Campus Core Revitalization Project.

Since these interventions are cheap and easy to implement, they should be added as a pilot program for students walking along Dundas Street to campus. This is a simple start to increasing green space in the community. With large and small scale projects already being implemented, it is evident that these programs are feasible. Therefore starting with these small interventions, programs and provision of green intervention along Dundas Street could later be scaled up. 

Who else can benefit?

Softening the edges of the neighbourhood will benefit all members of the community, not just students and staff. Vulnerable populations can be spotted along Dundas Street as well, and adding trees and greenery will benefit their health as mentioned above, but also through the provision of shade and subsequent cooling that they provide. This intervention can help reduce the change of vulnerable community members experiencing heat-related health risks (6).

Let’s take action

The representatives of this area should consider these varying degrees of intervention and their importance. Communication could reveal lessons learned from past intervention attempts and provide insight on why it has been so difficult to get greenery in this area. However, projects have been completed, so it is possible. Collaboration with Toronto Metropolitan University, Downtown Yonge BIA, Yonge-Dundas Square leadership, the City and the local city councillor’s office will enable a pilot project to kick start on Dundas Street. 

References

(1) Wortzel, Jeremy D., Douglas J. Wiebe, Grace E. DiDomenico, Elina Visoki, Eugena South, Vicky Tam, David M. Greenberg, et al. “Association between Urban Greenspace and Mental Wellbeing during the COVID-19 Pandemic in a U.S. Cohort.” Frontiers in Sustainable Cities 3 (2021). https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2021.686159. 

(2) Rakhshandehroo, Mehdi, Mohd Johari Mohd Yusof, Roozbeh Arabi, Mohammad Parva, and Ashkan Nochian. "The environmental benefits of urban open green spaces." Alam Cipta 10, no. 1 (2017): 10-16.

(3) Mowat, David, and Saad Rafi . “COVID-19: Impacts and Opportunities .” City of Toronto - Past Reports: Toronto’s Office of Recovery & Rebuild, 2020. https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/9133-torr-covid19-impacts-opportunities-2020.pdf. 

(4) Renaud, Jeff. “Climate Resilience Key in Pandemic Recovery.” PreventionWeb - UNDRR, June 24, 2021. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/climate-resilience-key-pandemic-recovery. 

(5) Herman, Krzysztof, Madalina Sbarcea, and Thomas Panagopoulos. "Creating green space sustainability through low-budget and upcycling strategies." Sustainability 10, no. 6 (2018): 1857.

(6) Harlan, Sharon L., Anthony J. Brazel, G. Darrel Jenerette, Nancy S. Jones, Larissa Larsen, Lela Prashad, and William L. Stefanov. "In the shade of affluence: The inequitable distribution of the urban heat island." In Equity and the Environment. Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2007.