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Saving a Community Landmark: How People & Policy-makers Revived Guild Park

By John Mason, Friends of Guild Park

GuildPark-Greek Theatre-2022-JanesWalk - John P. Mason.jpeg

Sunday, May 7

2:00 PM - 3:15 PM

DETAILS

Language: English 

Area: Guildwood Village

Theme: Advocacy and Politics, Architecture and Urban Planning, History and Community

Accessibility: Uneven terrain, Family-friendly walk, Indoor public washrooms are limited to two toilets

WALK DETAILS:

Toronto’s historic Guild Park & Gardens, atop the Scarborough Bluffs, has been transformed in the past decade through the collaborative efforts of the City of Toronto and community residents.

Many recent improvements at Guild Park are a direct result of applying ideas popularized by Jane Jacobs:
• Encouraging residents to give ideas about the neighbourhood’s future
• Maintaining continuity within a community network
• The power of informed grass-roots advocacy

Examples of how Guild Park benefited from Jane Jacob’s thinking include:
• The design and name of the site’s new Clark Centre for the Arts
• The restoration of the original Guild Inn, originally a 1914 Arts & Crafts-style homestead
• A City-community partnership launched to re-open a 1940 artist’s studio as a welcome centre.

This Jane’s Walk will highlight these and other unique features at Guild Park, such as displays of outdoor public art and architectural artifacts located on the site.

  • Start Location: At Guild Park's main gates (201 Guildwood Pkwy. Watch for the Friends of Guild Park sign

  • End Location: Same as start. Note TTC bus #116 (to and from the Kennedy station) stops right in front of Guild Park's gates.

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