...It is hard to imagine that a city would leave a piece of land the size of a city block untouched for nearly 12 years. The steeply escalating price of urban land, need for open space, and rising interest in city living make it seem impossibly ridiculous that a community, corporation, or government would not occupy a parcel this large.

However, there are exceptions it seems. One such exception is the Lansdowne Ave. and Paton Rd. vacant lot. Neither the community, the TTC (owner of stated property), corporations, nor the governing bodies in Toronto have done anything to this vacant lot.

Impressed?

Some community members are as well. What follows are drawings of what some active Torontonians would want to see happen at the vacant lot. This in no way intends to propose that these plans will become reality, but there is always hope that the cogs will turn. It is an exercise meant to provoke further action regarding the vacant lot. The aim is to encourage action and thought from within the communities of Toronto and further afield.

Hopefully, this blog can answer some of the questions surrounding the Lansdowne Ave. and Paton Rd. vacant lot. Examples of other disused urban spaces from around the globe will be linked, as well as local community groups involved in making the city more active, and communal. This exercise was started by Landscape Architecture students from the University of Toronto (Alec Hawley, Stuart Patterson, and Zenghuo Sun).

Feel free to comment, add knowledge, or even download/upload your own drawing for the vacant lot at the corner of Lansdowne and Paton (blank layout is provided).

here is the example created by the graduate students
(alec hawley, stuart patterson, and zenghuo sun) and
given pre-meeting as a bounce board for discussion
of what the community member want to see in the park.

BLANK DRAWING PAD FOR YOU!!!

here is a blank page to download, print, and draw on if you feel compelled.

ideas can be as far fetched, or as simple as you like. tap into your
creativity andGO!!!