1975, St James Town, a summer day. A group of swingers in bell bottoms, carrying beer and pizza, pop into one of the 30-storey-high or so apartments in the area to join a weekend swing party. These apartment buildings were occupied by young singles or couples who were proud to say, “Yeah, we live in St James Town!”

1999, St James Town, summer day. A group of young mothers, whose first language is not English, push their baby strollers to the corner of apartment 135, waiting for the school bus that will bring their children to a local Catholic school. They were talking about the break-in at Mrs Tan’s place, an apartment unit that was home to two adults and six children. When asked if they would bring their kids to one of the few playgrounds in the neighbourhood, most said, “Probably not, unless the place has other activities for the teenagers so that they won’t take over the playground.”

These are the concerns that inspired a group of 20 University of Toronto landscape architecture and architecture students to seek ways to help improve this neighbourhood. On February 9, 2000, the team led a group of 30 (residents, planners, and public officials), on a walk around the neighbourhood, recording their observations about the site and discussing ways to improve it. The following are some of the comments that were made:

“More lighting [is] needed and signs for the school kids on the road; people do not bring dogs [on a] leash and they poop all over the place.”

“When crossing the street at Wellesley and Ontario I’m asked questions [about drugs].”

“[The service lane] looks very dangerous, puzzling, you don’t know where [it’s leading] to.”

“I think we should turn down all the fences and change the service lane into a park and put the community garden somewhere where everyone can use it.”

“We should apply for grants to hire the local teenagers to clean up litter and guard the park during the summer … This will use their energy positively, and educate them to care about their community.”

Yvonne Sze-Man Yuen