This video shows Regent Park Arts & Culture Centre during construction in April 2011, which exemplifies:
- the “opportunity to anchor culture as a primary driver in the community’s revitalization, both physically and symbolically
- the integration and celebration of a neighbourhood’s cultural richness in the revitalization play a central role in its success and in the creation of a socially inclusive, livable, healthy, safe and vibrant neighbourhood via The Regent Park Arts & Culture Centre as:
- A showcase for artistic talent
- An incubator of creative people and organizations
- A workshop for new artistic creations
- The social heart of the Regent Park Revitalization which fosters and supports:
- Performances, celebrations, festivals, public and community events
- Creation and production of a wide range of arts activities with a focus on the performing and visual arts
- Learning, skills development, participation and creation with a special commitment to young people
- Collaboration, exchange and dialogue between individuals, communities and organizations
- A sense of community, well- being and social engagement”
According to the 2011 report, Creative Capital Gains: An Action Plan for Toronto, Toronto’s role in supplying “affordable, sustainable cultural space” for use by cultural industries, not-for-profit organizations and community groups requires the following actions:
- Upgrading and/or developing facilities for small and mid-size organizations and community cultural groups is a critical next step to ensure a vibrant cultural community
- In particular, there is a need to develop and enhance cultural spaces in neighborhoods throughout the City to ensure that all Torontonians have access to spaces to learn, play, practice, and engage with arts and culture of all forms.
- Toronto’s Cultural Services embarking on a ward-by-ward consultation and planning process to determine local priorities.
- Lord Cultural Resources and Robert Millward (R.E. Millward & Associates) have been engaged to work with the City to undertake this project.
- Steering committee members include
- Susan Wright (Toronto Arts Council)
- Heather Mathis (Toronto Public Library)
- Peter Langdon (City Planning)
- Cheryl MacDonald (Parks, Forestry and Recreation)
- Elena Bird (Economic Development).
- councillors getting a ward-specific priority list for cultural infrastructure as defined by their constituents and community cultural stakeholders.
- Twenty ward consultations will be conducted in 2012
- with the remaining 24 wards being surveyed in 2013 and beyond.
- An online survey that will be introduced as part of the consultation process, titled Making Space for Culture: Ward Planning for Vibrant, Sustainable Cultural Infrastructure.
- This online survey will be available as of May 28, 2012, for those who cannot attend the consultations.
- On May 28, please click here for the online survey, along with a complete list of current consultation locations and additional consultation information.
Here is a schedule of the initial public consultations which will be updated on an ongoing basis:
| May 22, 4 – 6 pm | Ward 37, McGregor Park Public Library (2219 Lawrence Ave. East), Meeting Room |
| May 24, 4 – 6 pm | Ward 3, Etobicoke Civic Centre (Council Chamber) |
| May 24, 6:30 – 8:30 pm | Ward 5, Etobicoke Civic Centre (Council Chamber) |
| May 29, 4 – 6 pm | Ward 43, Cedar Ridge Creative Centre (225 Confederation Drive) |
| June 4, 4 – 6 pm | Ward 8, York Woods Public Library (1785 Finch Ave. West), Room 2 |
| June 6, 4 – 6 pm | Ward 1, Rexdale Community Hub (21 Panorama Court) |
| June 13, 6 – 8 pm | Ward 10, Centennial Public Library (578 Finch Ave. West), Auditorium |
| June 14, 4 – 6 pm | Ward 33, Fairview Public Library (35 Fairview Mall Dr.), Room 2 |
| June 18, 4 – 6 pm | Ward 40, Agincourt Public Library (155 Bonis Ave.), Auditorium |
| June 27, 6:30 – 8:15 pm | Ward 42, Malvern Public Library (30 Sewells Road), Auditorium |
For additional information about Creative Placemaking, please visit the Artscape DIY website.
For additional information about Growing Toronto’s Cultural Sector, please download the report, From the Ground Up (pdf).
Funding for this project is provided by the Government of Ontario.
City of Toronto Contact Info:
Phone within Toronto city limits: 311
Phone outside city limits: 416-392-CITY (2489)
(can be used within Toronto if you can’t reach 311)
TTY customers: 416-338-0TTY (0889)
Fax: 416-338-0685
E-mail: 311@toronto.ca
If your matter is urgent, please call them. They are open 24/7.
Always call 911 for emergencies.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NEWS RELEASE
May 18, 2012
Public consultations on cultural spaces in Toronto
From May 22 through June 27, an initial series of 10 public consultations in Toronto will help to identify affordable and sustainable cultural spaces for not-for-profit and community groups.
Funded by a grant from the Province of Ontario, these consultations will address one of the recommendations of the Creative Capital Gains Report, endorsed by Toronto City Council in 2011.
The goal of the consultations is to give councillors a ward-specific priority list for cultural infrastructure as defined by their constituents and community cultural stakeholders.
“There is a need to develop and enhance the city’s neighbourhood cultural spaces to ensure that all Torontonians can access and create arts and culture,” said Councillor Michael Thompson (Ward 37 Scarborough Centre), Chair of the City’s Economic Development Committee. “These consultations will provide councillors, and those investing in cultural infrastructure, with invaluable insight about the needs and preferences of each community.”
This year, consultation sessions will be held in 20 wards. Consultation will be undertaken in the remaining 24 wards beginning in 2013.
An online survey will be available as of May 28 for those who cannot attend the consultations. The survey, along with a complete list of current consultation locations and additional consultation information, can be accessed at http://www.toronto.ca/culture/cultural-spaces.htm.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.7 million people. Toronto’s government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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