Who oversees issues re our public realm? Is there a department at city hall that does this? I don't think the public is apathetic. Most people don't even give any consideration to these matters; not because they find them trivial, but because the notion of how imperative Toronto's public realm is has nver been placed in their minds. It is an esoteric topic that is never discussed in the media or by our politicians. Some sort of public awareness campaign could change that, perhaps. If the public were inundated with discussion around this issue, on the same obsessive, relentless level as talk about climate change/sustainability/bullying, etc, then there would be a cultural shift in how we perceive our public spaces. Constant talk about anything forces people to consider and confront issues. Since there has been virtually zero emphasis placed on our public realm by our leaders and media, the majority of people have no opinion on the subject, as it doesn't even register. If we could somehow show the public images of beautiful public spaces around the world, held up against photos/footage of our shabby ones, people would be able to decipher how poor our standards are and would probably demand betterf for our city. The only way to get our politicians to observe this problem and improve it is for the majority of voters to make this an issue of importance. Right now politicians don't have to be bothered with said issue because it's something that never comes up in debates, elections, interaction with constituents. Throw in the fact that our City Council is largely steered by suburban councillors that drive from one crumblung parking lot to another, with basically no walking and observation of their surroundings taking place. The suburbs are mostly made up of roads, parking lots and strip plazas (not exactly pedestrian friendly or stimulating things). Another problem is that most people don't care about anything beyond their driveways/homes. This impersonal attitude is reflected in the absence of benches in our parks. Somehow people need to be united and taught to view the city as an entity that we are all connected to, instead of being segregated and worrying only about what benefits us individually. We need to be shown that all of our lives can be improved if we work together towards a common goal. Isn't the new Toronto sign at NPS proof that anyone enjoys things that offer the city more verve? I guarantee that if we start making improvements across the city, in greater frequency (more murals on underpasses, utility boxes, etc), people will take notice and have a replenished pride and outlook on their communites.
Picasso Condos
