Vacant Land to Park Transformations as a Catalyst for Neighbourhood Change and Gentrification in Toronto, Ontario by Stephanie Stanov A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Geography and Planning University of Toronto © Copyright by Stephanie Stanov 2018 Vacant Land to Park Transformations as a Catalyst for Neighbourhood Change and Gentrification in Toronto, Ontario Stephanie Stanov Master of Arts Department of Geography and Planning University of Toronto 2018 Abstract Given the lack of vacant land in the City of Toronto, the redevelopment of available land tends to be highly contested. Stakeholders may advocate for the land to be developed as a park in order to increase social, economic and environmental services provided to residents, both at the neighbourhood scale and city-wide. However, concerns have emerged related to “green gentrification,” which is the exclusion or displacement of vulnerable populations through the creation of green amenities in marginalized neighbourhoods. Using a case study approach to three vacant land to park transformations, this thesis examines how neighbourhood change and gentrification are perceived by actors engaged in the park development process. Using historical analysis, stakeholder interviews, resident surveys and quantitative data analysis, this thesis reveals how the potential for park developments to accelerate gentrification is complex and highly politicized, and perceived more strongly on the ground than it is reflected in changes in quantitative data. ii Acknowledgments This thesis would not have been possible without the support of the several individuals. First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Tenley Conway, for her unwavering support and trust in my abilities throughout this project. A special thanks to Dr. Sarah Wakefield and Dr. Susannah Bunce for acting as committee members; your feedback is greatly appreciated. I would like to thank my interviewees for sharing their knowledge and experiences with me. Your work to expand and improve our city’s park system is truly inspiring. To my family and friends, thank you for understanding my absence while I dedicated my time to this endeavour. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgments ..................................................................................................................... iii Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ............................................................................................................................. vi List of Figures ........................................................................................................................... vii List of Appendices ..................................................................................................................... ix Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Vacancy in Cities: Challenges and Opportunities ............................................................. 1 1.2 Greening Vacant Land: A New Opportunity .................................................................... 4 1.3 Green Gentrification ........................................................................................................ 7 The Toronto Context ............................................................................................................ 15 2.1 A New Parkland Strategy .............................................................................................. 15 2.2 Current Avenues for Parkland Acquisition..................................................................... 17 Methods ............................................................................................................................... 22 3.1 Case Studies: Vacant Lot to Parkland Conversions ........................................................ 22 3.2 Park Descriptions .......................................................................................................... 23 3.3 Historical Research ....................................................................................................... 26 3.4 Interviews and Survey Data Collection .......................................................................... 26 3.5 Resident Survey Collection and Data Analysis .............................................................. 29 3.6 Quantitative Data Analysis ............................................................................................ 32 Park Histories ....................................................................................................................... 36 4.1 Sorauren Park ................................................................................................................ 36 4.2 Woodbine Park .............................................................................................................. 40 4.3 Wychwood Barns Park .................................................................................................. 50 iv Interview Results .................................................................................................................. 58 5.1 Engagement and Activism ............................................................................................. 58 5.2 Politics .......................................................................................................................... 67 5.3 Conflict ......................................................................................................................... 69 5.4 Social and Housing Change ........................................................................................... 73 Survey Results ..................................................................................................................... 81 6.1 General Attitudes Towards the Parks ............................................................................. 81 6.2 Neighbourhood Character .............................................................................................. 85 6.3 Neighbourhood Socio-Demographics ............................................................................ 87 6.4 Neighbourhood Change and Gentrification .................................................................... 90 Quantitative Data Analysis ................................................................................................... 99 7.1 Neighbourhood Socio-Demographics ............................................................................ 99 7.2 Housing Data .............................................................................................................. 109 Discussion .......................................................................................................................... 118 8.1 Perceptions of Neighbourhood Change and Gentrification ........................................... 118 8.2 Politics of Vacant Land to Park Development .............................................................. 122 8.3 Limitations .................................................................................................................. 126 8.4 Future Directions ......................................................................................................... 127 8.5 Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................. 128 References .............................................................................................................................. 130 Appendices ............................................................................................................................. 138 v List of Tables Table 3.1. List of Interviewees by Park ..................................................................................... 28 Table 3.2. Variables Analyzed, Including Description and Source ............................................. 33 Table 3.3. Census Years Included in Quantitative Data Analysis ............................................... 34 Table 3.4. Renaming of Sorauren Park Census Tracts ............................................................... 35 Table 6.1. Responses Given for Neighbourhood Benefits of Parks ............................................ 81 Table 6.2. Responses Given for Ways Parks Build Community ................................................. 82 Table 6.3. Perceptions of Negative Impacts Related to Parks..................................................... 83 Table 6.4. Responses Given as Reasons for Feeling Unsafe in the Park ..................................... 85 Table 6.5. Responses About Ways Park Neighbourhoods are Changing .................................... 97 vi List of Figures Figure 2.1. Vacant Land and Parks Per Capita in Toronto Census Tracts ................................... 20 Figure 2.2. High Vacancy and Low Parks Compared with City of Toronto Neighbourhood Improvement Areas ................................................................................................................... 21 Figure 3.1. Locations of Case Studies Across the City of Toronto ............................................. 22 Figure 3.2. Example of 500-Metre Walking Distance Boundary, Woodbine Park ...................... 30 Figure 3.3. Example of Census Tract