Green Machine: Why cities need parks to be liveable

I think that access to green space is a necessity when living in a city like Toronto. Like any urban centre that experiences extreme seasonal shifts in temperature, Toronto literally comes alive in the spring and summer and the green spaces become filled with people trying to get in touch with nature and escape the city around them.

The great thing about a space like High Park is that it's size allows you to completely escape any indication that there is a sprawling city wrapped around you. Its a real shame that there isn't an easier way to get into the green space on the Toronto Islands; the largest amount of grass and trees downtown. Reclaiming space and turning it green is the new challenge for our generation, as many areas of the city decay and stand derelict.

A great example of this movement is the West Toronto Railpath , which not only proposes to reclaim unused land as green space, but also helps solve the growing traffic problem in the downtown core by creating a "linear park and a sustainable transportation corridor". As a resident of one of the neighborhoods that the proposed path would cut through, and an avid bike commuter, I can't tell you how great this would be for me, our community and the city in general. Lets hope other's agree and figure it out.

Parks, libraries, public buildings for art and performance are all essential components of vibrant urban environments.  Without all of these, a city is destined to be little more than a business district to which suburban residents commute to and from work.  They also present funding challenges for city government.  Therefore, with respect to parks, not all parks are created equal.  While it may be true that parks are present for all residents - despite economic advantage and/or ethnicity - not all of these parks are welcome spaces for the residents.  In poorer areas, parks are neglegted and in disrepair; often they are a place where illicit goods are bought and sold (i.e. drugs, guns, etc.)  In short, when considering the park systems in urban environments, it is not enough to consider the gems, one must also consider the wasted opportunities.  Urban residents need to get involved with the city park district, and make sure that all the parks are maintained and accessible for all. 

I live in Edinburgh which is lucky to have both public and private gardens throughout the city centre, including the Princes Street Gardens which commercially would be worth millions, but would detract from the exceptional beauty of the city if ever developed.